The fabric notes
The good stuff, done properly.
Our cashmere is 100% Grade A Mongolian cashmere. The Leni Jumper is a heavyweight knit with real substance, and the Leni Trouser a finer jersey that drapes and moves. Both are soft enough to live in, and warm enough to put off the big coat for a few more weeks.
01 / WHY CASHMERE
Made to be worn, not saved for best.
We didn’t want a jumper that lives in tissue paper. We wanted the one you reach for on a Tuesday, and again on Wednesday.
The right weight for the piece.
A dense, heavyweight knit for the jumper, so it hangs well and keeps its shape. A finer jersey for the trouser, so it drapes and moves with you.
Top-grade fibre.
We use Grade A, the longest and finest there is. It starts softer, bobbles less and lasts longer.
Warm, not bulky.
Cashmere is clever with temperature: cosy in January, and light enough over a dress on a cool summer evening.
Less washing.
It airs out beautifully, so most of the time a night by an open window does the job.
02 / THE FIBRE
So what makes it Grade A?
Cashmere is the fine, soft undercoat of the cashmere goat. Ours is from Mongolia, where long, hard winters produce some of the finest down there is.
It’s graded on two things: how long each fibre is and how fine. Grade A is the top of the scale. Long fibres spin into a stronger, smoother yarn with fewer loose ends, which is why it feels softer and pills less.
03 / HERD TO WARDROBE
Where it starts.
Each spring, as the weather turns, the goats moult their winter undercoat and it’s combed out. The soft down is separated from the coarser outer hair, then cleaned and graded, and only the best makes Grade A.
From there it’s spun into yarn and knitted into our pieces by a specialist knitwear maker we work with directly.
04 / STANDARDS
The bits we checked.
The Good Cashmere Standard®. An independent standard for the welfare of the goats, the livelihoods of the herders and the grasslands they rely on.
OEKO-TEX®. Tested for harmful substances, to the limits set for things worn next to skin.
Our maker. An OEKO-TEX® certified knitwear specialist, chosen for their skill with fine yarns. We work with them directly on every piece.
05 / CARE
Look after it and it’ll repay you for years.
Cashmere is far less fussy than its reputation. Here’s everything you need.
The short version
- Hand wash cold, or dry clean.
- Dry flat and reshape while damp.
- Keep it away from heat and direct sun.
- Comb away bobbles as they appear.
Bobbling
Every natural knit does it, cashmere included. Wherever a bag strap or sleeve rubs, friction teases a few fibre ends loose at the surface and they tangle into little balls. Long Grade A fibres leave fewer ends to work loose, so you’ll see less of it, but a little in the first few wears is normal. It says nothing about quality.
To deal with it, lay the piece flat and run a cashmere comb over the area in one direction. A little now and then is better than one big session, which can thin the knit. Skip electric shavers, because they cut fibres rather than lifting the loose ones.
After a few wears and washes it settles down, and what’s underneath is the softest it gets.
Between wears
- Let it rest a day between wears so the fibres can recover.
- Air it rather than washing it. An open window or the back of a chair does more than you’d think.
- For small marks, dab on a little non-bio detergent in cold water. Blot, don’t rub.
- Caught a loop? Ease it through to the inside with a needle. Never snip it.
Washing
A couple of times a season is usually enough.
- Fill a clean basin with cold water and add a small squeeze of wool wash or mild baby shampoo. Avoid biological detergent, as its enzymes eat into natural fibres.
- Turn it inside out, submerge it and swish gently. Leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Rinse in fresh cold water a couple of times. Avoid the running tap, as the weight of the water stretches it.
Leave out the fabric softener. It coats the fibres and dulls the softness.
Drying
Squeeze, don’t wring. Roll it in a towel to press the water out, then lay it flat on a dry one and coax it back into shape. Keep it away from heat and sunlight, which leave cashmere dry and brittle, and let it take its time. Only fold it away once it’s dry all the way through.
No iron needed. A little steam from a distance freshens it up.
Storing
Folded, always. A hanger pulls at the shoulders and adds length you didn’t ask for.
Moths go for what’s left behind, like food and skin oils, so only put it away clean. For the warmer months, keep it in a cotton or linen bag with a cedar block or a sachet of lavender.
Always follow the care label inside your garment.
READY WHEN YOU ARE