Wash and Care for Alpaca Clothing
| Care Instructions for Alpaca The following instructions will help you in the process of washing, drying and storing your alpaca products. There are two ways of washing your alpaca product dry cleaning and hand washing (we do not recommend the use of a washing machine). In the event you do hand wash your garments, we recommend a periodical (one year) dry clean. High end products (structured coats, finely woven items or accessories) should only be dry cleaned. When in doubt, dry clean. Hand washing Hand-washing is the gentlest method of cleaning an Alpaca garment, and will add years to the life of your Alpaca apparel. These 5 basic guidelines will help ensure the life span of your garment. 1)Use cool water ( 85ºF/196ºC max.) and a mild soap or a human hair shampoo . Gently wash in cool water (85F maximum) with a mild soap (mild human shampoo will do) and thoroughly rinse in water of the same temperature. 2)Gently press excess water from garment carefully. Special care must be taken as wet Alpaca fabric can weaken and stretch out of shape. Never wring or twist. 3)While supporting the weight of the wet garment lay it (flat position) on a dry towel in the shade. Ease the garment back into shape and roll up in the towel. Press to remove excess water and repeat this step with a second towel. 4)On a flat surface, lay the item on a fresh, dry towel, until thoroughly air dried. By hand, carefully remove any wrinkles and straighten seams and facings. Never use a brush. 5)Once your Alpaca garment is dry you will want to fold it carefully, avoiding a center crease. Never hang an Alpaca sweater as it will stretch the garment out of shape. Lay flat in a drawer or on a closet shelf. Once dry, touch up with a cool iron as needed. If stains persist: In the event of stubborn stains, dry cleaning may be the only solution. We do not recommend machine washing. That being said, should you decide to use your washing machine, secure the garment in a tied pillowcase and set on gentle cycle; cool water. Proceed to steps 3 and 4. To clean and restore the luster to your alpaca garments, there are specially formulated shampoos and rinse products available. Socks All socks are machine washable (cold) with the exception of the reversible Alpaca knit socks. Those socks should be cleaned following the hand washing guidelines listed above. Dry cleaning 1)If you have a several pieces outfit we recommend that you clean it at the same time to avoid color discrepancies after the washing process. 2)Inform the dry cleaning professional of any spot or stains. 3)Ask the dry cleaning professional to use a fresh solvent in low heat and a process that does not involve tumbling. 4)It is recommended that you go to a dry cleaning professional that is experienced in alpaca garments. Preserving and Storing your Garments Before storing, make sure that the item is fully dry. There are various techniques to avoid damage resulting from the presence of moths. It will be better if you store the product in a sealed cedar chest, a freezer (in a zip lock bag) or any moth protected environment. Sachets using dried lavender are also useful. We do not recommend the use of mothballs. |