4 tips for taking care of your alpaca sweater
OUR 4 TIPS TO CARE FOR YOUR ALPACA SWEATER!
Did you know that alpaca wool is known to be both warm and very breathable? Extreme cold or milder weather, it adapts to all weather conditions! So for your alpaca sweater to accompany you throughout the seasons, here are our 4 tips to take care of it ⤵
1. Air your sweater regularly.
Alpaca wool being very breathable, it is not necessary to wash it too often. To maintain your sweater, we recommend that you air it regularly . Hang your sweater for a few minutes in a room with an open window, for example, or let it enjoy the water vapors in your bathroom when you shower! However , be careful not to leave it suspended for too long, we'll explain why a little further down ⬇
2. Favor a hand wash, cold.
To wash your sweater , we strongly recommend that you choose a cold wash by hand, in water mixed with a little mild detergent or suitable for wool. Washing cold and by hand is also more environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Washing is an important step, to avoid any fateful mistake, take care to:
- Do not rub your sweater: knead it to make the water penetrate.
- Avoid wringing your sweater as much as possible to wring it out: place it instead in a bath towel that will absorb the excess water.
- Do not hang your wet jumper to dry: wool can absorb up to 35% of its weight in water before being damp to the touch! Hanging up your sweater risks causing irreversible deformations. We therefore advise you to favor drying flat and away from any source of excessive heat!
3. Pilling is not an end in itself.
The appearance of pilling on your natural alpaca wool sweater (and even wool itself) is completely normal and has nothing to do with a concern for quality, quite the contrary. The threads that form the stitch of your sweater are made up of fibers of different sizes. The shorter fibers ( woven with the other large fibers) will therefore stand out and, with friction, form what are called pilling. Do not panic, they will eventually disappear and we therefore advise you to remove them as you go. To save time, you can also use a "pilling razor" , specially designed for this effect and respectful of the mesh.
4. Watch out for moths!
These little beasts love natural wool and can cause serious damage to your sweaters! On the other hand, they are sensitive to strong odors. To keep them away from your cupboards, use natural repellents such as sachets of lavender, balls of red cedar, bay leaf or even cloves. Do not hesitate to regularly clean your closets and store only clean or airy clothes.
There you go, with these tips, your sweater is in good stitches, uh... hands!
