Wool Care Guide

Caring For Your Wool

Who loves sweater weather as much we do here at BB?

As the temperature dips, we’re reaching for our favourite wool jumpers, wrapping up in soft scarves, and stepping out in brand-new leather boots.

To help you enjoy your wool pieces season after season, we’ve put together a simple guide to caring for these beautiful natural fibres, so they stay just as soft, warm, and wearable as the day you fell in love with them.

Why Choose Wool

Breathable

Wool is great at regulating body temperature as it absorbs moisture to produce heat and keep you warm in the cold and evacuates it when you get inside. No need to be a pro skier to swear by merino wool base layers to stay nice and dry!

Odour Resistant

Wool will keep you smelling like a rose, especially compared to synthetic fabrics. It absorbs odours only to release them in the wash. Genius.

Sustainable

Sheep grow a fresh fleece every year to protect them against colder weather making wool a renewable fibre. It is also biodegradable, as it decomposes into the soil in a matter of months.

Care Instructions

1. Washing

When it comes to washing wool, hand washing is the general rule, unless your care label permits machine washing. Turn your wool garment inside out, fill your sink with cold to lukewarm water and add a small amount of detergent - ideally one formulated specifically for wool and cashmere. Soak the garment for a few minutes, swish it around a few times and rinse until the water runs clear.

2. Drying

After washing, gently reshape your wool garment and lay it flat on a clean towel to air-dry, keeping it away from direct heat or sunlight. Avoid hanging or tumble-drying, allowing the fibres to rest and retain their soft, natural shape for seasons of cosy wear.

3. Storing

You should be folding your wool jumpers rather than hanging them up, as the latter could cause them to stretch.

If you live in a warmer climate and don’t need your wool jumpers taking up all the space in your wardrobe you may wish to pack them away at the end of the season to make space for your kaftans! If so, give them a final wash and fold them away in breathable cotton bags to keep moisture and clothes moths at bay.

Answering Your Frequntly Asked Questions

Refer to the care label, but most of the time it’s a big no-no. Wool doesn’t wrinkle much but, if that’s the case, using a steamer is a better idea.

Believe it or not, there’s still hope if your partner threw your favourite jumper in the dryer and it came out looking two sizes smaller.

Fill your sink with lukewarm water and a cap full of wool detergent or baby shampoo and let your jumper soak in the solution from 10 to 15 minutes to relax the fibres.

Drain the sink and take your jumper out, gently squeezing out excess water (do not rinse it in clean water) by rolling it in a clean towel. Lay out the damp jumper on a fresh towel and very gently stretch it out to its original size before letting it air dry.

If you want to freshen up your jumpers between washes and keep them looking nice longer, simply leave them out overnight - yup, even our clothes need a bit of fresh air from time to time.

Steaming is also a good way to remove odours and get creases out, just hang up your jumper on the towel rack in the bathroom while you shower.

Hot Tip: wearing a breathable undershirt from our basics range will give you more wear time between washes.

Wool tends to shrink when washed in hot water or dried on high heat, so avoid both at all cost and follow the care instructions above.

Wool is known for its durability - if you’ve been thinking “I feel like I’ve owned this jumper for 20 years”, chances are you probably have!

Wool begins its journey when the fleece is carefully sheared from animals, most commonly sheep. The fibres are then washed and carded to gently separate and align them before being spun into smooth, continuous yarn, ready to be transformed into beautiful new garments.