How do you keep your cashmere from pilling?

[Liya]

The salesperson at J. Crew gave me a tip yesterday. She said I should put my new cashmere sweater in a ziplock bag, and then put the bag in the freezer for a day. She said I could wear the sweater the next day, and it should not pill. Sounds crazy, but I'm so fed up with my cashmere sweaters pilling after a wear or two, that I'm thinking about trying it. Before I get freezer-happy, tell me... how do you keep your sweaters from pilling?

 

[lorihmatthews]

I've heard of that, but I've never done it myself. If I have cashmere that gets pilled, I use one of those handheld battery operated shavers and shave off the pills. Works every time. You can buy them at drugstores like Walgreen's.

 

[Gatsby]

Does the shaver do any damage to the sweater? Do you have to be careful at all?

 

[Tutu]

A little careful I'd say. I've never actually made a hole, but I've come pretty close to.

 

[Gatsby]

Yowza. They sold this cashmere sweater comb last year and I bought it but have not tried it. I tend to hope the dry cleaner can get the pills off and they get most but not all. That said, if I could remove pills myself, I would dry clean less so I might try the shaver for the heavier cashmere. Perhaps the comb would work, if I find it, I will post how it works. Maybe that's another alternative.

 

[Sonia*luvs*bags]

please post when you freeze your sweater!

 

[Pursegrrl]

Wow I never heard of the freezer idea...I've always gently hand pulled pills off as I've been too chicken to use one of those shavers.

 

[windycityaj]

What a great question!!! It's so frustrating when this happens to sweaters that cost alot of money!!!! Never heard of the freezer idea......interesting!

 

[mommylovesbags]

please post when you freeze your sweater!

Yes, I want to know if this works!

 

[Hirondelle]

I've heard about it in order to clean/refresh it but never to keep it from pilling
Maybe I'll give it a try...

 

[azia]

The first time you get it, dry clean it BEFORE wearing. Then hand wash with delicate detergent (Johnson's Baby Shampoo....the yellow one) or from the Laundress anytime thereafter. (currently having a cashmere special) http://www.thelaundress.com/

 

[claireZk]

Wow I never heard of the freezer idea...I've always gently hand pulled pills off as I've been too chicken to use one of those shavers.

ITA with everything you said!
Never heard of the freezer thing (don't see how that would work ) . Never used a shaver, because I've heard they're not good for cashmere. I just carefully pull them off...

I always hand wash with gentle detergent and lay flat to dry. It helps, but all cashmere sweaters pill under the arms eventually IMO.

But let us know how the freezer thing works. I'm curious now!

 

[JoannaSweden]

I'm also curious about if the freezer-tip actually works. Let us know!

 

[yesther]

There is a thing called the sweater stone that is a little more gentle on your sweaters than a shaver. I love it.

 

[ZoeyZoo]

I have something called "De-Fuzz_it". It is a fabric comb I got from a fabric store. Costs about $2 and safely removes the pills. It's more effective than hand removing them too.