How to Care for Alpaca and Merino Knitwear So It Lasts
By Everlane | Published: 2026-10-13
Category: Tips & Care
Alpaca and merino knits stay soft and well-shaped when you wash them gently, dry them flat, and store them away from moths. Here is the exact order to follow.
Quick answer
Wash alpaca and merino knits by hand in cool water with a pH-neutral wool wash, then press the water out and dry them flat on a towel. Never wring, never hang, and never put them in a hot dryer. Store clean, fully dry sweaters folded in a breathable bag or cotton pillowcase with cedar or lavender to keep moths away. That single routine covers washing knit tops without shrinking, keeping sweaters soft, and protecting the shape of both fibers.
Why alpaca and merino need different handling than cotton
Alpaca and merino are animal fibers with overlapping scales. Heat, agitation, and alkaline detergent make those scales lock together, which is how a sweater shrinks or turns into felt. Merino is fine and elastic, so it forgives gentle handling but loses shape if you hang it wet. Alpaca is smoother, warmer, and less elastic, so it stretches more easily and needs support while drying. Both fibers are naturally odor-resistant and don't need washing after every wear, so airing them between wears cuts your care time in half.
What you actually need on hand
You don't need a specialty laundry room. A clean sink or basin, a pH-neutral wool wash, two absorbent bath towels, a mesh drying rack, and a fine-grit sweater comb or pill shaver cover almost every situation. Skip fabric softener and enzyme-heavy detergents, since both break down protein fibers over time. If your machine has a wool or hand-wash cycle and a low-spin setting, you can use it for sturdy knits, but a mesh bag is still worth the extra step.
How often to wash versus air
Wear merino three to five times and alpaca four to six times before washing if you air the garment for a few hours after each wear. Wash sooner if you sweat heavily, spill something, or notice a lingering smell. Spot-treat small marks immediately with cool water and a drop of wool wash rather than waiting for a full wash. Rotating between two or three sweaters gives each one time to recover its shape and reduces pilling from constant friction.
When to reach for a professional cleaner
Structured pieces with fused or felted construction, heavy embellishment, or a lining are safer at a cleaner that knows wool. If a label says dry clean only, follow it. The same goes for vintage knits with weak seams or any sweater you've already shrunk once. For everyday pullovers, cardigans, and half-zips, hand washing at home is usually the gentler and cheaper option.
The wash-to-store order
- 1. Read the label and empty pockets: Check the fiber content and any dry-clean instruction before you touch water. Turn the sweater inside out, close zippers and buttons, and remove anything from pockets. Checkpoint: if the label says dry clean only, stop here and take it to a cleaner.
- 2. Fill a basin with cool water and wool wash: Use water you'd be comfortable washing your hands in, and add a capful of pH-neutral wool wash. Swirl it in rather than pouring detergent directly onto the knit. Common mistake: hot water and regular detergent are the two fastest ways to shrink wool.
- 3. Submerge and soak for 10 to 15 minutes: Press the sweater gently under the water and let it soak. Don't rub, scrub, or hold it under a running tap, since agitation is what causes felting. Checkpoint: if the water turns very dark, drain and repeat once with fresh cool water.
- 4. Rinse without lifting the sweater: Drain the basin and refill with clean cool water, or press the sweater down into fresh water in a second basin. Never lift a soaked knit by the shoulders. Common mistake: holding a wet sweater up by the neck stretches it permanently.
- 5. Press water out between two towels: Lay the sweater on a clean towel, roll the towel up with the sweater inside, and press down with your palms. Repeat with a second dry towel if it still feels heavy. Never wring or twist. If water still drips, roll it again rather than squeezing harder.
- 6. Dry flat in the shape you want to keep: Lay the sweater on a mesh rack, smooth the seams, and reshape the cuffs, hem, and collar by hand. Keep it out of direct sun and away from radiators. Checkpoint: drying alpaca cardigans flat is what stops the hem from growing longer.
- 7. De-pill only after the sweater is completely dry: Use a fine sweater comb or pill shaver in short, light strokes over the pills, then brush the area smooth. Work in one direction and stop when the surface looks even. Common mistake: shaving damp wool pulls fibers and creates a thin patch.
Knitwear in this care routine
- Double-Collar Jacket in Luxe Merino | Cocoa: Double-Collar Jacket in Luxe Merino in Cocoa is a slim-fitting felted merino jacket with a two-way zipper, tall ribbed cuffs and hem, and a mid-hip length. Felted merino and a two-way zipper mean this piece holds its shape well, but the structured collar and zip deserve flat drying and careful folding rather than hanging.
- Ribbed Cropped Cardigan in Alpaca | Heathered Black: Ribbed Cropped Cardigan in Alpaca in Heathered Black has a boxy fit, cropped high-hip length, raglan sleeves, and a button front. Alpaca stretches under its own weight, so dry this cropped cardigan flat and button it before storing to keep the raglan shoulders and ribbing from distorting.
- The Half-Zip Sweater in Luxe Merino | Heathered Pine: The Half-Zip Sweater in Luxe Merino in Heathered Pine is made from 100% extra-fine wool with a taller, wider collar, voluminous ribbed cuffs, and a slimmer, shorter silhouette. Extra-fine wool is the most pill-prone of the three, so a sweater comb used gently after each wash keeps the collar and cuffs looking crisp.
