.png)
You've probably already heard the story of the woollen jumper that shrunk and felted in the wash... So when it's a garment you've spent hours knitting, you'd rather avoid this kind of mishap! The very idea of having to look after your woollen knitwear can be frightening, or even demotivating, when it comes to embarking on a natural wool knitting project. "A woollen jumper? Too complicated to look after! ". I'd like to reassure you, it's actually very simple and I'll explain why in this article!
To understand why wool felts under certain conditions, we need to look at its structure, which is relatively complex (see figure below). The surface of a wool fibre is made up of cuticles, resembling scales that can open and close depending on ambient humidity and temperature. Able to store up to 80% of air in its own volume, wool is warm and cool at the same time! This flaky structure increases its surface area in contact with the air while slowing down its circulation, over a wide temperature range. This characteristic gives wool its insulating power. And that's why we love it: it keeps us warm and can also keep us cool - yes, yes!
However, under the effect of mechanical action and in the presence of water and heat (which undeniably happens when you put your wool in the washing machine at 30-40°C and spin it), the scales of the different fibres interlock with each other in an irreversible way (figure opposite)! The wool will never return to its original state. It has felted and this is a disaster for our beloved hand-knitted jumper.
Of course, methods have been invented to prevent wool from felting in the wash. These include superwash treatment, which, depending on the chemical treatment used, eliminates or covers the wool's scales (e.g. the chlorine-Hercosett process). The wool can then be machine-washed without any risk of felting. But you've probably seen it coming, chemically treating wool and removing or covering its scales means it loses its insulating power and, at the same time, its biodegradability (because it has been coated with polymer), and that's a shame, isn't it? What's more, these chemical treatments consume a lot of energy and have an impact on the environment and our health. That's why at Knitty and Woolly you'll only find natural wool that hasn't undergone any chemical treatment. After all, natural wool has so much more to offer!
But then, are these scales that open and close really that much of a hassle to look after our woollen clothes? Well, no, it's actually this characteristic of wool that means we don't have to wash our clothes! "What do you mean you don't wash your woollen jumpers? Well, I reassure you, I do wash them, but maybe once a year, no more! The very structure of wool makes it self-cleaning. And yes, it does the job for us, which is great, isn't it?
Here are some of the properties of wool that explain this fact:
-Wool can absorb up to 35% of its weight in moisture, which is then released as water vapour into the air (2). As a result, you don't sweat and you avoid unpleasant odours.
-The natural properties of wool combine very well to limit the proliferation of bacteria responsible for unpleasant body odours.
-Wool doesn't stain, crease or smell.
So what should you do to look after your woollen knitwear? Here are a few tips for different situations.
Immediately after knitting, there is the first necessary wash, the "blocking". This is used to give the project its final shape and at the same time to wash it for the first time. To do this, soak your work in warm to cold water with a mild soap-free or special wool detergent. I use a homemade Marseille soap detergent, which is nothing more or less than 20% grated (real) Marseille soap in water (slightly heated to melt the soap). Simply immerse it in the water and leave it alone for at least 20 minutes. Then, gently pick it up without wringing it or letting it relax, and rinse it with clean water to remove any remaining soap. The next stage is spin-drying. As we want to avoid distorting the fabric, we don't twist it! You can first squeeze it between your hands to remove as much water as possible, then lay it flat in a towel and roll it up before walking on it to squeeze the garment. If this sounds like a strange process, I can assure you that it becomes very natural. Finally, it's very important to leave the garment to dry flat to prevent it from becoming misshapen. In general, we use a blocking mat which allows us to use combs to fix the final shape of the garment. A little patience with the drying process and you're done!
If it's not stained, simply shake it outside to remove dust and refresh it, or even leave it to cool for a few hours in winter. If you're sceptical, give it a try - you'll be surprised! Of course, there's nothing to stop you giving your knitwear a bath once or twice a year. I'd advise you to do this in summer, as knitwear dries out more quickly in the heat, especially thick winter jumpers.
If it's stained (which can of course happen), which I do in these cases if the stain is small, I rub it lightly with a damp cloth. It should go away. If not, you can always soak it again with a little Marseille soap as explained above.
And what about plant-dyed wools?
At Knitty and Woolly, the wool is dyed in a workshop that uses traditional vegetable dyes. As this method only uses natural materials, it's normal that the care of the wool requires special attention. But here again, it's very simple. Plant dyes are sensitive to changes in pH. So say goodbye to harsh detergents and turn instead to eco-friendly detergents or homemade Marseille soap detergents. And that's all there is to it!
To sum up, natural wool is fascinating because of its complexity and many properties. It doesn't need to be washed often, and that's better for everyone! You save water, energy and soap, so the impact on the environment is limited. And you avoid wearing clothes full of chemicals that are harmful to your health.
Taking care of your woollen knitwear has never been easier, as there's not much to do, and I hope that, if you haven't already done so, you'll dare to knit with natural wool! Don't hesitate to give me your feedback on how to look after your woollen knitwear.
See you soon!
Fanny
Founder of Knitty and Woolly
(1) Hassan MM, Carr CM. A review of the sustainable methods in imparting shrink resistance to wool fabrics. J Adv Res. 2019 Jan 31;18:39-60. doi: 10.1016/j.jare.2019.01.014. PMID: 30788174; PMCID: PMC6369147.
(2) Liya Zhou, Xunwei Feng, Yanfeng Du, Yi Li. Characterization of Liquid Moisture Transport Performance of Wool Knitted Fabrics. Textile Research Journal. 2007;77(12):951-956.
Comments