Care guide
How to care for knits.
We know good knitwear — it's all we do. Every piece we make is a fully fashioned sweater knit. Here's a guide we've put together to help you get the most out of Uncle Purl® products, from cashmere sweaters to linen polo shirts.
Wash guide / 1
Wear more, wash less.
Air out between wears; spot-treat small stains when possible.
Remember that linen, wool and cashmere have natural waxes and oils that are resistant to odors and bacteria.
When it's time to wash, turn the garment inside out. Soak in cool water with a little gentle detergent; swish, don't rub. A delicate machine wash works too, but hand wash is always best.
Wash guide / 2
Air dry flat.
Never wring your knit. Press excess water out between towels, gently reshape the garment, then lay flat to air dry.
A handy tip to speed up drying (weather permitting): lay the wet sweater flat on a dry towel and sandwich another towel on top. Leave it out on a table to dry in the sun. Just make sure the sweater is fully covered by the towels.
When dry, lightly iron out any wrinkles, especially at the collar and cuffs.
All of our pieces come pre-washed, so they shouldn't shrink. Some compaction in the knit is normal after washing, however — it can usually be steamed out while the garment hangs briefly, letting it relax back into shape.
Wash guide / 3
Store and maintain.
Store your sweater folded rather than hanging to avoid shoulder distortion.
Once per season (or so), remove any pills gently with a sweater comb.
Snag repair guide / 1
Snags happen.
Don't stress — snags are just a natural part of wearing well-loved knitwear. First, take a close look at the area to see exactly what you're dealing with.
Check whether the yarn is only pulled (leaving a stretched loop) or has actually broken (leaving two loose ends).
Snag repair guide / 2
Pull snag to the back.
(If the snag is a loop less than ½" long, you can skip this step.)
Use a blunt needle, small safety pin or small crochet hook to catch the loop and gently pull it through to the inside of the garment.
If the yarn has broken, pull the loose ends to the inside and carefully tie a small knot as close to the inside surface as possible to secure it. Once the ends are tied, treat the knot as the 'loop.'
Snag repair guide / 3
Stretch around the snag.
Work your way around the stretched loop (snag) in a circle, lightly stretching the fabric to help the loop back into the surrounding knit structure. The loop should remain in the center at all times.
With gentle manipulation, the stretched loop will be pulled back into the knit. The goal is to get the loop as small as possible (keeping it on the inside of the garment).
Not every snag will pull completely back into the knit — it's okay to leave a small loop on the inside.
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