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A new generation of wool promises to save you money in dry-cleaning bills because it's machine washable. We tested three machine-washable sweaters--ordered online from Lands' End, L.L. Bean, and TravelSmith--and found that they generally took well to water.
We bought several samples of each so that we could compare laundering methods with dry cleaning. Machine washing left all the sweaters feeling softer and smelling better than did dry cleaning.
Machine drying (labeled as OK for the L.L. Bean and Lands' End garments) was another matter. It left the wool itself soft. The sweaters shrank slightly, however, and the L.L. Bean neckband came loose. Only the Lands' End merino wool polo-style sweater was undamaged. Laying the sweaters flat to dry usually worked much better than drying by machine. The TravelSmith sweater shrank and its seams frayed, even when we laid it flat to dry.
When we machine washed a simple sweater labeled "dry-clean only," it pilled badly. But when we washed it according to the tips below, it was fine.
Our advice: Given a choice between a new sweater that's washable and a comparable one labeled "dry-clean only," go for the washable one. It's cheaper to keep clean.
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