Cashmere and Merino

Cashmere is one of the finest natural fibres in the world. Combed from the underbelly of Chinese and Mongolian goats, it’s extremely delicate and requires a little extra care and attention. Merino wool - unsurprisingly from the Merino sheep - is the softest type of wool from that animal. 

After wearing your cashmere or Merino garment a few times, you might notice small balls of fibre on the surface. Don’t worry, this isn’t a sign of poor quality. Known as ‘pilling’, it occurs when short fibres tangle together during wear. If your knitwear only pills in certain places you might have to consider the reason for this extra friction and take action. The pilling should only be removed with a cashmere comb. 

The best tip for reducing pilling is to wash the garment by hand frequently.  This will help wash those short fibres out of the garment, making the garment even softer in the process. Always dry your knitwear flat on a towel away from radiators or sunlight. If needed,  you can roll the towel up and push some of the excess water out. Do not tumble dry. 

Always fold the knitwear when putting it away - no hangers please! Some Merino wool products can also be washed in the machine (be sure to look at the care label). Always wash on a wool cycle using a mild detergent and remember to turn the garment inside out first. Again, let it dry flat on a towel after the wash. 

Heavier knitwear such as Andersen-Andersen

Before you wash your garment, consider airing it outside. A good airing on a hanger can refresh your sweater and neutralise odours. Small stains can often be removed using a cloth and some cold water. This type of sweater is rarely worn directly on your skin so you shouldn’t need to wash it that often.

If you really need to wash it. Andersen-Andersen recommend a machine wash on a wool program using a wool-specific detergent. And again, dry the garment flat on a towel. You can also use the rolling technique described above to remove excess water. 

Jeans

Wars have almost been fought over the ‘right’ way to take care of jeans. Some say never wash them, others say you should wear them in the sea, or put them in the freezer. At GOODS, we don’t believe there’s a right or wrong way, but there are some universal tips almost everyone agrees on. 

First of all if your jeans are pre-washed, just treat them as you would any other cotton garment. Wash them inside out at 30 degrees without fabric softener, and don’t tumble dry. But if you’ve bought yourself a pair of unwashed selvedge jeans, it’s a different kettle of fish. If you simply want them to fade all over, just wash them as described above. If you want your jeans to get that authentic worn-in and honeycombed look, it’s a good idea to delay washing them as long as possible. After six months or even a year, a dry clean or a rinse in water and a mild detergent will do the trick. 

Wool trousers

A timeless addition to any wardrobe, a wool trouser will reward proper care with many years of use.  Generally speaking, wool trousers are constructed using multiple fabrics so dry cleaning is definitely the only way to go. That being said, it’s always a good idea to use a clothing brush to remove dirt that has accumulated on the outer layers before it has a chance to settle into the fabric. This will also help lower your dry-cleaning bill, and of course goes for wool jackets as well. 

Use the steam function on your iron to remove day-to-day wrinkles and creases (keep the iron a few centimetres away from the fabric). Always keep your pants on a hanger as this will also help reduce wrinkles. Lastly, please bear in mind that wool trousers are not jeans. They’re made from a much more delicate fabric and simply can’t be worn in the same way. It’s not a good idea to wear the same pair every day for a week. Lastly, while we would never discourage bicycling, wearing them on your bike will inevitably cause them to wear out much quicker. 

Suede and leather shoes and sneakers

Better to clean your shoes and sneakers lightly and often rather than heavily and occasionally.  When it comes to leather, wiping them clean with a wet cloth goes a long way. For worn-out leather, some organic shoe grease can do the trick. For suede, we recommend buying a suede brush from your local cobbler. When it comes to cleaning rubber soles, we find the most efficient solution is dish soap and a sponge. 

Proceed with caution when choosing care products. Don’t purchase a pair of high quality shoes just to spray them with random chemicals. If you decide to use a product, make sure that whoever sells it to you can guarantee it’ll have the desired effect on the specific shoes or sneakers you want to treat. Sneaker laces can be washed which will give them a cleaner look.

Last but not least, here’s a handy bit of advice your mum might have shared with you: check the weather. If it’s raining cats and dogs and the streets are swimming with rivers of mud, maybe you’re better off leaving the suede shoes at home.

Thank you for taking care of your goods.