How to Wash / Treat Machine Made Garments with Fine Combed Yarns
How to Wash / Treat Machine Made Garments with Fine Combed Yarns
The cashmere yarns for knitting machines and the cashmere yarns for hand knitting in cones are never (or almost never) treated and must be treated (washed) after processing. This is because machining untreated yarn is much easier, and there is less risk of the yarn breaking or the needles of the machine to break.
My first and most important advice is always to make a small sample / cloth (10 × 10 or better 20 × 20) and wash it in the washing machine before making the final work.
This is because cashmere yarns, even if they have the same title (fineness), are never all the same. There are many variables in the making of cashmere yarns, from spinning to dyeing.
First of all, each spinning mill has its own method and its own market needs and the yarns can be born harder or softer and also have a different dye. In addition, there is also a difference between the yarns of the same spinning mill, based on the colors; the lighter colors are different from the darker colors and the melange colors and require small precautions in the machine processing and in the first wash.
For example, darker colors will always be cruder (less soft) than light colors as more invasive fixing products are used in dyeing, in fixing the color to ensure that the yarn does not lose its color in washing and over time but the fiber itself is affected in softness.
It also affects the type of machining. Cashmere tends to swell when you wash it and needs enough space for it, so if you want to get the maximum softness you tend to work it with a slightly larger sweater.
On the contrary, if you want to get the maximum resistance especially in terms of pilling (the classic ball that make the cashmere sweaters) you tend to work it in tighter stitches. In this way you will get a less soft knit, a little heavier, but much more resistant to pilling.
Here are our washing tips:
Premises:
1 – Sometimes it may be necessary to evaporate the sample and the garment before or after washing. To evaporate we mean passing the iron releasing the steam on the sample and / or on the garment WITHOUT placing the iron on the sample / garment, before or after washing.
2 – The following washing tips are general and basic. Before washing the sample, measure it, so you can calculate the returns / withdrawals. Also check the yield of the sample well, even in softness and hair, so you can see if it is appropriate to work it tighter or shorter, or whether to wash it a little more or a little less; in fact, if you work it too tightly, the cashmere will not release its full softness as it tends to swell and if you wash the sample / garment less you will get less hair and less softness, vice versa if you wash it for longer in the washing machine. To get more hair, increase the spin cycle, but be careful not to overdo it. If necessary, do more samples and more washing tests, with tighter and more sparse machine (or hand) processes and with different washing times.
3 – All of the above also applies to hand knitted or crocheted yarns.
TREATMENT IN THE WASHING MACHINE:
Machine washing is done when you machine untreated yarn. The washing indicated is very delicate and the presence of vinegar will be an excellent descaler:
– Machine wash at 30 ° for 7 minutes with very little detergent for delicate clothes
– Rinse the washing machine
– Machine wash at 30 ° for 7 minutes with very little fabric softener and 1/4 measuring cup of white wine vinegar (not red vinegar because it stains).
– Centrifuge at 400 rpm for 5 minutes (or as little as possible)
– Dry flat without exposing to direct sunlight and without wringing the garment (otherwise you risk deforming it)
– For strong and contrasting colors in striped and jacquard knitwear, we recommend a first dry cleaning and washing the garments at half load with plenty of water.
This washing procedure is valid whether it is the sample, the finished garment or the yarn itself.
ATTENTION: This washing procedure must be carried out only the first time, then it is recommended to wash the garments by hand following this procedure:
If you want your pullover to always remain soft and fluffy, follow these tips:
Soak it in warm water with a mild detergent (use very little), adding a little white wine vinegar in case of streaks or bright colors.
Leave it to soak for a short time, at most ten to fifteen minutes.
Do not rub it and handle it gently.
Patiently rinse it several times and with lots of water, always lukewarm, until the water is perfectly clear.
Do not squeeze it but remove the water by pressing gently.
Wrap the pullover in a terry cloth or towel to remove excess water.
Spread it out on a horizontal plane taking care to avoid direct exposure to the sun.
Let it dry at room temperature, never near a heat source.
Iron it with a strong jet of steam without placing the iron on the pullover.
All our yarns are in stock untreated / washed, and appear raw, so it is essential to make a small sample and wash it following our advice before proceeding with the final processing. Check the first points and in case of irregularities stop work immediately and contact our. technical office .