Knitwear
(134)
Sweater
(23)
Woven Wear
(10)
Can I wash wool without it shrinking? Great question! Yes - we all want to know whether we can wash that 'DRY CLEAN ONLY' piece in our closet. Will it turn out ok, or will I ruin it even if I wash it by hand?
Here are some points to consider...
The above questions can help determine whether to try to wash wool by hand or if it really should be dry cleaned. Of course, I will say this - you really should read the instructions on the clothing and follow them. The manufacturers give that advice for a reason.
Be aware that wool shrinks more than any other fiber. So - if you want to wash wool knitwear, you should know that wool sweaters are more likely to shrink than woven wool fabric. This is because the knitwear yarn is more bulky, fuzzy and has less twist when produced.
Woven fabric can still shrink, though it would not shrink as noticably as a knit or crochet piece. This is due to the fact that the yarn is spun with a tighter twist and is more compact. Also, wool suiting can be treated during finishing to help prevent shrinkage.
If you're wanting to wash wool suits - I would advise against that. The thing is that suit jackets generally have a lining. This lining, though it may be washable, would be pretty much impossible to iron if you washed it by hand.
There's no way you could get an iron into all the nooks and crannies of a jacket lining to make it look good. If you had a steamer maybe you could do it, but both the wool fabric and the lining might be susceptible to shrinkage by steam.
Not to mention having to press the creases in wool pants! My Dad used to be a Policeman and he would spend quite some time pressing the creases in his wool uniform pants - and he had a special tool for that! Oh boy! It's just not worth the risk - Dry Clean a wool suit or wool jacket!
