Caring for an AMI Paris Jumper: Washing, Drying and Storing Ami de Cœur Knitwear

An Ami de Cœur jumper is a piece you keep for ten years — or three winters, depending on how you wash it. AMI knitwear (merino wool, cashmere, thick cotton) asks for little, but it really does ask for it. Here is the routine we recommend, from the first wash to repairs.

First of all: read the label, do not guess it

AMI uses three families of knit that are not treated the same way: merino wool (most of the crew-neck jumpers and cardigans), cashmere (the most expensive, more delicate pieces) and thick cotton (the sweatshirts and some summer jumpers). The composition label inside settles the question. When buying pre-owned, if the label is missing, treat the piece as cashmere: it is the gentlest regime.

Washing: rarely, cold, without rubbing

A wool jumper is not washed after every wear: it is aired. Allow one wash every five to eight wears. When the day comes: by hand in cold water with a wool detergent (never a regular detergent — its enzymes attack the fibre), squeezing without wringing; or in the machine on a cold wool programme, minimal spin, in a mesh bag. Thick cotton can take 30 °C. Cashmere never goes in the machine.

The heart embroidery is washed with the rest, but always turn the jumper inside out: with the embroidery facing inwards, the red thread is protected from rubbing against the drum.

Drying: flat, never on a hanger

This is the mistake that ruins the shape of more AMI jumpers than any other: hanging it damp stretches the shoulders and lengthens the body by several centimetres, with no going back. Roll the jumper in a towel to absorb the water, then lay it flat on a dry towel, reshaping it as you go (shoulders, sleeve length). Away from a radiator. Allow a day.

Pilling: normal, and easy to remove

A merino that pills on the forearms and under the arms is not a poor-quality jumper, it is a jumper that gets worn. A wool comb or a flat-blade pill remover, passed gently in the direction of the knit, removes the pills without thinning the fibre. Avoid electric de-pillers on cashmere, and never run any tool over the heart embroidery.

Ironing: with steam, without touching the heart

Knitwear is de-creased with steam, the iron held a few centimetres away or with a garment steamer, without ever pressing down. If you must put the iron down, do it on the reverse, with a pressing cloth, and work around the logo area: direct heat flattens the embroidery and makes it shiny, which shows straight away.

Storing: folded, safe from moths

Folded on a shelf or in a drawer, never hung. At the end of winter, wash before putting away (moths seek out traces of skin and sweat), then store in a cotton garment bag or a closed bag with a cedar block or lavender. A jumper put away dirty in spring comes out full of holes in October.

Repair rather than replace

A small moth hole or a snagged stitch on a merino can be darned in a few minutes by a seamstress (or by yourself with a wool needle and thread of the same colour). A heart with a loose thread is secured with an invisible stitch on the inside, without ever cutting the thread. These are the repairs that mean a pre-owned AMI jumper can be sold as such: at NB08, a piece with a neat darn is described as such on the product page, with the flaw photographed.

In summary

• Wash rarely, cold, with wool detergent, jumper inside out
• Dry flat, never on a hanger
• Remove pilling with a comb, never over the heart
• Steam without contact, iron on the reverse if necessary
• Store folded, washed before summer, with cedar or lavender
• Darn rather than replace

To choose the right piece before caring for it, our guide to Ami de Cœur jumpers and cardigans details the models and materials, and the AMI Paris FAQ answers your other questions. The available pieces, new and pre-owned, are in our AMI Paris collection.