Cashmere care comes down to treating a fine, short-staple natural fiber gently at every step. Cashmere is warm and soft precisely because its fibers are fine, and fine fibers punish heat, agitation, and hanging. The good news is that proper care is simple: hand wash in cool water with a wool or cashmere wash, dry flat in shape, rest each piece at least a day between wearings, and store it folded and clean. Cashmere that is cared for this way does not wear out quickly — it improves, softening with age while cheaper, roughly handled knits felt, sag, and pill themselves apart.
How to Wash Cashmere
Start with the care label — most cashmere is labeled hand wash or dry clean, and either route is acceptable. To hand wash, fill a basin with cool to lukewarm water and a small amount of wool or cashmere wash (a gentle, pH-neutral detergent made for protein fibers). Submerge the garment, press the water through gently for a few minutes, and let it soak for up to half an hour. Never wring, twist, or scrub: agitation plus heat is what felts fine fibers. Rinse in water of the same temperature until it runs clear — a sudden temperature change shocks the fibers.
Lift the sweater out supporting its full weight, because wet cashmere is heavy and stretches easily. Press water out against the basin, then roll the garment in a clean dry towel and press again. Reshape it on a flat drying rack or towel, patting it back to its original measurements, and let it dry away from radiators and direct sun. If you prefer dry cleaning, choose a cleaner experienced with fine knits and ask them to note any spots rather than scrubbing them.
Wearing, Resting, and De-Pilling
Cashmere needs rest. Wearing the same sweater two days running gives the fibers no time to recover their shape, so rotate pieces and give each at least 24 hours — ideally 48 — between wearings. Some pilling in the first wears is normal: the shortest fibers work loose where surfaces rub. Remove pills with a cashmere comb or an electric fabric shaver used lightly on a flat surface, as described in our guide to removing pilling. Quality cashmere pills less over time as those loose short fibers are cleared away.
Wash after several wears rather than after every wearing — cashmere does not need frequent washing, and overwashing ages it faster than wear does. Treat spots promptly by dabbing, never rubbing, and keep perfume and deodorant off the knit itself by applying them before dressing. For the full washing method that suits all fine knits, see how to wash wool sweaters.
Storing Cashmere
Never hang cashmere — hangers stretch wet or dry knits out of shape at the shoulders. Fold sweaters and store them in a drawer or breathable bag, cleaned first: clothes moths are drawn to soiled fibers, and a sweater put away with food or body oils on it is the one that comes out with holes. Cedar blocks or rings in the drawer are a useful deterrent, and our guide to storing sweaters covers seasonal storage in detail.
Common Questions
- Can cashmere be machine washed?
- Only if the care label says so. Some cashmere is made and finished for a gentle machine cycle; most is not. If the label allows it, use a mesh wash bag, the wool or delicates cycle, cold water, and a wool wash — then dry flat. When the label says hand wash or dry clean, follow it.
- How often should cashmere be washed?
- After several wears, or sooner if it is soiled or has absorbed odors. Cashmere does not need washing after every wearing, and resting a sweater a day or two between wears keeps it fresher than frequent washing does.
- Why is my cashmere pilling?
- Pilling is loose short fibers tangling where the surface rubs — under the arms, at the sides, where a bag strap sits. It is worst in the first wears and settles down as the loose fibers clear. Remove pills gently with a comb or fabric shaver; do not pull them off by hand.
- Should cashmere be dry cleaned or hand washed?
- Both are accepted for most cashmere. Hand washing in cool water with wool wash is gentle and inexpensive, and many makers prefer it. Dry cleaning suits structured or lined cashmere pieces. Whichever you choose, what matters most is cool temperatures, no agitation, and drying flat.
Garment Care & Clothing Storage Guides
This page is part of the Apparel Search garment care series — practical guides to washing, finishing, and storing the clothes you own. Browse the full series below.