KNITWEAR CARE
Leap Concept knits are meant to be rediscovered season after season, we produce effortless and functional designs with longevity in mind using only high quality yarns. With proper care, the natural qualities of cashmere and wool fibers can be maintained for years.
All of our pieces come with a care label, in order to maintain your garment’s soft hand feel, quality and appearance follow carefully these instructions. In addition to our general care instructions, we have put together a simple guide to prolong the life of your garments:
FRESHENING BETWEEN WEARS
Fibers like wool, alpaca and cashmere are naturally anti-bacterial and odor-repellent so they don’t need to be washed every time you wear them, just a few times per season in order to maintain their shape and resilience it’s ideal. To keep your knitwear fresh between wears, simply let them air out, always away from direct sunlight. Try to rotate your knits between wears, allowing each of them to have their own time to freshen up and breathe. In the event of a spill simply spot clean the area gently with a damp cloth or a sponge. Never rub the fabric, as it will encourage pilling.
Pilling occurs naturally on the surface of your wool garments over time, especially in the areas that receive frequent friction. To remove them simply brush off gently with a sweater comb.
Certain fibers such as mohair, alpaca and cashmere have a tendency to shed the first times you wear them. To prevent excess shedding, use a lint roller to remove any excess hair from your knit.
Steaming can also help to freshen up your woolen knits between wears. The warmth and moisture of the steam applied carefully, always through a cotton cloth, relaxes the fabric.
Not only following this simple steps will help your knits last longer but you will also cut down on water consumption
WASHING
Hand wash your knits individually using a special mild liquid soap in lukewarm water, about 30ºC. There are special detergents for wool and knitwear available in the market. Never bleach or use normal laundry powder as this will weaken and break down the fibers. When washing merino and cashmere knits avoid using fabric softener, as it will make the fibers less breathable.
Never soak your knits as this may cause them to shrink. Instead squeeze the garment in the water gently and steadily, remembering not to twist or rub the knit. Carefully rinse the garment in the water and try to squeeze as much water as you can without wringing.
Occasionally, due to the knitwear structure or yarn spinning process of some designs, we need to use dry cleaning only care instructions. We recommend selecting a dry cleaner experienced in working knitwear and fine fibers.
DRYING
Wrap carefully the knit in a dry towel and gently squeeze. Unwrap and lay it flat on a new towel, adjusting the garment to maintain its shape and let it air dry in a cool place away from sunlight or direct heat sources. Once dry, steam gently through a cotton or linen cloth to relax the fibers back to their original state.
STORAGE
Store your knitwear folded in drawers, as hanging will stretch your garments and cause misshaping.
For storage during a long period of time place your knit in a cotton dust bag so it can breathe adding a sachet of lavender or aromatic cedar blocks with it to keep the moths away. Moths are not as attracted to the fiber as to dirt or body oils on garments so make sure your knits are properly clean before storing them and keep them in a cool, dry space.
REPAIRING
No knitwear is immune, so when you putting it on you should always keep in mind that due to its delicate nature it can be easily pulled by jewelry or nails. If you do happen to make a pull in your knitwear it can be fixed by needle and thread.
