How to care for cashmere Pashmina? Here’s our SOS guide to caring for your genuine Pashmina. As Pashmina is a handcrafted variety of ultra-fine, ethical cashmere, these tips apply equally to all cashmeres. Cashmere is made from the winter down of the Capra hircus goat (also known as changra in the Himalayas). It’s a very fine, soft fiber with special hygroscopic properties. Cashmere naturally regulates ambient humidity by blocking it out, giving this fiber great thermal insulation properties. Breathable, warmer and lighter than sheep’s wool, this yarn not only regulates body temperature – keeping the skin cool in summer – but also does not absorb odors and is highly resistant to stains
LES BOULOCHES
Cashmere lovers know all about them, and they are probably the only drawback of this addictive material. While some people can easily live with them as a small price to pay, others just can’t stand them
The phenomenon is perfectly normal in new cashmere and corresponds to the very nature of the fiber. It will diminish over time as the excess down is eliminated by washing. It’s almost impossible to choose between softness and pilling: a tightly-woven pashmina will release less down and therefore produce less pilling, but will feel drier and much less soft and attractive, whereas a much softer, loosely-woven pashmina will tend to reject pilling at first
At Princesse Moghole, we’ve chosen to weave our pashminas in “medium weave” to offer you instant softness, which means you’ll have to tolerate a little pilling at first, which will quickly be eliminated with proper care
Our anti-pilling tip
Don’t wear your pashmina all the time at first, and let it rest so as not to encourage rubbing. Wash it regularly after a few wears, as a well-moisturized fiber tends to pellet less. Pilling can be quickly removed with a small scissor or an anti-pilling electric razor, used with care. Pilling combs should be reserved for jerseys and knits, but may pull on woven cashmere fibers
Men with beards need to be particularly careful, as they tend to encourage the formation of lint
In the same way, a new pashmina can release particles of fluff that settle on clothing through static electricity: this inconvenience quickly diminishes with time and washing, and is easily resolved with an anti-linting adhesive roller
PULLED WIRES
When the pashmina is new, a thread may sometimes escape from the selvedge: this is the traditional way in which pashminas are hand-woven over several meters and then cut to the desired length (traditionally 2m, but sometimes 1.90m to reduce cost). The thread that escapes from the edge can simply be cut off after being pulled back to the selvage. Don’t worry, pashmina won’t “unweave”: once worn, the fibers will swell and stay in place
THE HOLES
Disaster! A moth has got in… Don’t panic, as the fabric is woven, the hole won’t get as big as it would with a knitted stitch. In Kashmir, holes are easily repaired by the Rafugars, who use selvedge yarn to fill them. In France, it’s a trade that’s being lost, that of remailleur
In Paris, we can recommend Dominique (75009 Anvers metro station)
Website: http: //repare-cachemire.e-monsite.com/
Tel : 0668169336
Mail: remaillage@gmail.com
Prices are on quotation, you can email a photo of the hole with a coin next to it for the scale
If you have any other contact details to recommend, please don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know!
THE TACHES
Essence F: this solvent is used for degreasing, stain removal and dry cleaning. It is effective on grease, ink, tar and sludge. This product is toxic and must be used with care, reading the conditions of use carefully, but it does not damage cashmere at all, as the Kashmiri use it
Vanish-type stain remover: also works very well for staining cashmere, the big advantage of this fiber being that it loves water and washes very well
WASHING ACCIDENTS
Has your pashmina been the victim of a washing accident? Was the temperature or detergent used unsuitable, and has the cashmere felted? There’s a special product that does wonders for de-felting cashmere sweaters and can also restore elasticity and softness to pashmina fibers. This product is “Nuncas Sfeltro”, which coats cashmere fibers like a conditioner. Simply follow the instructions for use. You’ll find it in good drugstores, or online, for example here at l’univers de la droguerie
In a future article, we’ll look at the last resort when all else fails to save a pashmina: dyeing!
