How to wash a sweater so it keeps its shape

Most of the sweaters and cardigans we sell carry the same care label: machine wash cold, tumble dry low. Read that as the most the fabric will tolerate, not the gentlest way to treat it. Wash a knit a little more kindly than its label asks and it will keep its shape, its color and a clean surface for far longer.

Before you wash

• Read the label first. It is sewn inside, and the care line is also printed on our product pages. If the label says something different from this guide, follow the label.
• Wash less often. A sweater worn over a shirt or tee rarely needs washing after one wear. Air it overnight on a chair back and fold it away.
• Treat small marks on the spot with a little mild detergent and cool water, dabbed rather than rubbed.
• Prepare it. Turn it inside out, fasten the buttons on a cardigan and close any zip, then place it in a mesh laundry bag. This one step prevents most snags and much of the pilling.

Washing by machine

• Choose cold water and the gentlest cycle your machine offers, often called delicate, hand wash or wool.
• Use a low spin speed. A hard spin pulls a wet knit out of shape.
• Use a mild liquid detergent, and wash knits with clothes of a similar color and weight. Heavy jeans in the same load act like sandpaper.
• Use little or no fabric softener; a little goes a long way on synthetic knits.

Washing by hand

Fill a basin with cool water and a small amount of mild detergent. Submerge the sweater, press it gently for a minute or two, then let it soak for ten minutes. Rinse in clean cool water until no suds remain. Press the water out with flat hands; never wring or twist a knit. Roll it inside a dry towel to take out the rest.

Drying

A label that allows a low tumble dry is giving you permission, not advice. The gentlest choice is to dry a sweater flat:

1. Lay a dry towel on a flat surface away from direct heat and sun.
2. Place the sweater on it and pat it back into shape, with the sleeves and hem straight.
3. Turn it over after a few hours so both sides dry evenly.

Do not hang a wet sweater. The weight of the water stretches the body and leaves points on the shoulders that do not always relax.

What each fiber needs

Acrylic

Many of our sweaters are acrylic or acrylic blends. Acrylic's weak point is heat: a hot dryer or iron can stretch it permanently. Keep everything cool and dry it flat when you can.

Polyester and polyester blends

Polyester knits keep their shape well and dry quickly. They are the most likely to pill, so the mesh bag and inside out wash matter most here.

Viscose and nylon blends

Viscose is weaker when wet. Handle it gently, avoid a hard spin and never wring it. Nylon in the blend helps it recover its shape as it dries.

Cotton

Cotton knits, such as most of our henleys and polos, can shrink in hot water or a hot dryer. Wash cold and dry low or flat. A slightly damp cotton knit can be gently stretched back to size before it dries.

Our fabric guide explains each of these fibers in more detail.

Pilling, and how to remove it

Pills are small balls of fiber that form where a knit rubs: under the arms, along the sides, and wherever a bag strap sits. Synthetic fibers are strong, so the pills cling on rather than falling away. They are a sign of friction, not of a fault.

• Lay the sweater flat on a table.
• Use a battery fabric shaver or a sweater comb with light, short strokes in one direction.
• Work in good light and stop as soon as the surface is clean. Pressing hard thins the knit.

To slow pilling down, wash inside out in a mesh bag, keep rough bag straps away from the same spot every day, and give a sweater a day of rest between wears.

Removing creases

A handheld steamer is the kindest tool for knitwear. If you only have an iron, set it to low, lay a clean cotton cloth over the sweater and press lightly without sliding. Synthetic fibers can shine or melt under a hot iron.

Storing knitwear

• Fold, never hang. Hangers stretch the shoulders over time.
• Store clean. Body oils and food marks set over a season.
• Give them room. A crowded drawer creases knits and rubs their surface.
• Moths: they feed on animal fibers such as wool. Most of our knits are synthetic, so a clean, dry drawer is enough. If you keep wool pieces alongside them, cedar blocks and regular airing help.

Find a knit that suits you

Browse all knitwear, or go straight to women's knitwear, women's cardigans or men's knitwear. Every product page lists the exact fabric mix and its care line, so you know what a piece needs before it arrives. For quick answers on care, delivery and returns, see our FAQ.