The Best Way to Store Cashmere for Summer

Summertime Cashmere Care: Why It Matters

The best way to store cashmere is to treat it with the patience and respect we bring to the changing seasons in Tuscany. When the weather warms up and those generous cashmere layers return to the closet for a while, how we store them makes a remarkable difference. Anyone who has ever unpacked a beloved sweater and found surprises, creases, misshapen cuffs, maybe even a few unwelcome moths—knows the routine matters. Storing cashmere for summer can be a quiet ritual, almost meditative. It calls to mind the feeling of walking through a calm garden at sunset: slow, deliberate, every step with purpose. Our favorite Italian artisans taught us that caring for natural fibers isn’t complicated but it does ask for a moment of our attention.

Clean and Prepare Your Cashmere the Italian Way

Before anything goes into storage, every cashmere cardigan or scarf deserves a gentle wash. We always start with cool water, a touch of mild soap, none of those harsh detergents that strip away softness—and a quiet afternoon. Drying flat is non-negotiable. One of us still remembers an aunt who always laid out her cashmere sweaters on crisp cotton towels, pressed out the water, then never rushed the drying process. No hanging, no direct sun, only patience. Cleaning before storage protects your garments from moths and keeps them fresh well into October. This is especially true for a piece like our Women’s Cashmere Links Stitch Duster Cardigan—the sort of knit you want to step back into next season and find just as you left it.

Fold, Don’t Hang: Cashmere Staples Keep Their Shape

Folding is our quiet rebellion against plastic hangers. Knits like our Ultralight Cashmere Raglan Crew Neck Sweater simply hold up better when gently folded and stacked. There’s a reason so many Italian wardrobes have neatly layered piles instead of packed closets, it saves necklines from stretching and those odd shoulder marks that look like a coat rack got hold of your favorite jumper. A clean, dry drawer or a shelf lined with a cotton pillowcase gives cashmere enough airflow to stay fresh. In our experience, a gentle fold preserves that feeling of sliding on soft knitwear without any leftover creases or musty smells come autumn.

Choose the Right Summer Storage Spot

Storing cashmere for warm months is a bit like picking the best spot in the garden for growing tomatoes, calm, dry, and out of the harshest light. Sun and humidity are tough on natural fibers. We have learned to avoid attics and basements, which are rarely as predictable as they seem and sometimes hide an early mustiness. Instead, we use clean storage bags made from natural materials, not plastic, and tuck in a sachet of lavender or cedar. Italian families often use linen or cotton bags collected from generations past, but newer versions do the trick if you don’t have the family stash. Gray cashmere scarves, for example, stay crisp and lovely season to season when kept this way—find a home for them in a cool, dry drawer or touch base with our gray cashmere collection for more inspiration.

Treating Your Cashmere to Peace of Mind

The best way to store cashmere always comes down to thoughtfulness. Summer storage is never just practical; it’s a small act of care, the same way we might wipe down an old wooden table or wrap vintage ceramics before putting them away. We feel the difference when we take the time to fold, clean, and protect these pieces. Our cashmere comes out softer and somehow richer, like it’s absorbed a little patience from the slow months. These small rituals connect us to our clothes and linger in the feel of a Monticelli knit next season.

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