The ideal cashmere sweater for women can last for years with good care. However, because of the delicate nature of the material, cashmere can easily shrink when it is accidentally thrown into the wrong wash cycle.

Can cashmere shrink?

We don't recommend doing this every time you wash, but if you need a dry garment sooner rather than later, you can put it in the dryer for five minutes to speed things up. Then lay it flat to complete the process. It bears repeating that heat causes cashmere to shrink, so remember to use the air dry setting only.

How do you wash a cashmere without shrinking it?

Wool wash or baby shampoo: Soak, a no-rinse detergent, will save you time and effort when you're hand-washing cashmere and other delicates. Baby shampoo is also gentle enough to use on cashmere. A clean sink or other water basin: It needs to be large enough to soak your sweater.