Caring for your Pantherella Cashmere Socks

Pre-wash

• Cashmere is a very delicate, luxury fibre and as such, should be treated with extra care
• Cashmere socks should be only ever be worn with a moccasin, soft loafer or comfy slipper. Excessive wear will occur if wearing ‘Hard Shoes’ such as dress shoes, court shoes or boots
• Try to keep your cashmere socks away from rough items, jewellery, zips etc. These items can cause pilling, snagging, or even holes

Hand Wash

• Always follow the product care label instructions
• Do not machine wash - Even on a ‘Delicates’ setting the action of tumbling around in the drum will cause cashmere fibres to bulk, tangle and felt
• Do not Dry Clean - Dry Cleaning can remove many of the natural conditioners within the cashmere fibres and leave them feeling harsh and brittle
• Always use a non-biological hand washing or specialist cashmere washing liquid.
• Wash similar colours together
• Do not use any type of bleach or stain removal activators as these will damage the cashmere fibres
• Do not soak your socks for longer than 5 minutes
• Avoid rubbing and scrubbing your cashmere socks as this can damage the delicate fibres
• Rinse well in warm water
• Do not wring or twist your socks, instead, gently squeeze out excess water

Post-Wash

• Dry your socks as soon as possible to avoid them developing a ‘damp’ odour
• Do not tumble dry
• Gently reshape your socks while they are damp
• Dry the socks flat, away from direct heat or direct sunlight.  Never hang them to dry, as this can cause them to stretch
• Do not iron or press your socks

Storage

• Do not ’ball’ your cashmere socks to store as this will damage the fibres in the yarns, add excessive stretch to the rib-top and can lead to premature wear. Instead softly roll a pair of cashmere socks ‘roulade style’ and store in your sock drawer
• Cashmere is, unfortunately, very attractive to clothes moths. To keep moths at bay, place cedar balls or lavender bags in your sock drawer

Cashmere socks FAQ

Why is cashmere so special and expensive?

Cashmere is one of the finest natural fibres in the world and is obtained from the hair of cashmere goats (Capra Hircus Laniger). Pantherella cashmere comes from Mongolia, where around 40 million goats contend with winter temperatures as low as -30°C.  Due to the low temperatures, their coat is made up of two distinct layers – the outer layer (guard hair) and the undercoat (cashmere).  The guard hair is coarse and waterproof, which serves to protect the goat (and the undercoat). The undercoat is ultrafine, soft and an excellent insulator, to protect the goat from the extreme cold. 

Only the soft, ultrafine undercoat is used to produce cashmere. In spring, as the goats moult for summer, they are combed by hand to remove their ultrafine undercoat, while leaving the guard hair intact. These combings are then washed and sorted to remove any stray guard hairs. What is left is pure cashmere.  This laborious process results in a fibre that is exceptionally exquisite and rare. It therefore it commands a higher price than more easily obtained fibres.

Why do my cashmere socks ‘bobble’?

Bobbles or bobbling, (technically referred to as pilling) is a natural process that happens to all natural fibres during their service in a garment.  Natural fibres are made into yarn by combing the fibres so the lay in the same orientation and then twisting them together. This will always mean the odd fibre will ‘stick out’ of the yarn. During wear, these odd fibres can knot together and bobble or pill.  The level of pill will depend on the type of dye/shade, the knitted construction and the way the socks have been worn. It is completely normal that this should happen because cashmere is such a soft, ultrafine yarn.  It is not a result of washing, but can be exaggerated by the use of conditioners.

Bobbles can be easily removed by hand or by using a special cashmere comb or de-fuzz device.  You will find that by removing them in this way after the first few wears and washes, the cashmere socks will actually consolidate and soften in handle and touch. Like any fine wine, cashmere will improve with age if cared for properly.