The Tried-and-True Way to Keep Your Sweaters From Shedding 

Just like when taking care of virtually any piece of clothing, your sweater washing routine plays a huge role in how the garments will wear and shed (or not shed) in the future. Think of it as a skincare regimen, but for sweaters. You’ll want to wash wool sweaters in cold water, then lay them out flat to air dry to help decrease shedding. A wool-specific detergent will also help preserve the luxurious state of your most prized sweaters.

What exactly, you ask, should you spray your sweaters with to minimize shedding? Hair spray. You read that right. (Suddenly Ouai Haircare is more versatile than we thought.) Obviously, don’t go overkill, especially on your luxury items, and avoid over-saturating the garment and spraying too close (holding the bottle about 30 centimeters away should do the trick). Here, the thought is the spray will hold the fibers in place to promote less shedding.

Honestly, the idea of wearing your sweater to bed isn’t so bad, as it’s likely super comfy (though if you’ve got a real shedder on your hands, some sheet-swapping will be in order come morning time). It sounds a little weird, but bear with us here. The idea is that sleeping in your new sweater will speed up the shedding process by way of your movements throughout the night (such as tossing and turning). The same way friction between your sweater and other objects and garments promotes shedding, the friction between your sheets and your sweater will as well. And yes, once you wash your sheets, they too will be good as new!

Maybe this isn’t the tip you expected, but it’s one of the most recommended ways to halt sweater shedding. Here’s what to do: After the dutiful task of actually finding room in your freezer for a likely chunky sweater, pack your top in a large ziplock bag (or something similar) and allow it to sit in the freezer for three to four hours before removing and giving it a good shake. The fibers should stiffen and stay in place more than they would without this process, and shaking the sweater upon removal from the freezer will encourage the loose hairs to fall off. The same loose hairs that otherwise may have shed all over your jeans.

Alas, shedding is simply the nature of wool and cashmere. While it’s unlikely to shut down the shedding process fully until the sweater has lost all its excess fibers, there are a few other proactive steps you can take to make wearing your new piece more enjoyable and less annoying. One way is to use a lint roller to pick up excess hairs as they become loose or even use a razor to bring loose hairs to the surface before shaking them off.