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how to care for alpaca, cashmere & Silk

...and how not to torture a sweater

Caring for your Invisible World Woolens

 

 
 
 
 
    Wool is elastic and durable, as long it is treated in a manner appropriate to the garment. Rustic wool and alpaca are tough and resilient. Cashmere is more delicate. If you take care of it, your Invisible World sweater will last you many years.     Never hang a wet sweater up to dry. This is called “torturing your sweater for information it cannot reveal.”     A wool sweater or knit jacket should never be hung on a hanger or crucified on the back of a chair. This is called “punishing your sweater for something it didn’t do.”  
 
 
 
 
    To hand-wash a sweater you should wash it in cold water with a mild detergent like Woolite or a good shampoo, gently kneading and squeezing the garment without twisting or wringing it. Adding hair conditioner or fabric softener will make your sweater silkier. After rinsing, you should gently squeeze out the water and lay the sweater flat on a towel to dry.      A wool garment should never be washed in warm or hot water, or in the washing machine. Unless you have been accidentally exposed to nuclear radiation and find yourself getting smaller every hour like The Incredible Shrinking Man, you will truly regret the irreversible felting process that you have unleashed on your garment. Shrinking of things is better left to the Jivaro Indians of the northwest Amazon.     Although it is virtually impossible to systematically shrink a sweater to fit, it is possible to stretch out a sweater a little bit to just the right size. This is called blocking the sweater. To do this the sweater should be washed or at least well soaked. Then, after squeezing out the water, and laying it on a towel, the sweater is gently and evenly pulled out to the dimensions desired. The sweater should then be weighted with clean heavy objects until it is dry. It will then retain its new shape.  
 
 
 
 

 

 

here are more details:

 

The Rare Fibers of Alpaca

If someone were to tell me they had found a fiber that was silky and soft, yet never pilled nor showed its age, I would be skeptical. Yet these characteristics perfectly describe Alpaca, making it the darling of foreign fashion designers. Exported from only two countries, Peru and Bolivia, we travel to South America year after year to offer this rare and valuable fiber in the form of sweaters, hats and more. While typically more expensive than wool, Alpaca’s silky feel and amazing durability make it a great value that will stay beautiful for many years to come.

Alpaca Care

 

  Alpaca should be cared for exactly like wool.     They can be hand-washed in cold water and laid flat to dry. Or dry clean.
 
  They should be stored neatly folded, not hung, in a moth-proof environment.     With this care, an alpaca sweater should stand up to years of everyday usage with few signs of wear.
 

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LUXURIOUS SOFTNESS
Cashmere’s softness, featherweight and warmth sets it apart from all other fibers. Our fine cashmere sweaters feel luxurious indoors or out, but their extraordinary insulating qualities make them a hot new fiber for mountaineering and skiing. It’s hard to believe that one of the world’s softest natural fibers would come from one of it’s toughest climates, but most of the world’s cashmere actually comes from the harsh windy steppes of northern China.

Cashmere Care 

  Cashmere can be hand-washed gently and laid flat to dry, as well as dry-cleaned.     Store the sweater in a closed plastic bag with a piece of cedar or moth repellent to protect it against our hungry flying friends...
 
  All cashmere pills at first, but a few minutes with a safety razor will make the sweater look like new again.     With this care, your cashmere sweater should stand up to years of everyday usage with few signs of wear.
 
 

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Silk Care

 

  Silk is nature's strongest fiber, and can be gently hand-washed or dry-cleaned.      Note: silk's surface is weaker when it is wet, so don't rub them too hard.
 
  Our hand-painted silks have been washed and steamed before they are sewn, and are completely colorfast     With this care, your silk scarf should last you many years.
 
 

Do you have any more questions?

Then drop us a line

We will try to get back to you as soon as possible, but because we might just be sitting at a lonely outpost in the Andean mountains, allow us 1-2 business days for a reply.

We will pet an Alpaca for you.