Source: "Button Up" by Chad Madden, via Wikimedia Commons (originally Unsplash), CC0 1.0, cropped.
Most winter clothes last longer if you wash them less often, wash them cooler and gentler, dry them away from direct heat and store them clean.
The care label tells you the limits for each piece. Within those limits, wool needs drying flat, velvet needs steam rather than an iron, suede needs a brush, and faux leather needs little more than a damp cloth.
This guide explains how to read a care label, then goes fabric by fabric through the clothes that see the most wear between November and March. It finishes with how to store them so moths leave them alone.
Key Takeaways
- The number in the wash-tub symbol is the maximum temperature, not a target (GINETEX). One bar under the tub means a gentler cycle, and two bars mean a very gentle cycle for things like woollens.
- Woolmark advises drying knitwear flat on a towel, away from direct heat and sunlight, because wet knits stretch when hung.
- Steam velvet from the reverse instead of ironing it, brush suede only when it is dry, and wipe faux leather with a damp cloth.
- Moths prefer dark, undisturbed places and soiled fabric (English Heritage). Store winter clothes clean, in sealed bags or lidded boxes.
- Clothes kept in use for longer have a smaller footprint. WRAP estimates that nine extra months of use could cut the carbon, water and waste footprints of clothing by up to 20%.
Why does looking after winter clothes matter?
Winter clothes often cost more and face more rain, mud and salt than summer ones, so care makes a real difference.
Keeping clothes in use also has an environmental benefit. WRAP, the UK waste and resources charity, says that "extending the lifespan of clothing by just nine months could reduce carbon, water, and waste footprints by up to 20%" (WRAP, 13 January 2024).
Most damage happens in a few predictable ways: washing too hot, drying on a radiator, hanging wet knits, and putting clothes away dirty. Avoid those four and most pieces will last longer.
How do you read a clothing care label?
Most care labels in the UK and Europe use the GINETEX symbols, which follow the international standard ISO 3758.
There are five groups: washing, bleaching, drying, ironing and professional care. GINETEX says "the numbers in the wash tub specify the maximum washing temperatures in degrees celsius which must not be exceeded" (GINETEX, retrieved 3 November 2026).
| Symbol | What it means |
|---|---|
| Wash tub with a number (30, 40) | Maximum washing temperature in °C |
| One bar under the tub | Milder cycle with reduced spinning and agitation |
| Two bars under the tub | Very mild cycle, for example woollens |
| Hand in the tub | Hand wash only |
| Square with a circle (tumble dryer), with dots | Tumble dry; more dots allow a higher temperature |
| Iron with dots | Ironing temperature; one dot is the coolest |
| Circle (professional care) | Dry cleaning or professional wet cleaning |
| Any symbol crossed out | Do not do this |
Source: GINETEX, care symbols.
The labels on our own products show how much care varies, even within one category. The Smart-Casual Funnel Neck Half-Zip Jumper says machine wash gentle at 30°C, with no tumble drying or ironing.
The Floral Devore Slip Dress is dry clean only. Always check the label before following general advice, including ours.
How should you wash and dry wool and knitwear?
Wash knitwear less often than you think. Airing a jumper overnight on a chair, rather than in a pile, lets it lose creases and smells between wears.
When it does need a wash, use a wool or hand-wash cycle at the temperature on the label, with a wool detergent, and never wring it.
Drying is where most knits are ruined. The Woolmark Company, the wool industry's certification and marketing body, says to "always flat dry wool sweaters or other knitwear if possible", on a pale or white towel.
Woolmark explains that "line drying or drying on hangers can cause knitted garments to stretch". It also warns: "avoid placing your wool garment over a radiator to dry" (Woolmark, retrieved 3 November 2026).
Only tumble dry wool if the label allows it, on a low or wool setting.
A practical routine for a hand-washed jumper:
- Press out the water gently against the side of the basin. Do not twist.
- Roll the jumper in a dry towel and press to soak up more water.
- Lay it flat on a fresh towel, pat it back to shape and leave it to dry at room temperature.
- Fold it to store. Hanging knitwear stretches the shoulders.
Small bobbles (pilling) form where knitwear rubs, under the arms and at the sides.
A fabric shaver or knit comb removes them; work lightly in one direction. Pilling is normal and does not mean a knit is faulty.
Care varies with the yarn. The Women's Roll Neck Jumper is hand wash, while the cotton-blend Slim Mock-Neck Jumper can go in the machine or be washed by hand.
Wool coats
Wool coats rarely need cleaning. Brush them after wear to lift dirt before it settles, and let a wet coat dry on a wide hanger at room temperature, away from the radiator.
Woolmark notes that tailored woven pieces such as jackets can be hung to dry, out of direct sunlight. Only dry clean when the label says so, as it does on the Women's Double-Breasted Wool-Blend Coat.
Our winter coat guide covers caring for padded and water-resistant coats too.
How do you care for velvet?
Velvet has a raised pile, and pressure or heat flattens it, so our advice is never to iron the front.
To remove creases, hang the piece inside out and steam the reverse from a short distance, or hang it in the bathroom while you shower. Once it is dry, brush the pile gently in its natural direction with a soft clothes brush.
Store velvet on a padded hanger with space around it, because crushing it in a full wardrobe leaves marks.
