Anya Hawkins's blog : Looking After Cashmere Blends or Pure Cashmere Clothing

There has always been something undeniably luxurious and desirable about cashmere clothing and accessories. Loved by the elite classes for thousands of years, these days cashmere is more achievable and attainable for people with more moderate and low incomes. That's not to say that the quality has changed, only that production methods have been made cheaper, and also that cashmere is more widely available than it once was.

There are so many reasons to choose cashmere clothing and accessories, the main one being that they are beautiful to look at and provide unbeatable comfort and softness. Another reason for the popularity of cashmere is that it is incredibly gentle on even the most sensitive skin.

Unlike wool from sheep, cashmere wool does not contain any lanolin which can be highly irritating for people who are allergy prone, have sensitive skin, or are very young - babies are known to have extremely sensitive skin and lanolin in sheep's wool what can cause itchy rashes on their delicate skin.

As you can imagine, cashmere is a very popular material for clothing and accessories for adults and children alike. In fact, the cashmere clothing industry is only growing year on year, and the demands for beautiful cashmere clothing and accessories are growing as people all around the world seek more premium products and experiences.

Aside from being seriously soft and hypoallergenic, there are several benefits to choosing Kashmir over other natural fibres such as sheep's wool and cotton. For example, despite being incredibly fine and lightweight, cashmere is an incredibly strong natural fibre that is extremely durable and long lasting. With the right care it's entirely possible that your pure cashmere jumpers will last for decades, and it's not uncommon for this type of clothing to be passed down through the generations.

Cashmere care made easy

If you love the idea of buying cashmere clothing and accessories but have been put off by the thought of having to hand wash everything, you don't need to worry because most Kashmir these days can be washed using a gentle cycle on your washing machine. The gentle cycle on a washing machine is designed for exactly this kind of use, but you will need to make sure that the label on your cashmere garment states that it can be washed in this way.

This is because some garments are simply too delicate to hold up to repeated machine washing. Where this is the case you will need to be prepared to wash your cashmere by hand but you will be pleased to know that this is quite a simple process. In order to hand wash cashmere you don't really need any special equipment or knowledge, just some mild detergent that is suitable for cashmere fibres and some lukewarm water.

Washing your cashmere can be a simple process because all you need to do really is to mix the detergent with some lukewarm water, soak the garments for 10 minutes or so, then rinse with cool clear water to remove the detergent residue. Once this is finished you will need to lay the garments flat to dry to avoid stretching the fibres and causing the garment to deform.

As a side note on storage, you should never hang your cashmere clothing on a clothes hanger in a wardrobe if at all possible. Hanging cashmere in this way causes the fibres to elongate in certain areas that can ruin the look of the garment and change the way it fits your body. Storing your cashmere clothing folded flat in a chest of drawers is the best way to go because this does not put any undue stress on the fibres and will protect the shape of the garment.

With just some simple care you will find that your cashmere clothing and accessories will last you for decades if not a lifetime. This makes cashmere one of the most sustainable clothing materials available on the market and allows you to get lots of wear out of every piece. As such, cashmere clothing can be thought of as an environmentally friendly option, especially when compared to water and energy intensive clothing fibres such as cotton and polyester.