Features of woolen cashmere and worsted cashmere
Woolen cashmere products have shorter productive process, higher rate of finished products, fluffier than worsted ones; while worsted cashmere products have bright colors and yarn is smooth, delicate, and not easy pilling. As the domestic and foreign consumers have an increasingly demand on the performance of cashmere sweater, we should not only require cashmere sweater style or quality, but also focus on the wear performance of hand feeling, smoothness, and pilling issue etc. Different washing methods directly affect hand feeling and smoothness of cashmere sweater.
Washing Methods of Woolen and Worsted Cashmere Sweaters
It should be specially noted that before washing, turning over cashmere sweaters and then washing separately according to colors is required.
a. Washing methods of woolen cashmere:
- Have detergent washing with 40℃ of water temperature; employ detergent agent (cleaner) with the dose based on 5% of the weight of the laundry sweater and have machine wash for 3 minutes, then rinse and dehydrate.
- After detergent washing, rinse once, then add the silicone agent, softener, and fabric mercerization smoothing agent with the dose based on 2% to 5% of the weight of the laundry sweater and of water temperature set at 40℃, wash for 3 minutes, soak for 30 minutes (light-colored fabric needs to be soaked for 35 minutes), then rinse, and dehydrate.
- The drying temperature is 80℃ (70℃ for light-colored), in 15-20 minutes of time, and through cold-blast air for 5 minutes until drying completely. It should not be over-drying.
b. Washing methods of worsted cashmere:
- The cleansing process is the same as woolen styles; only the dose of cleaner is 4%.
- Adding agent washing process is the same as above, only the dose of the agent is 2% to 4%.
- Ironing: considering the features of worsted cashmere fabric, such as rain marks, crow’s feet, pilling and etc, therefore before drying, the sweater needs to do an initial shape. Dehydrate wet sweater, then iron it at a high temperature to make it flat and neat, and then do the drying process.
- Drying process is the same as woolen cashmere, only the drying temperature is 70℃ (60℃ for light-colored).
Cashmere Hand Feel
Normally cashmere sweater hand feel is good as softness, fluffiness, smoothness, and elasticity. It feels soft, light, comfortable and natural. If washing time is not enough or washing method is not correct, it will feel rough, no sense of smoothness.
There is a thin layer of fine fleece on the surface of cashmere sweater after wash processing, with loops horizontally and vertically, which will be more apparent in bright light. Depending on the different requirements of consumers, this control method is the second step of washing, namely the soaking time. The longer the time is, the more texturing will be, and thus the stitch will not be Usually, foreign consumers require fluff around 5mm.