The Right Care For Wool Accessories
Hats, scarves, and headbands made from fine wool fibers are comfortable to wear and reliably retain body heat, even in freezing temperatures. To ensure you can enjoy your wool accessories for a long time, it is important to care for them properly. This will keep them retaining their shape, soft, and functional for many winters to come.
How do I wash my wool accessories?
Wool products like those from steppenstrolch should ideally be washed as little as possible. The wool hats, scarves, and headbands are made from 100% pure yak and camel wool. The fine fibers are coated with lanolin, a natural wool grease that acts as a self-cleaning agent against odors and small dirt particles. Natural wool fibers are odor-resistant and antibacterial, and most stains can be removed with a little cool water.
Coarse dirt can be gently brushed off while dry. You should only wash the item when absolutely necessary, and then by hand. Use lukewarm water (no warmer than 30°C). For hand washing, use a sufficiently large container and a wool detergent without bleach or a mild shampoo.
Soak the woolen garment without rubbing or kneading it, so that the fibers are protected and do not become matted. Then rinse the garment in clean, lukewarm water. Gently squeeze out the water (do not wring!) and lay the garment flat on a towel to dry so that it retains its shape.
Can wool hats and scarves be washed in the washing machine?
Most of the time, the answer is "no." As always, it depends on the instructions on the care label. In most cases, however, machine washing is not recommended, as wool fibers can be permanently damaged by high temperatures or high spin speeds. It is therefore always advisable to wash by hand. A machine wash cycle should only be selected if a wool cycle and a wool detergent are available.
What should you do if your wool hat has stretched out?
The fine wool fibers mold to the shape of your head as you wear them. If you feel that your hat or headband has become too big or has stretched out, a gentle hand wash can help (see How do I wash my wool scarves, wool hats, and headbands?). Washing should help restore the original shape. If the hat is still too big, you might consider sewing in a felt band or something similar.
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 after drying in the fresh air.
Should wool hats, scarves, etc. go in the dryer? No!
Our gloves should never be dried 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.
- Regulates temperature, as wool fibers can both absorb and release heat.
Here you can find out how the wool fibers at steppenstrolch are different.