With spring here and summer just around the corner, it is about time to say goodbye to winter woolens until the cooler weather of autumn. While they are hibernating through the warmer months, it is important to leave them in prime condition to ward off moths and be ready for wear by the time autumn rolls around.
It is important to wash your woolen before storage for one big reason: moths. Moths and their larvae feed on wool and keratin; a protein that is produced naturally in human skin and hair. As moths prefer the smells (and sustenance opportunities) of dirty wool, they are more likely to gnaw on dirty woolens than on freshly cleaned ones.
Another important reason to use a wool soap is lanolin. Lanolin is a wax, naturally produced by sheep, which protects wool and skin from weather and bacteria. But it does more than just that, lanolin keeps wool fibers healthy, elastic, and soft. As general wear often strips them of lanolin, it is important to wash your garments with a soap which will replenish it.
We sell three fantastic, rinse-free, wool soaps packed full of lanolin: Twig & Horn Wool Soap, Twig & Horn Wool Soap Bar, and Eucalan Delicate Wash. Each soap comes in a variety of scent options. For more information on why it is important to lanolize, click here, and for a detailed guide on how to properly wash woolens, click here.
The Gleener is a faaa-bulous way to de-pill woolens without harming the wool. Pills are little balls of fiber that form in areas of high friction on woolens. While pilling isn't harmful to the wool or integrity of the garment, pills make the fabric looked aged. De-pilling can help woolens look as crisp as when they were first made! While this tool is helpful all year round, "gleening" garments prior to storage will make your beloved garments ready to wear come autumn. We sell a few types of Gleeners in store, ranging from the Original, which is completely decked out with all the options, to the convenient travel-sized one pictures above! Come on in and test one out for yourself.
Not only does lavender smell ahh-mazing, it also protects your woolens from moths! Moths dislike the aroma of lavender so the scent that gives you aromatherapy repels moths from your garments. While lavender does not get rid of a moth infestation, it can help prevent one. Our lavender sachets come from a family farm in Sonoma, California. While we sell a few kinds, the most popular sachets (pictured above) can be hung as is or cut into smaller sachets to be placed in drawers, bags, and containers with woolens and other fibers.
After your woolens have been washed and "gleened," place them in a dry, airtight place to store until use. We recommend using a plastic storage bin or ziplock bags. For extra protection from moth damage, place a sachet of lavender into the container with the woolens. Now all you have to do is place them somewhere out of the way and pull out your warm weather knits!
Comments will be approved before showing up.
