When it comes to luxury and refinement, nothing does it better than cashmere. 

The fibres themselves are taken from the downy undercoat of the cashmere goat (which originally hailed from, yes, you guessed it… Kashmir!), with the rougher hairs removed to reveal incredibly soft fibres that are then spun to make beautiful clothes that, when taken care of properly, should last you a lifetime.

The quality speaks for itself and you really do get what you pay for when you invest in cashmere pieces for your wardrobe, but it’s vital that you know how best to go about looking after your clothes so they continue to serve you well over the years.

Dry cleaning is an option for all your cashmere, but you can also hand wash it gently as well. Make sure that all your clothes are turned inside out before you begin and only use warm water at temperatures no higher than 40 degrees C, along with a mild detergent.

Give the garments a little soak for five or ten minutes, as this will make it easier to get rid of any marks and stubborn stains. 

Once they’ve soaked, give your clothes a gentle squeeze and rinse in some water, finishing them off in cold water, then place your items on a clean, dry towel to soak up the excess water. Never wring your cashmere out or you run the risk of damaging the fibres.

Don’t be tempted to wash your cashmere after every wear, either. The clothes can stand up to two or three outings before you need to think about giving them a wash. And take care if you do decide that dry cleaning is the way to go, as taking cashmere to the cleaners too often can degrade the fibres and give them a rather glazed look.