Garment Care

Fine natural fibres last for years when they are treated gently and for one season when they are not. None of this takes long.

Cashmere and merino knitwear

• Wash rarely. Wool is naturally odour-resistant. Airing a jumper overnight is usually enough; wash only when it is genuinely soiled.
• Hand wash cold in a wool detergent, or use a machine wool cycle at 30 °C with the spin below 600 rpm. Never use fabric softener. It coats the fibre and kills the loft.
• Never wring. Press the water out, roll in a towel, then dry flat and away from radiators and direct sun.
• Store folded, never on a hanger. A hanger stretches the shoulders permanently.
• Pilling is normal on natural fibre and is not a fault. Remove it with a cashmere comb or a fabric shaver. The garment gets smoother with each pass, not worse.

Suede

• Protect before first wear with a suede protector spray, and repeat every few months.
• Brush after wearing with a suede brush, always in one direction, to lift the nap back up.
• Let mud dry completely, then brush it off. Never wash suede with water.
• Shiny patches can be raised again with a suede eraser or a crepe brush.
• Dry naturally if caught in rain, away from any heat source, with shoe trees or paper inside to hold the shape.

Leather shoes and belts

• Rest them. Do not wear the same pair two days running. Leather needs a day to dry out and recover.
• Use cedar shoe trees straight after wearing. They absorb moisture and hold the shape, and they are the single best thing you can do for a shoe.
• Condition every few months with a cream matched to the colour, then buff.
• Roll belts rather than folding them.

Linen and cotton

• Machine wash cold on a gentle cycle, with similar colours.
• Line dry where possible. Tumble drying shortens the life of the fibre.
• Iron linen while still slightly damp, on the reverse.

Watches

• Keep the leather strap away from water. If it gets wet, dry it naturally and never with heat.
• Remove the watch before showering, swimming or applying fragrance.
• A leather strap is a wearing part. Expect to replace it every one to two years with daily use.

Anything you are unsure about, write to contact@bramhurst.com before you try it.