You spent $200 on a cashmere scarf. Maybe more. And now it is sitting in your closet with a faint coffee stain near the edge, and you are not sure what to do about it. The dry cleaner feels like overkill. The washing machine feels like a death sentence. So it just... sits there.
This is the quiet tragedy of cashmere ownership. People invest in beautiful pieces and then become afraid to use them — or afraid to clean them when they do. The result is a drawer full of things you love but barely touch.
Here is the good news: washing cashmere at home is not only possible, it is often better for the fiber than professional dry cleaning. Cashmere is a natural protein fiber — keratin, the same protein in your hair — and it responds well to gentle water and mild detergent. What it does not respond well to is the chemical solvents used in most dry cleaning processes, or the agitation of a standard wash cycle. Once you understand those two facts, the rest is simple.
Why dry cleaning is often worse for cashmere
This might be the most counterintuitive thing in garment care: the "professional" option is frequently the one that causes the most damage.
How dry cleaning works: Despite its name, dry cleaning is not dry. It uses liquid chemical solvents — most commonly perchloroethylene (perc) — to dissolve oils and stains. These solvents strip natural lanolin from animal fibers, which is the waxy coating that gives cashmere its softness and water resistance. Over repeated dry cleaning cycles, cashmere becomes progressively drier, stiffer, and more prone to breakage.
There are exceptions. A good dry cleaner who specializes in natural fibers will use gentler solvents and handle the piece carefully. But most neighborhood dry cleaners treat a $200 cashmere scarf the same way they treat a polyester blazer. The economics of the business demand it.
Hand washing, done correctly, preserves the lanolin, maintains the fiber structure, and actually helps cashmere soften over time. It takes about fifteen minutes. You probably already have everything you need.
How to wash cashmere by hand: a step-by-step guide
This is the method we recommend for all our cashmere pieces — from the Ripple Cashmere Scarf to the Cashmere Blanket. It works for scarves, shawls, hats, gloves, socks, and sweaters.
What you need
- A clean basin, sink, or bathtub
- Cool to lukewarm water (around 30°C / 85°F — if it feels warm on your wrist, it is too hot)
- A gentle detergent — baby shampoo, wool wash, or a pH-neutral liquid soap. No enzyme-based detergents. No bleach. Ever.
- A clean, dry towel (white or light-colored, to avoid dye transfer)
Step 1: Fill and dissolve
Fill your basin with cool water. Add a small amount of detergent — about a teaspoon for a single garment, a tablespoon for a blanket. Swirl gently to dissolve. The water should look slightly soapy, not sudsy. If you see foam, you have used too much.
Step 2: Submerge and soak
Turn the cashmere piece inside out (if applicable) and press it gently into the water. Do not wring, twist, or scrub. Just press it down and let the water move through the fibers. Let it soak for 10-15 minutes. For a piece like the Undyed Cable Knit Cashmere Shawl, which has a denser knit structure, fifteen minutes is ideal.
If there is a specific stain, press the soapy water gently through that area with your fingertips. No rubbing.
Step 3: Rinse
Drain the basin. Refill with clean, cool water. Press the piece gently to move fresh water through the fibers. Drain and repeat until the water runs clear — usually two or three rinses. Residual detergent left in the fiber will attract dirt faster, so rinse thoroughly.
Step 4: Remove excess water
This is where most people go wrong. Do not wring cashmere. Do not twist it. Do not hold it up and let it hang under its own weight — wet cashmere stretches irreversibly.
Instead: lift the piece out of the water with both hands, supporting its weight. Press it gently against the side of the basin to push out water. Then lay it flat on your clean towel, roll the towel up like a sleeping bag, and press down firmly. The towel absorbs the water. Unroll, and the cashmere should feel damp but not dripping.
Can you machine wash cashmere?
Yes — with conditions.
If your washing machine has a dedicated wool or delicate cycle with reduced agitation and a slow spin speed (under 600 RPM), it can work for certain cashmere pieces. Smaller, denser items — a Pure Cashmere Watch Cap, a pair of Pure Cashmere Bed Socks — can handle a gentle machine cycle better than larger, loosely knit items.
The rules:
- Use a mesh laundry bag. Always.
- Cold water only. Never warm, never hot.
- Gentle or wool cycle. If your machine does not have one, do not risk it.
- Skip the spin cycle entirely, or set it to the lowest possible speed.
- Wash cashmere alone or with other delicates. Never with jeans, towels, or anything with zippers or hooks.
For finer pieces like the 200-Count Cashmere Cloud Veil, hand washing is always the safer choice. The 200-count yarn is exceptionally fine, and the gentleness of your hands is genuinely better than any machine setting.
How to dry cashmere (this is the part that matters most)
Washing cashmere wrong might make it feel a little off. Drying cashmere wrong will ruin it. This is not an exaggeration.
Why heat destroys cashmere: Cashmere fibers are held together by hydrogen bonds that weaken in the presence of heat and agitation. When wet cashmere meets high heat — a dryer, a radiator, direct sunlight — the fibers contract unevenly, fuse together, and felt. Felting is irreversible. A $300 sweater becomes a $0 piece of scratchy felt in one dryer cycle.
