Wool Care

My new wool sweater has become all pilled! That shouldn't be the case, right? And can I remove the pills without damaging the garment?

Wool tends to pill the first few times you wear it. This is especially common for finer variants as it is the hair on the surface that releases and rolls up due to friction. The most effective and gentle way to get rid of pills is to use a pill remover such as Steamery’s Pilo Fabric Shaver. Pure wool usually stops pilling after you’ve used the fabric shaver once, but on some wool blends you may need to use it several times.

What do I do with a wool garment that has shrunk?

As long as the garment has not shrunk too much, you may be able to fix it by soaking the garment in a bath with conditioner for about 30-60 minutes. Then, gently and patiently stretch the garment.

How do I store my wool clothes properly?

If you are going to store your wool garments for a longer period, you should ensure that they are clean and store them in closed bags.  It may even be worth investing in moth balls or cedar wood to place in your drawers or closet to keep moths away.

You should not hang wool knits on hangers as it it will stretch the garment.

Shoe Care

How do I take care of leather shoes?

Use a brush and clean your leather shoes with a damp cloth. When you're not wearing the shoes, keep a shoe tree in them. Ideally, the shoe tree should be made of cedarwood, as it absorbs moisture and bad odours. Also, apply shoe cream. Use a shoe horn to avoid wearing out your shoes. Another tip is to check if your shoes have leather or rubber soles. If it's leather, you may need to put on a protective sole, depending on the climate where you live.

To protect your shoes from stains and dirt, we recommend The Protector from Attirecare, a handy protection spray that is easy to apply. If you still get stains or dirt on your shoes, our Shoe Cleaning Set is great for cleaning both leather and suede.

When should I resole my shoes?

Usually, you need to resole and/or heel your leather shoes after a period of use but it's not uncommon to recommend doing it right away. This applies to the outermost layer in rubber, the one closest to the ground. As a rule, you should resole the shoe when the rubber has worn down to the point where it no longer protects the leather layer.

How do I take care of suede shoes?

Clean with a suede brush and impregnate with suede spray. Keep in mind that most leather shoes need to be heeled occasionally. Use a shoe horn to avoid wearing out your shoes.

Leather Care

How do I clean my leather or suede bag?

Clean the bag with a brush from time to time and use a damp cloth for stains. For grease stains, do not use water but only a dry cloth.

How do I keep my leather or suede bag looking nice for a long time?

Make sure the leather does not dry out by treating it with cream, both after long-term use and before longer storage. Suede bags are best impregnated with spray. This handy protection spray is water-repellent and protects anything from shoes to leather accessories from dirt and stains.

Jeans Care

How do I wash my jeans without them losing color?

New dark jeans sometimes bleed in the beginning, both during use and when washed. Therefore, avoid contact with lighter and difficult-to-wash fabrics until you have ensured that this is not the case. Denim should also be washed inside out to preserve colour, and it’s often recommended to wash the garment separately and in cold water the first time. This applies mainly to untreated/raw denim. Follow washing instructions, which usually recommend 30° and mild, liquid detergent. Air dry at room temperature.

What should I think about when getting new jeans?

When buying pre-washed jeans or jeans with stretch, you should always expect them to stretch out a little. When new, they should be tight but comfortable at the waist so that you can wear them out without them getting too large. Untreated jeans often shrink when washed so they either require a longer wear-in period before washing or you may want to consider choosing a larger size.

Should I wash my jeans?

You should never wash clothes too often. When it comes to raw denim, it usually needs to be worn in and stretched out properly before the first wash. Partly, because they shrink in the wash but also because long-term use wears away surface colour and creates a unique, and stylish (according to many) look. But if you're not aiming for a cool wear pattern with whiskers, moustaches, honeycombs, and whatever they're called but rather want an even and mid-blue matte tone, you don't need to wear in the jeans for 6 months. In that case, it’s enough for the pants to go up a size in the waist.

Waxed Coats

How do I take care of my wax coat and how often should it be re-waxed?

Treating cotton with wax is a traditional method to give the material water-repellent properties and the wax also makes your garment last much longer. However, the protective layer of wax gradually disappears as the garment is exposed to rain, wind, and friction. Therefore, it is recommended to re-wax wax coats and jackets about once a year, depending on how often you wear the garment in question. At Grandpa, we sell a lot of classic wax jackets and coats from Brixtol Textiles, a brand that also offers a so-called Rewax Service. However, you can easily wax your coat yourself by using their reproofing spray which restores the garment's original water-repellent effect, works on both wet and dry wax.