You purchased a beautiful cashmere sweater and want to preserve it's beauty for future years of wear and enjoyment. There's no need to stress about how to store your cashmere for the summer. To keep it in top condition follow these easy steps.
Prior to long-term storage of your garment each piece should be washed and/or dry cleaned prior to storage. It is best to fold cashmere clothes and never hang them. This will help maintain it's natural shape so it looks like new the following season. This is also a good opportunity to say bye-bye to any pills that naturally occur even on the most luxurious sweaters. Gently brush the garment in one direction using a sweater stone for heavier gauges or a sweater comb for finer weaves.
There are many safe storage options available to prevent pesky moths as well as sunlight damage from harming your cashmere. A cedar chest or airtight plastic bins are both pratical storage options. If you don't have a cedar chest, shelves or closet make sure to use opaque plastic bins. These will prevent sunlight damage from fading any colored dyes within the cashmere fibers.
If you don't use opaque plastic bins make certain to store see-through plastic bins in a cool, dark, dry space like a closet or under a bed. Don't forget to add cedar planks or spheres to the bins to keep pesky moths away. One caveat...don't allow the cedar to come in direct contact with your garments. There are plenty of options on the market for non-toxic, cedar moth repellents. You can also explore other natural moth-deterrents such as sachets filled with herbs like lavender, mint, thyme, and rosemary. Be sure to replace any moth-deterrents every few months so that everything stays fresh and safe from pesky moths.
Enjoy the peace of mind knowing your sweater investments stay safe!