Fashion : Fashion Care :

Think you gotta dry clean your cashmere?

03.06.2009

Submitted by tmeronek on Fri, 03/06/2009 - 12:00am.
The Bite:
You're trippin'. Try an eco delicate wash instead of dry cleaning to avoid use of the toxic chemical perc, which has pretty much the same effect on the environment as too much acid has on your brain.
The Benefits: 
  • LSDegriming your clothes. We actually found these to work as well or better than dry cleaning (and actually, dry cleaning can wear out cashmere and wool).
  • No perc-induced bad trips. Classified as a groundwater contaminant by the EPA, 70% of perc used in dry cleaning ends up in nature.
  • More cash for blacklight posters. Even our most expensive picks end up being cheaper than dry cleaning.
Personally Speaking: 
Jenifer's sworn off dry cleaners for good, at least for sweaters – washing hers in netted laundry bags on delicate with Laundress's Wool & Cashmere wash got them softer, fluffier, and better smelling than ever.
Wanna Try: 
  • Laundress Wool & Cashmere Shampoo - our hands-down favorite ain't cheap, but it gets clothes clean and fresh smelling; made with plant-based soaps and oils. For all other delicates: Laundress Delicate Wash ($18/16 ounces).
  • Kookaburra Wool Wash - a less expensive option for wool; lanolin and tea tree oil disinfect naturally (and is an effective bedbug deterrent) while keeping your sweaters soft and nonpilly ($11/16 ounces).
  • Ecover Delicate Wash - not quite as lux or amazing smelling as the Laundress stuff, but it's also plant-based and still got our test garments nice and clean ($6/32 ounces).
 

Cocktail Fact

In 1948, the pharmaceutical company that first marketed LSD in the United States hailed it as a cure-all for conditions such as alcoholism, criminal behavior, and schizophrenia.

Bang For The Bite

If 10,000 Biters use an eco delicate wash for three sweaters rather than dry cleaning them, we'll avert the weight of eight king-size mattresses in perc from washing into the environment.

22 comments
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Laura Devendorf  on March 06, 2009 at 09:47 AM 1
Hi There, Great story on how to care for cashmere without dry cleaning. All of us at Stewart+Brown wash our cashmere with out own personal shampoo and conditioner. This doesn't degrade the fiber like dry cleaning does and it leaves your sweaters smelling nice and feeling extra cozy. We wrote a whole "how to" on our site here if you wanted to give it a peek. -Laura
Laura Devendorf  on March 06, 2009 at 09:50 AM 2
Hi There, Great story on how to care for cashmere without dry cleaning. All of us at Stewart+Brown wash our cashmere with out own personal shampoo and conditioner. This doesn't degrade the fiber like dry cleaning does and it leaves your sweaters smelling nice and feeling extra cozy. We wrote a whole "how to" on our site here if you wanted to give it a peek. -Laura
Kelli  on March 06, 2009 at 11:38 AM 3
I don't wear wool because it makes me itchy, but I've noticed that wool stuff is always dry clean only. I got to thinking, how did people clean their woolens before the days of dry cleaning? Obviously, they used water and some sort of detergent. I'm glad to see that this is being rediscovered. Have any of you ever noticed how some supposedly "green" companies sell wool products that they state are dry clean only? Hello-o! Green is "cradle to grave". It's not just free-range sheep and organic cloth dyes. There are the after-sale effects of the product, too.
Kitty  on March 06, 2009 at 02:11 PM 4
I never dry clean anything. Just pop it in gentle cycle OR hand wash, thank you. My clothes smell great because I dry them outside. If it's too cold for outdoor drying, I dry them in the bathroom or basement. To keep them smelling great when dried inside, I burn white desert sage or my favorite incense in the same room. Thanks for the tip!~
Angela  on March 08, 2009 at 07:41 AM 5
I think the rise of SUPERCAPITALISM (where everything is profit, profit, profit) has led to this "need" to "dryclean only" cottons and wools. If the manufacturers used good quality natural fibers, there would be absolutely no need for such nonsense. I am old enough to remember when ALL cottons were fully washable, even silks too. But WOOL -- that should always be washable. Sheep sure don't shrink when they spend all day out in a rainy field!!!
tommy  on March 09, 2009 at 03:40 AM 6
& can i get it wet? thanks
andi  on March 10, 2009 at 08:14 AM 7
didn't you already send this tip out?
andi  on March 10, 2009 at 08:16 AM 8
ah, and you sent the "Psychedelicates‏" tip out at 4:20 am. that's funny.
Paula Fiorucci  on March 14, 2009 at 05:45 AM 9
Loved the tip! Thoroughly enjoy all of the tips that I receive from Ideal Bite! Thank you.
jackiboa  on August 23, 2009 at 10:42 PM 10
If the manufacturers used good quality natural fibers, there would be absolutely no need for such nonsense. Buy Dissertation | Buy Essay | Buy Research Paper
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