The Wool Fleece Valet.

Last week in the UW office, Patrick from our marketing team was looking a little down. He thought there was no hope for his much-loved, years-old Wool Fleece Field Jacket, and wanted to give it one last hurrah before he resigned it to the back of his wardrobe forever. We were shocked. Did he not hear all the times we had said ‘worn in, not worn out’?

The next day, he left his Wool Fleece in our hands. We told him we would revamp it, referring to the care label and a few tips and tricks we have picked up over the years. 

Here is how we brought his Wool Fleece back to life.

We should note these are guidelines only, and any risks you take with makeshift de-bobbling instruments, confusing washing machine symbols and any other instructions are not our responsibility. 

 

1. De-lint.

After we had cleared the pockets of old coins and snack wrappers, we got to work on the debris and fluff on the outside of the jacket. We used a lint roller to remove any bits, but you can achieve the same effect with any other lint-removing tools, or by wrapping tape around your hand, sticky side out, and patting down your garment.

 

2. Wash.

Patrick had been terrified of washing his Fleece, as he had heard on the grapevine that this was a big no-no. But we thought the lingering smell of chilli con carne was an even bigger no-no. First up, we had a look at the care label (which is always important as this will change from garment to garment and fabric to fabric).

The symbols on the wash care label for Wool Fleece mean the following (from left to right):

1) Gentle wool wash at 30°C

2) Do not bleach

3) Do not tumble dry

4) Low temperature iron

5) Gentle dry clean with PCE

If you want to use your washing machine, check for a wool setting, as many machines have one. We opted to hand wash our piece using a Woolmark recommended (look for the symbol on the packet), mild liquid detergent, with no brightening or bleaching agents. All we had to do was submerge the jumper in 30°C water (we used a thermometer) and gently swish it around. We soaked ours for about 10 minutes to loosen any dirt. Treat it gently; do not knead it like a piece of dough, or wring it out because it will shrink and/or felt.

 

3. Dry.

We left the jacket out to dry flat overnight, but to speed up the process a little, we would recommend rolling the jacket in a towel before lying flat on another towel until it is dry. Wool Fleece does not like to be tumble-dried (expect a babygrow-sized jacket if so), or hung on a washing line, as this can distort its shape.

 

4. Iron.

Once dry, if the garment needs ironing, like we chose to, it should be done at a low temperature, as indicated on the care label. We tested this on a small area first, and would recommend using a pressing cloth or ironing it from the inside out to protect the garment.

 

5. De-bobble.

Patrick had noticed some bobbling on his Fleece that had accumulated over time. This does not mean the fabric is faulty—it just happens as a result of wear. 

We tried two methods of debobbling. The first, a fabric shaver (electric de-pilling tool), and the second, a safety razor, laying the garment flat, pulling the fabric taut, and (very) carefully shaving off the bobbles in the direction of the knit.

 

The Result.

Just like new!

Again, we aren’t responsible for the methods you use—these are just guidelines, so double check any other instructions on your tools of choice, and take care when you complete these steps.

If you, like Patrick, have a piece that needs a little love, we hope this helps. Watch our video for visuals on the steps we took, and keep an eye out for our next Care Guide.