The Right Care for Wool Gloves​

Wool gloves are usually made from 100% wool yarn and are therefore very delicate. Proper care is all the more important.​

How do I wash wool gloves?​

In most cases, woolen items should be washed only very rarely, and when they are, they should be washed by hand. This also applies to our gloves, which are made from 100% pure wool. The fibers in yak and camel wool are very sensitive to warm or hot water and should therefore be washed by hand in lukewarm water at most.

If the gloves have a high wool content, such as our gloves, the fibers have a self-cleaning function. Lanolin (the natural wool grease in the fibers) removes odors and regenerates the fibers. Therefore, it’s sufficient to rinse your gloves with cold water to remove any heavy dirt and lay them on a towel to dry. The fewer chemicals you use when cleaning your gloves, the longer the fibers will remain intact.

Care label symbols that indicate only hand washing

Can wool gloves be washed in the washing machine?

That depends (as always)  on the care label instructions. In most cases, however, machine washing is not recommended, as wool gloves often contain a high percentage of pure wool fibers, which may also be very finely knitted. Hand washing is always recommended. A machine wash cycle should only be used if a wool cycle and a suitable wool detergent are available.

Fabric softeners and bleach should also be avoided when washing. As a general rule for all wool products with little or no synthetic content: ideally, use a wool detergent that is free of bleach and artificial brighteners, is biodegradable, and avoid fabric softeners. You can tell if a detergent is suitable for wool when it is specifically designed for natural fibers, contains no enzymes, and has a neutral pH. This combination ensures that the wool socks aren’t damaged and that the natural wool grease is preserved.

How can I make my wool gloves last longer?​

Our gloves, made from 100% pure yak wool or camel wool, provide excellent insulation despite their lightweight feel. Because the fibers are also extremely fluffy and soft, they are quite delicate. Please note that repeated friction can cause these fibers to wear out more quickly than synthetic fibers (such as polyester or nylon). 

Our gloves and mittens made from camel and yak wool are therefore only suitable to a limited extent for activities such as cycling, walking the dog, or gardening. If holes do develop, you can check out our​ Instructions for Mending Holes to see how to darn them properly and how to repair your gloves. You can find the right wool within the repair kit in our online shop.

Here´s a great tip: Wool loves snow, and if you leave your gloves out in the snow overnight, they'll be almost like new once they've dried in the fresh air.

Can you put wool gloves in the dryer? No!​

Our gloves should never be put in the dryer. Instead, lay them on a towel near a heater or in the sunlight and let the fibers dry there. ​

The Unique Properties of Wool​

Wool fibers are truly amazing. As a renewable natural material, they offer unbeatable properties:​

  • Warm, because they insulate body heat very well.​
  • Odorless, because the natural oils in the wool prevent odors from lingering.​
  • Soft and cozy, because the finer and smoother the wool fiber, the softer it feels against the skin.​
  • Naturally biodegradable, as wool breaks down in the natural environment and can even be used as fertilizer.​
  • Temperature-regulating, as wool fibers can both absorb and release heat.

Here you can find out how the wool fibers at steppenstrolch are different.