The four rules on every label
- Wash knitwear cold, by hand or on the wool cycle, and always dry it flat.
- Wash denim rarely, inside out and cold, and hang it to dry.
- Never tumble-dry wool, cashmere blends or waxed cotton.
- Re-wax waxed jackets once a season and never machine-wash or dry-clean them.
Knitwear
Wash cold
By hand with wool wash, or on the wool cycle. The Fisherman Rib and the cashmere blends are happiest washed by hand.
Press, do not wring
Roll the piece in a towel to press the water out.
Dry flat
On a rack or a dry towel, away from heat, reshaped while damp. Never hang a wet knit.
Comb the pills
Flat on a table, in one direction, with light pressure.
Store folded
With a cedar block. Hangers stretch shoulders.
Light pilling in the first weeks is loose surface fiber working its way out. It is how merino and cashmere behave, it slows down, and it combs off. A brushed scarf sheds a little at first for the same reason.
Tees and base layers
| Piece | Wash | Dry | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight Tee | Machine, cold | Tumble low or line | Pre-shrunk: under 3% if washed cold |
| Slub Pocket Tee | Machine, cold, like colors | Tumble low or line | Garment dye can shift slightly |
| Merino Long-Sleeve Base Layer | Machine, cold, wool cycle | Line | Air it between wears |
| Waffle Henley | Machine, cold | Line | Up to 5% in length if tumble-dried hot |
| Women's Rib Tank | Machine, cold | Line | Heat wears out the elastane |
| Merino Hiking Sock | Machine, cold, inside out | Line | Keep them out of the dryer |
Denim
Wash it rarely, inside out and cold, and hang it to dry. Raw Indigo is the exception worth planning: it is unsanforized, so its first hot soak takes about a size out of the waist and about an inch off the length. Soak it for thirty minutes in hot water, hang it, and wear it in before you ask for a hem. One Wash, the stretch denim and the rigid women's jean are already past that.
- Raw indigo rubs off on pale shoes, bags and upholstery until it has been washed a few times.
- A hemmed pair is final sale. Soak and wear first, hem after.
- Corduroy crushes where it folds; a steam brings the pile back.
Pants
- Everyday Chino: machine wash cold, hang dry, warm iron.
- Wool Pleated Trouser: dry clean or steam. Do not machine-wash it.
- Drawstring Travel Pant: machine wash cold, line dry. Do not iron it.
- Wide-Wale Cord Trouser: wash inside out, cold, hang dry, then brush the pile one way.
Waxed cotton
The Waxed Field Jacket and the shell of the Wool-Lined Parka are waxed cotton. Never machine-wash or dry clean them: both strip the wax. Sponge the jacket with cold water when it is dirty.
Clean and dry
Sponge it with cold water and let it dry completely.
Warm the tin
Stand the Jacket Bar Wax in hot water until the wax softens.
Work it in
With a lint-free cloth, a panel at a time. Seams and creases first.
Set it
With a hairdryer on low, until the surface looks even.
Hang overnight
Away from pale fabric.
Do this once a season. It keeps the jacket waterproof, and it is what keeps a waxed jacket inside its warranty.
The rest of the outerwear
| Piece | Care | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Wool Overcoat | Dry clean only; brush after wear | Hang it on a wide hanger |
| Recycled Down Puffer | Machine wash cold, gentle, with down wash; tumble low with dryer balls | A feather poking through now and then is normal |
| Canvas Chore Coat | Machine wash cold, hang dry | Wash Faded Black separately at first |
| Sherpa Fleece Jacket | Machine wash cold, inside out; line dry | Pile mats with friction; brush to restore |
| Packable Rain Shell | Machine wash cold with tech wash; tumble low | Low heat refreshes the water-repellent finish |
Accessories
- Merino Rib Beanie and Cashmere-Blend Scarf: hand wash cold, dry flat.
- Leather Belt: condition twice a year, and keep it away from heat.
- Wool wash: about 30 hand washes a bottle. We do not publish a shelf life; the date printed on the bottle is the one that counts.
Wear or defect?
| Normal wear: care for it | A defect: we fix it |
|---|---|
| Light pilling on merino and cashmere | A hole or a dropped stitch |
| A little shedding on a brushed scarf | A seam that opens |
| Slub texture on the Slub Pocket Tee | A zip that fails |
| Crushed corduroy pile, matted fleece | A snap or a button that pulls out |
| Raw denim shrinking as described | Dye that bleeds on a first cold wash |