Knitwear is delicate by nature – that’s one of the things that makes it beautiful. It also means that extra care needs to be taken when wearing and washing your POL knit. Here's our guide to getting the best out of your knitwear for seasons to come.
Safety first
We recommend removing jewellery and accessories that may catch and pull the knit before popping it on.
How to wash
As with any garment, you should always refer to the care instructions on each individual piece for the best way to care your knitwear. We've put together some additional tips to help you get the best from your knits:
- We do not recommend using a woolwash on your knits, which we know seems counter intuitive, but trust us! Woolwashes contain strong chemicals and bleaching agents, causing the dye in your knitwear to run. Opt for a gentle or delicates detergent instead.
- Washing your knitwear by hand in a gentle detergent will help to retain its colour and softness. For an extra soft finish, try washing your knits in a gentle hair conditioner – the natural fibres will soak it up and leave your garment feeling super soft and fabulous.
- After hand washing, gently roll your knit up in a clean towel to draw out any excess moisture. Gently reshape your knit while wet, and always allow your knitwear to drip dry laid flat in shade – on top of a drying rack or washing line is ideal.
Storage
Knits should not be hung for long periods of time. We recommend neatly folding your knitwear for storage. This will ensure they retain their original shape.
Did you know: Pilling will occur on any knit that contains natural fibres?
Pilling
Pilling will occur in any knit containing natural fibres – such as cotton, merino wool or cashmere. But we promise, it’s not the end of the world (or your knit)!
Pilling occurs when shorter fibres in the knit become separate and ball on the surface of the garment, usually through friction (i.e. you may notice pilling where your handbag strap sits or under the arms). Pilling can also be aggravated when your knit is worn under a jacket with a fleece lining.
So, now we all know the best way to prevent pilling is to sit completely still while wearing your knitwear. But that’s not very fun, is it?
You can minimise pilling by always hand washing your knits. We recommend using a pilling shaver to remove any balling following washing and drying. Pilling shavers can be purchased from many supermarkets and are a great way to keep your knit looking fresh. Simply pull the garment taut and run the shaver over it to remove excess fibres.
As mentioned above, try using a gentle hair conditioner when you handwash, or some customers prefer to have their knits dry cleaned and air between laundering.
Notes on Angora
Our ethically sourced Angora blend is a luxurious yarn that requires a little extra care. As some shedding of loose fibres is to be expected on your initial wears, we've put together a few tips to help you reduce shedding as quickly as possible:
- Popping the knit in a plastic bag in the freezer before you intend to wear can take some of the static out and draw the fibres closer together, which reduces shedding.
- Washing with a little hair conditioner will help to smooth the hair down and soften it.
- Running a lint roller over the jumper right before wear to remove the loose hairs.
- Some customers like to dry clean their new angora once to remove the excess hair and minimise shedding.
Each knit produced by POL is lovingly designed and crafted. Delivering your knit in perfect condition is up to us; what happens after that is up to you.
We hope you love your knitwear as much as we do.