Recently, someone gifts a Pashmina shawl on my birthday, and I can’t help but praise the piece’s aesthetic. The intricate piece is soft to the touch and exhumes a sense of ‘luxuriousness’ and elegance whenever I put it on.
It made me wonder that this delicate piece cannot be treated the same way I treat my other pieces of clothes.
Questions such as ‘what if my shawl loses its softness’ or ‘ what if it loses the magnificence it holds’ consumed my mind.
It brought me to a phase where I did some research and found out that one has to be extra careful when it comes to Pashmina products. How? That is what we will find out.
How To Care For Pashmina Shawls?
Pashmina shawls are made out of the wool that comes from the underbelly of the Himalayan goats. Typically it sheds once a year; thus, the concept of Pashmina products being an extravagance originates.
Though many bonuses the Pashmina products with the cashmere ones, there lies an essential differential factor. Normally, the weaving pattern of the Pashmina and its structural integrity create a distinguishing aspect between them.
While the cashmere wools are 18-20 microns, the Pashmina wool is smaller, ranging from 9-13 microns. Hence the name ‘soft gold’ is given to Pashmina.
However, you have to be extra careful to be able to take care of it beautifully.
● Air it well:
Bearing exposure to variants of odors from foods, cigarettes, or pollution cannot be easily removed. That is why airing is one of the most important steps towards getting rid of the smell.
What you have to do is lay it flat on the bed or any other place for an hour or hang it in the fresh air to dehumidify the stench.
● Rest it well:
The Pashmina wool is resilient and springy. To preserve that characteristic of the product, you have to rest your Pashmina products for at least 24 hours to strengthen their resilience and the bounce to the touch effect. By doing so, the product will return to its original shape. Best if you leave it in the steamy bathroom to refresh them.
● Iron them well:
Who would like shawls if they have creases on them, right? That is why you have to iron the product before storing it on low heat.
Here is a tip on how to Care for Cashmere Pashmina that will come in handy for you, always put a cotton sheet above the Pashmina product before running your iron over it, and lessen the risk of burning the five of the Pashmina.
● Dry away in a dark place:
No, you cannot dry it in direct sunlight. It will hamper the quality of the product. Whether you have washed your Pashmina or accidentally has gotten wet, you have to hang them dry instead of drying them in the sunlight. Exposure to extreme heat will degrade the quality of Pashmina.
Conclusion:
Packing away your Pashmina shawl is one of the most important aspects of preserving the product’s beauty. Dry clean your Pashmina products before packing them well in brown paper.
Then put it in a cotton bag and add two pieces of naphthalene to keep away the insects. Put it in your cupboard.