How to Care For Your Knits?

Warm, cosy & Timeless- Knitwear is an essential wardrobe staple that will last season after season; provided it’s taken good care of!

Knitwear can be made from a variety of different fibres; such as animal hair materials (e.g, cashmere, lambswool), plant-based fibres (e.g, Cotton) or petroleum-based fibres (e.g, acrylic). At Malia The Label, our knitwear is machine knitted from 100% cotton with zero waste techniques to ensure no harm is caused to garment workers, animals or the planet.

We believe that quality knitwear is a lifetime investment…Therefore we have put together a guide for you so you can enjoy your knitwear for seasons to come!

How to Store Your Knitwear:

We recommend storing your knitwear folded in a drawer or shelf. Since wool stretches easily, when it is hung it can cause the knitwear’s shape to distort. 

If your knitwear ever does become distorted, you can gently steam your knitwear to get it’s shape back. Whilst it is still warm and damp, use your hands to smooth it into shape, then leave it to air dry flat.

How to wash your knitwear:

Cotton knitwear is naturally breathable and doesn’t absorb odors; these properties make it temperature-regulating and also means that you won’t need to wash your knitwear very often. 

Between wears we suggest simply air-drying your knitwear by gently shaking them or laying them flat on a chair overnight.

After 6-8 wears, or whenever you find your knitwear does require a clean; we recommend hand-washing your knits with cold water and eco-friendly wool laundry detergent. Avoid harsh detergents and bleach, as these can cause damage to delicate materials. Let it soak for up to 10 minutes before thoroughly rinsing with water…try not to rub or scrub your knitwear, as this will cause surface wear.

How do I remove a stain from knitwear?

If you happen to stain your knitwear - rinse immediately with cold or warm water. If it requires more attention, you can spot clean your knitwear. Apply some wool laundry detergent to a clean and damp cloth and gently tap the stain. 

Avoid harsh stain removers/ bleaches and scrubbing/ rubbing the stain, as it will ruin the surface and colour of your knit.

Drying Your Knitwear

In order for your knitwear to maintain its quality and stay in shape, it’s important to dry it correctly. Never wring or hang-dry knitwear; instead roll the garment in a clean, dry towel and gently press to absorb the water. Gently pull the garment to shape, then lay it flat to dry.

What do do about pilling or pulled yarn:

‘Pilling’ refers to the small pieces of fluff that appear on knitwear, particularly in areas subject to friction or rubbing. Pilling of wool or cashmere is not a sign of poor quality; It is a reaction that occurs due to the rubbing of very soft wool fibres.

To reduce signs of pilling; follow the garments care instructions, limit friction where possible, avoid bags and belts that may rub against your knits. You can remove pilling by gently pulling it off by hand.

Whilst wearing your knitwear it is possible a yarn pull may occur which is caused by snagging on jewellery, buckles or other objects. This can be mended by pulling the long yarn to the back of the garment and securing it in a knot. Avoid cutting this yarn as it will cause a hole in your knitwear piece. If your garment has hole; please don’t throw it away as it can still be mended - we recommend a technique called ‘darning’ or having it repaired  by a professional.

Knitwear can be tricky to care for at first, but following the guide above will ensure your knitwear will last seasons on end!