Drycleaners are relatively new in human history while wool has been with us for a very long time. So, it should come as no surprise that most wools can be hand washed and maintain their original hand (wool crepe is an exception). Structured garments such as jackets and coats should be dry cleaned.

The thing to remember is that although you may see sheep standing out in the rain, you won't see them being scrubbed down in a hot bath. That's because heat, moisture, and agitation cause wool to felt (that's how boiled wool is made—it's not really boiled).

If you're planning on hand washing your finished garment, your fabric should be preshrunk by hand washing. Before you hand wash your wool fabric, test a swatch to ensure you like the results.

Hand wash wool in cold water. Gently swish the fabric through the water—don't scrub. You can let it sit for a few minutes to help remove stubborn stains. Use a gentle detergent (soap leaves a film) such as shampoo, green dishwashing detergent, or other products specially made for washing delicate fabrics. Rinse the fabric thoroughly in cold water. Wool is weaker wet than dry so don't wring out wet wool—just squeeze out as much water as you can and let the fabric hang to dry.

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