To keep your ski masks in shape, and ensure no shrinkage occurs, high temperatures should not be used when drying.

 

Once the garment has been gently spun, pull it into shape and allow it to dry whilst supported, allowing a natural airflow.

 

A banister rail is excellent for this process and you will be amazed at how quickly wool dries!

 

Check your machine is set to no more than 30 degrees when washing ski masks, to help prevent shrinking. Again, your machine should be pre-set to the wool setting temperature. However some machines have a separate temperature setting.

 

If a disaster occurs, and you pull a shrunken mask out of the washing machine which has been run on the correct setting, we advise you to have the thermostat checked by a competent engineer. This may indicate a failure in the machine's temperature control.

 

With the manufacturing processes we have in place at The Grifters, we have ensured our yarns, and knitting tensions minimize pilling (or bobbling). However, all wool will pill to a certain degree. This is more common in softer yarns and can occur in contact areas e.g. where your arm rubs against your body during wear. When pills appear, the garment can soon look a little untidy, but this is only a temporary condition.

 

The pilling balls can be removed easily by plucking or carefully shaving the fabric. Once the jersey has finished releasing these shorter fibers, the longer, higher twisted fibers will remain, and the pilling will cease. A similar process occurs during the first few weeks of walking on a new wool carpet. Washing your mask in a washing machine speeds up the process of releasing the shorter fibers and the bobbles.

 

Most woolen jerseys are best washed and spun in your washing machine at around 600 revs per minute. Higher spin speeds could cause a heavily water laden jersey to grow. You will find wool releases moisture much more easily than cotton, and does not need such a fast spin.

 

Check your machine before using the wool program. When selecting the wool program, some machines automatically switch to the correct spin speed setting for wool, whilst others will require the spin speed to be set independently from the wool program.

 

Check your washing detergent or powder is wool friendly by reading the small print.

 

Modern biological detergents, or ones containing bleaching agents, can be catastrophic to any animal-based fabric.

 

These detergents, as well as the non-biological detergents which contain bleach, will cause the garment to become corroded and thinned. They should not be used to wash your The Grifters™ fine  knitwear. Your new mask or wool sweater could lose its shape, and the finer wools will go into holes very quickly.

 

There are some excellent detergents which will condition and protect your new wool jersey. Look out for the Woolmark symbol on the packaging.