Velvet care labels vary. The Rust Devore Kimono is hand wash only, while the Floral Devore Slip Dress, in a similar devore velvet, is dry clean only.
Follow the label rather than guessing from the fabric.
How do you clean suede and suede-look footwear?
Brush suede when it is dry, never when it is wet. Water darkens suede and brushing wet suede presses dirt into the nap.
Let wet shoes dry naturally, stuffed with paper and away from radiators, then brush with a suede brush to lift the nap. That is the care on our Easy-Going Suede Slip-On Loafers: brush gently and dry naturally away from direct heat.
Winter adds white tidemarks from road salt. Our advice is to let the shoes dry and brush off as much as you can first.
For marks that remain, use a cleaner made for suede and follow its instructions, testing it on a hidden spot first. A suede protector spray, applied to clean, dry shoes before the wet weather, makes the next clean easier.
Suede-look boots, such as the Women's Suede-Look Slouch Boots, have a soft brushed finish rather than real suede. Gentle brushing suits them too, but check the care details on the product page, or contact us, before using products made for real suede.
How do you look after faux leather?
Faux leather, sold as leather-look, vegan leather or PU, needs very little care.
Leather-look uppers only need a wipe with a damp cloth and time to dry away from the radiator. Source: "Brown leather boots on a wood floor" by Radek Skrzypczak, via Wikimedia Commons (originally Unsplash), CC0 1.0, cropped.
Wipe faux leather with a soft, damp cloth and let it dry naturally. That is the care on the Rain-or-Shine Leather-Look Chelsea Boots; the Sharp-Dressed Derby Shoes can also be polished lightly to bring back the shine.
Keep faux leather away from direct heat, which can stiffen the coating and make it crack at the creases.
Leather-look jackets, like the Women's Hooded Leather-Look Jacket, have a smooth outer that wipes clean, so wipe off marks as they happen and hang the jacket on a wide hanger.
How should you store winter clothes and keep moths away?
Store everything clean, because moths go for soiled fabric first. English Heritage's guidance on clothes moths says "textiles soiled with food or urine are preferentially attacked".
Damage "is usually in dark and hidden areas", such as "under collars, behind lapels, in pockets and turn-ups or where things are folded" (English Heritage, retrieved 3 November 2026).
Hilary Jarvis, Assistant National Conservator at the National Trust, agrees that "moths rarely eat clean silk or wool" (National Trust, retrieved 3 November 2026).
Space between hangers lets air move and makes it easier to spot moth damage early. Source: "Wilmslow, United Kingdom", via Wikimedia Commons (originally Unsplash), CC0 1.0, resized.
English Heritage's advice for clothing:
- Store sealed. Keep wool in plastic bags, preferably vacuum-sealed ones, or boxes with lids.
- Check regularly. English Heritage calls regular checking of vulnerable items essential. Look in folds, collars and pockets, and note that moths "hate disturbance".
- Traps detect, they do not cure. Pheromone traps catch only male moths, so they show where moths are but will not end an infestation.
- Refresh repellents. Lavender and cedar repel adult moths for three months at most, and they do not affect larvae already in clothes (English Heritage).
Found moth holes?
- Bag the damaged piece and anything stored with it. English Heritage advises freezing items in plastic bags at -18°C for at least two weeks.
- Leave them in the bag for at least 24 hours after taking them out of the freezer, so condensation does not form on the fabric (English Heritage).
- Vacuum the wardrobe, especially corners and shelf edges, before putting clean clothes back.
For everyday hanging, use wide, shaped hangers for coats and jackets so the shoulders keep their shape. Leave a little space along the rail; a packed wardrobe creases clothes and gives moths undisturbed corners.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should you wash a wool jumper?
Only when it is marked or still smells after airing. A jumper worn over a shirt or T-shirt does not need washing after every wear.
Can you put wool in the tumble dryer?
Only if the care label shows the tumble-dry symbol.
Woolmark says garments labelled for tumble drying can go on a low heat or a wool or delicates setting. Otherwise, dry wool flat.
How do you get creases out of velvet without ruining it?
Steam the reverse of the fabric, or hang it in a steamy bathroom, then let it hang until dry. Do not press an iron on the pile side.
Shop winter clothes made to last
A few habits do most of the work: read the label, wash cool and gently, dry flat and away from heat, and store clean.
Browse women's coats and jackets and women's footwear. Each product page lists its own care instructions.
About this guide
Written by the Murbick Team, the people who choose and list the clothing and homeware in our shop.
Our guides are researched from the public sources listed below, and product details and care instructions are checked against our own listings on the date shown.
Where no source is cited, the tip is our own general advice; the garment's care label always comes first.
Spotted something out of date? Contact us and we will correct it. About Murbick.
Sources
- GINETEX: Care symbols, last visited 3 November 2026.
- The Woolmark Company: How to dry wool, last visited 3 November 2026.
- English Heritage (DBP Entomology): Clothes moths: prevention and control, last visited 3 November 2026.
- National Trust: Expert tips on insect pests, last visited 3 November 2026.
- WRAP: Extending product lifetimes: WRAP's work on clothing durability (13 January 2024), last visited 3 November 2026.
- ISO: ISO 3758:2023 Textiles: care labelling code using symbols, last visited 3 November 2026.