The only correct method: lay flat to dry.
After the towel-roll step, reshape the piece on a clean, dry surface — a drying rack with a flat mesh top is ideal, but a clean towel on a table works fine. Smooth it into its original shape with your hands. Straighten the seams. Align the edges. This is called blocking, and it is how you prevent cashmere from drying into a distorted version of itself.
Keep it away from direct sunlight, radiators, and heat vents. A well-ventilated room at normal temperature is perfect. Flip the piece once halfway through drying. Depending on humidity, it will be fully dry in 12-24 hours.
Never hang cashmere to dry. Gravity plus water weight equals permanent stretching. That hanger-shaped bump in the shoulders of a cashmere sweater? That happened during drying, not wearing.
Depilling: it is normal, and it is not damage
If your cashmere has pills — those small fiber balls that form on the surface — do not panic. And do not assume you bought a bad product.
Cashmere pilling is a natural consequence of short, fine fibers rubbing against each other and against surfaces. It happens to all cashmere, including the expensive kind. In fact, some of the softest cashmere pills the most in the first few weeks, because the loosest surface fibers are working themselves free.
How to depill:
- A cashmere comb — a small, fine-toothed metal comb designed for the job. Lay the piece flat, hold the fabric taut with one hand, and comb gently in one direction. Do not press hard. Let the teeth do the work.
- A fabric shaver — an electric or battery-powered device that shaves pills off the surface. Faster than a comb, slightly less precise. Good for larger areas like blankets.
- Do not use a razor. Despite what the internet says. One slip and you cut through the knit.
After depilling, most cashmere pieces actually look better than new. The loose fibers are gone, and the underlying knit structure is more visible. Pilling decreases significantly after the first few depilling sessions as the loose surface fibers are removed.
How to store cashmere between seasons
Cashmere's two enemies in storage are moths and gravity.
Moths: They are not attracted to cashmere because it is expensive. They are attracted to it because it is protein. Keratin — the same protein in cashmere, wool, and your hair — is food for moth larvae. The solution is not mothballs (which are toxic and leave a lingering chemical smell). The solution is cedar.
- Cedar blocks or cedar rings in your drawer or storage box. The natural oils repel moths without chemicals. Sand them lightly once a year to refresh the scent.
- Lavender sachets work as a secondary deterrent and smell considerably better.
- Store cashmere clean. Moths are attracted to body oils and food residue on fibers, not just the fiber itself. Always wash before storing for the season.
Gravity: Never hang cashmere. Not on a hanger, not on a hook, not even on a padded hanger. Cashmere has very little elastic memory — once it stretches, it stays stretched. Fold it. Store it flat. If you are stacking multiple pieces, put the heaviest at the bottom.
For longer-term storage, a breathable cotton storage bag is better than plastic. Plastic traps moisture and can create conditions for mildew. Your cashmere needs to breathe — even when it is sleeping in a drawer until October.
A quick-reference cashmere care guide
| Do | Don't |
|---|---|
| Hand wash in cool water | Use hot water |
| Use baby shampoo or wool wash | Use enzyme detergent or bleach |
| Roll in a towel to remove water | Wring or twist |
| Lay flat to dry | Hang to dry or tumble dry |
| Depill with a cashmere comb | Use a razor |
| Fold and store flat with cedar | Hang on hangers or store in plastic |
| Wash before seasonal storage | Store dirty — moths love body oils |
Continue Reading
Shop Cashmere
- Scarves & Shawls — Cashmere wraps and veils
- Socks & Gloves — Cashmere bed socks and fingerless gloves
- Hats — Cashmere watch caps and beanies
- Home — Cashmere blankets
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you wash cashmere in a washing machine?
Yes, if your machine has a dedicated wool or delicate cycle with cold water and reduced agitation (under 600 RPM spin speed). Always use a mesh laundry bag and wash cashmere separately from heavier fabrics. However, hand washing remains the safest method, especially for fine-gauge or loosely knit pieces.
How often should you wash cashmere?
Less than you think. Cashmere does not need to be washed after every wear. The fiber naturally resists odor and bacteria. Wash when you notice a stain, an odor, or after every 3-5 wears. Between washes, air your cashmere out flat overnight — most minor odors dissipate on their own.
Does cashmere shrink when washed?
Cashmere can shrink if exposed to hot water, agitation, or heat during drying — this process is called felting, and it is irreversible. When washed correctly in cool water with gentle handling and laid flat to dry, cashmere will not shrink. Temperature control is the single most important factor.
Is pilling a sign of low-quality cashmere?
No. All cashmere pills to some degree, including high-quality cashmere. Pilling occurs when short fibers work themselves loose through friction — it is a characteristic of the fiber, not a defect. Higher-quality cashmere with longer fibers may pill less over time, but initial pilling is normal. Regular depilling with a cashmere comb will keep the surface smooth.
Part of our textile knowledge series: Natural Fiber Care Guide | Natural Fiber Material Guide