OPTIONS for Repairing / Repurposing Cashmere clothing

[bings]

Long story short... i have a variety of cashmere sweaters that i have owned for a 5-10 years that are getting to the point where they cannot be tailored or repaired to the point of being wearable still.

In particular, i have 2 cashmere sweaters where the elbows are wearing thin and developing holes.

I bought some elbow patches but my tailor tells me that suede is too thick and will not work. In fact, he advises that you pretty much cannot put an elbow patch on a thin cashmere sweater. it will pull and disfigure quickly.

Also, apparently you're not supposed to wear cashmere every day, it's not as durable on account of being so soft? Mind you, 5 years is a decent run for a sweater with maybe 500 hours on it

so what else can be done?

and if tailoring / altering is required.... who can do it?

 

[bings]

*crickets

 

[emptym]

How about a fabric patch? I've seen them made of denim. Twill might work. Or maybe even you could cut up one sweater to make patches for others.

 

[onix]

iroh, someone needs you.


In a more serious note, besides fabric patches like stated above, how about reweaving?

 

[bings]

is iroh a guy on here that repurposes stuff?

i asked some open ended questions of my tailor about options for patching it and he insisted it couldnt be done properly... if there is another option i'd look at it rather than paying $150+ for replacement cashmere sweaters.

besides, these ones fit so well and it's so hard to find that

 

[Patek]

I have a collection of cashmere socks that have warn thin in the heel. The CVS tape didn't stick so...

Try taking them to Jos. A Bank for recycling.

 

[bings]

recycling as in throwing them out?

i can't do that with a 1 year old pair of pantherella cashmere socks... these things are $80

i'm actually quite disappointed that they didnt last very long. I have cashmere happysocks that are holding up better... whereas the cotton happysocks are pretty terrible.

 

[cptjeff]



is iroh a guy on here that repurposes stuff?
)

He's not a serious poster, either a troll or a comic. The reference was a forum in joke, don't take anything he has to say seriously.

 

[TheWGP]

I've been told that cashmere socks are simply not durable enough to last. I have a couple that are cashmere-silk and cashmere-cotton blends - though I don't recall the percentages, they're mostly cashmere. They've held up fine, though I probably am a little careful with them.

As far as elbow patches on cashmere sweaters... lol, I guess anything's possible? Personally, when a sweater gets to that stage, I pretty much throw it into the "around the house" pile - it's nice to have an old favorite sweater that's comfortable, soft and warm but that you don't freak if you spill something on.

 

[GBR]

Recycle them ie chuck them out or burn them.

They have served you well but such mean ways cannot be supported.

You can do that with socks if they are full of holes. Just face reality.

 

[bings]

i took it back to my tailor since he also takes care of my dry cleaning and we talked about it again.

he basically took the socks and the one sweater i had left with him and just pinched the material and through a stitch in it.

if you look really close you can certianly see it but since we're talking the elbows of solid colour sweaters and the heels of socks it wont be noticeable at all.. should give the socks another year and the sweaters a couple more years... problem solved.

 

[thesweaterpatch]

I recommend a luxury cashmere sweater patch from The Sweater Patch on Etsy....they work great! I use them on all mine and my mother in-law Linda Leitch and father inlaw Donovan Leitch.....they love them! I repair all their Lainey Keogh sweaters here in Ireland with them!