What happens if you wash a Tippi sweater? - YouLookFab Forum

Category

General

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

What happens if you wash a Tippi sweater?

Aziraphale

Veteran

I'm sure there must be a a few owners of J. Crew Tippi sweaters out there! I have three that I bought several years ago, but they don't get nearly as much wear as I'd like because it says "dry clean only" on the label. In fact I don't think I wore one all last winter, and today is the first time I've worn one this winter. But I really like the fit and feel. The fine gauge merino wool feels soft against my skin and the sweater drapes nicely. My washing machine has a wool setting -- what do you think will happen if I wash it and then lay it flat to dry? I bet I'd wear these sweaters all the time if I knew the washer wouldn't wreck them.

General

14 replies

Latest reply was from chadya

marianna

Veteran

They wash just fine. I had the same concerns but I was tired of dry cleaning so I put them in the wash on Delicate and then air dried. Came out perfectly.

njw

Can I please comment that I wish JCrew still sold the Tippi Cardigan. The longer length and generous fit worked better for my body type.

unfrumped

Veteran

I hand-washed in sink and dried flat on towels and they seem fine. I could try in washer on cold/delicate cycle as it is probably no different from my swishing, but I liked starting out this way.

Jjsloane

Veteran

I always machine wash and air dry. My new washer is a bit more rugged in trying to spin out the water (even on gentle), but if I shake it out prior to laying flat to dry I have had no issues.

Gaylene

Veteran

Hmm, what happens is they get softer and nicer to wear?

Seriously, I've always washed my Tippi merino and cashmere sweaters at home. I turn them inside out, use a laundry bag, wash in cold water on a delicate/wool setting, and dry flat. I also use a liquid detergent instead of a pod so I can measure just a couple of tablespoons of detergent (about 1/2 of the normal recommended amount) to avoid having to double rinse to get out all the suds. Oh, and I never use fabric softener, just a scant tablespoon of vinegar in the rinse compartment to keep them soft--not really necessary, but just something my mother always did and which works for me, too.

Keix

Veteran

I used to hand wash and air dry my Tippis--usually draped over multiple bars of a drying rack, in my pre-sweater-dryer days--but recently I've switched to machine washing on delicate/cold in a mesh garment bag. It comes out really well and air dries quickly when laid flat.

I do have a printed Tippi that I will continue to hand wash, because my washing machine is not good at truly "delicate" agitation, but I can attest that there's no shrinkage (length shrinkage in tops is one of my pet peeves so I would have noticed). I have even heard of people putting their Tippis in the dryer! That would almost certainly lead to some shrinkage though.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

They do still (or again) sell the Tippi sweaters.

Aziraphale

Veteran

All right, thanks everyone! I'm going to try washing my least favourite colour first.

Jules

Veteran

I always figure that if I'm not wearing it anyway due to the dry clean factor, I might as well try it in the washer. I'm not wearing it anyway and I'm relieved of the mental burden of another chore I'm not doing (dry cleaning run).

K. Period.

Veteran

I've washed mine too (least favorite first also!), and they look great. They seem to keep their shape really well. I wash in wool wash (the no-rinse type) and just use the soak cycle, which has very little agitation, then spin them out and lay flat to dry.

Sal

Veteran

Merino tends to wash well, I don't have this sweater but I concur with the advice above.

I machine wash merino on the wool setting, using wool detergent, and lie flat to dry, usually on a towel, or carefully on a drying rack.

approprio

(website)

Veteran

No experience with the brand, but I machine wash all my woollens, including cashmere, on the wool cycle at 30 with a gentle spin. I always use liquid detergent and I air dry them flat. I've never had a problem, regardless of the label.

Staysfit

Veteran

One warning, some colors fade or the ink may run so be wary of adding anything else along with it the first time you wash it. I always wash mine also! I've had three fade a bit. A coral, a dark green, and a brownish taupe color. I don't think the fading was noticeable to anyone but me, and the color did not become uneven.

chadya

Veteran

get some Eucalan