How to Care for a Pashmina Shawl

Care for a pashmina shawl gently to keep it beautiful.

A pashmina shawl provides warmth from cashmere wool fibers. The cashmere wool used to make pashmina wraps comes from goats bred in upper elevations of the Himalayan mountains. As you wear your pashmina, the fabric usually becomes even softer, making it wise to reach for your pashmina shawl often. Most manufacturers recommend dry cleaning; however, occasional washing by hand will also suffice. Treat your pashmina shawl carefully to ensure it stays beautiful for years.

Things You'll Need

• pH neutral laundry detergent or baby shampoo
• Dishpan
• Large bath towels
• Iron (optional)

Instructions

1. Fill the dishpan with cool water. Some manufacturers also allow the use of lukewarm water. Consult specific care instructions for your pashmina shawl for water temperature recommendations or use only cool water to ensure you do not damage the wool fibers.

2. Add 1 to 2 tsp. of the laundry detergent or baby shampoo to the water and swirl the water and soap around to create bubbles.

3. Place the shawl into the dishpan and push it beneath the surface of the water. Gently agitate the shawl with your hands in the soapy water but do not twist or pull it as you wash it. Allow the shawl to soak in the water for up to 15 minutes.

4. Pour off the soapy water from the dishpan and refill the dishpan with more cool or lukewarm water to rinse the pashmina. Gently squeeze the shawl to remove all remnants of soap from the wool fibers, working until no soap remains. You may have to change the water in the dishpan several times to rinse thoroughly.

5. Squeeze out the excess water from the pashmina. Do not wring the wool fibers as you squeeze out the rinse water.

6. Lay out a bath towel and place the wet pashmina onto the towel. Roll up the towel with the pashmina inside to remove more water.

7. Spread a new, dry towel flat and arrange the damp pashmina shawl on top, shaping it carefully before it dries. Allow the shawl to dry on the towel away from direct sources of heat or sunlight.

8. Iron out any wrinkles in the pashmina after it dries, if necessary. Set the iron to low heat and place a bath towel between the pashmina and the iron to protect the fabric fibers.

9. Fold the pashmina shawl neatly and store it in a cool and dry location (such as a dresser drawer or a closet shelf).

Tips & Warnings

• For best results, dry-clean a pashmina shawl.

• Apply any hair spray or perfumes before you put on a pashmina shawl to avoid spraying the products onto the wool fibers.

• Never place a pashmina in the dryer.

References

• The Pashmina Store: About Pashmina
• Pashmina Imports: Pashmina Care