Washing knitted cardigans without stretching them

The care label on a knit tells you how much the garment will move. The 65% polyester and 35% acrylic cardigan is stable and rebounds well, while the lighter apricot zip cardigan is softer and needs more careful handling.

When a garment mixes natural and synthetic fibres, follow the most delicate instruction on the label rather than the average.

Turn the cardigan inside out, close every button or zip, and place it in a mesh laundry bag. A cold, gentle cycle with a small amount of mild detergent is enough for a normal wash.

Skip fabric softener. It coats the fibres and can make an acrylic blend feel limp, which is the opposite of what a structured knit needs.

A wet knit is heavy. Hanging it on a hanger pulls the shoulders downwards and leaves the body stretched and longer than it should be.

Lay the cardigan flat on a drying rack, smooth the body and sleeves into shape, and leave it somewhere with moving air. Flip it once halfway through drying so both sides dry evenly.

Small pills under the arms and along the cuffs are normal on acrylic blends, especially where a bag strap or seatbelt rubs.

Do not pull them off with your fingers, which drags more fibre loose. Use a fabric shaver or a small knit comb with the garment flat, then wash it as usual.

Fold cardigans rather than hanging them, and keep them in a dry drawer or breathable cotton bag. A vacuum bag flattens the loft and leaves creases that are hard to steam out.

If you use a cedar block against moths, leave a little space around it rather than pressing it into the knit.

If the cuffs have lost their elasticity or the body has felted into a tighter, stiffer fabric, no wash routine will bring it back. That is a sign the fibres have already bonded.

For anything else, email [email protected] with a photograph and we will tell you whether the piece can be rewashed or should be replaced.