Tag Archives: How to Wash Sherpa Fabric

How to Wash Sherpa Fabric

9 Dec

Sherpa is definitely one of the fabrics that captures your heart right away. It is warm, very soft like a cloud, and comforting like no other material. But this can also be the case for those who own Sherpa. One wrong wash cycle, and the beautiful fluff can easily turn hard, matted, or clumpy. If you have ever taken a sherpa blanket out of the dryer and asked yourself, “What happened to you?”, you are not the only one.

That is why knowing how to wash sherpa fabric can be a game-changer in keeping it nice and warm for a long time. This manual simplifies every aspect, incorporating practical instances that demonstrate the ease with which one can unwittingly harm sherpa and the equally simple ways of preventing it.

Why Sherpa Needs Special Care

Sherpa material looks like sheepskin and is often made out of polyester and acrylic. It features a soft, lofty surface that feels wonderful, but at the same time, being delicate is the downside of its appearance.

A couple of years back, a friend of mine did a wash of her newly purchased sherpa hoodie together with her normal towels on a hot wash. The moment she pulled it out, the hoodie had the appearance of being 10 years older in just 45 minutes. The fibres had compressed, the plushness was lost, and even brushing could not help it. It is a case in point confirming that a sherpa requires super delicate treatment: heat and rubbing are the greatest foes of it.

Before You Wash: Prepare Your Sherpa the Right Way

Before learning exactly how to wash sherpa fabric, the preparation stage matters more than most people realise.

1. Check the Care Label

This seems simple, but many people skip it. Different sherpa blankets or jackets may have slight variations in care instructions. Following the label avoids accidental damage.

2. Pre-Treat Light Stains Gently

A wet cloth is to be used for cleaning off the dirt on the surface. A tiny dot of mild detergent can be placed on the stain, if any. Be gentle when working on the area—sherpa fibres can easily get matted.

3. Protect Your Sherpa in a Mesh Bag

Take your sherpa piece and turn it inside out. After that, put it into a mesh laundry bag. This not only diminishes the rubbing but also stops the transfer of lint. Just imagine it like a seatbelt for your sherpa.

Machine Washing Sherpa (The Safe Way)

You can machine-wash sherpa safely—if you do it correctly:

Cold Water Only

Hot water can shrink or melt synthetic fibres. Cold water keeps the texture intact.

Use the Gentle or Delicate Cycle

Sherpa doesn’t like aggressive agitation. A gentle wash reduces pilling and matting.

Choose Mild Detergent

Use a small amount of fragrance-free, dye-free detergent.

Avoid fabric softeners completely—they coat the fibres and make the sherpa stiff.

Run an Extra Rinse Cycle

Leftover detergent can weigh down the fluff, so an extra rinse helps keep it light and soft.

Wash Alone or With Soft Items Only

Harder fabrics like denim can rub against the sherpa and damage its pile.

One customer once told me that after washing her sherpa throw with jeans, her throw ended up with small “flat islands” where the texture was completely gone. Washing sherpa alone—or with similar soft fabrics—prevents this from happening.

Hand Washing Sherpa (The Safest Option)

If your sherpa item is very delicate or very special, hand washing is the gentlest method.

  1. Fill a basin with cool water.
  2. Add a small amount of mild detergent.
  3. Move the sherpa slowly through the water—no twisting or wringing.
  4. Let it soak for 10–15 minutes if needed.
  5. Rinse until the water runs clear.

Hand washing takes more time, but it gives a person a long, healthy life.

Drying Sherpa: Where Most People Make Mistakes

The crucial point in the process of learning how to wash sherpa fabric is drying. Sherpa fibres can get damaged permanently, either by melting or flattening due to heat.

Air Drying Is Best

Lay the sherpa item flat on a clean towel or hang it in a well-ventilated area.

Sherpa dries surprisingly fast.

If Using a Dryer, Use Only Low Heat or No Heat

Short, low-heat cycles are acceptable, but remove the sherpa while it’s still slightly damp, then let it finish air drying.

A reader once shared how she accidentally put her sherpa blanket through a full high-heat cycle. The result? A blanket that went from “soft and snuggly” to “rough and crispy” in under an hour. High heat is simply a no-go.

How to Restore Sherpa After Washing

There are occasions when, despite being washed, the sherpa appears to be somewhat tired and will need a bit of care to regain its fluffiness and freshness. Once the fabric is dry, with your fingers, rub it with light pressure to loosen the fibres that had stuck together and then, using a soft-bristle brush, like one made from boar bristles or a gentle pet brush, lightly brush the pile in the same direction.

Tips to Keep Sherpa Soft for Years

To keep the sherpa’s softness for years, the easiest method is to wash it infrequently, always use cold water, don’t use fabric softeners and avoid friction or high heat that may flatten or ruin the fibres. Keep the sherpa in a dry, cool place, and once it is dry, very lightly brush it to preserve the natural fluff. A tad of care and the sherpa remains soft, warm and with the look of new for way longer than one expects.

The washing of sherpa fabric looks to be a tedious process at first glance, but actually, it is very simple: gentle washing, low temperature, mild detergent, and shag brushing in some cases. Treat the sherpa well, and you will get the comfort and warmth that will last for years as your reward.

Sherpa Fleece Blankets in Bulk

PeachFur Fleece provides the best quality sherpa fleece blankets in bulk made of non-pilling materials, which are soft and warm, and most importantly, comfortable. In case you need a wholesale deal on durable sherpa products, we are ready to assist you. Contact us anytime for the most available sherpa fabric fleece blankets in bulk with quick delivery and amazing value.

How to Wash Sherpa Fabric

21 Nov

Sherpa fabric is simply the kind of material that makes you fall in love at first touch. It is warm, plush, cloud-soft, and utterly comforting. Sherpa-throw blankets on your couch or a warm sherpa-jacket you practically never take off during the cold months from mid-November till March, sherpa fabric feels genuinely luxurious.

Sherpa is soft as opposed to something that exhibits toughness. An inflow of materials can destroy the typical fluffy perfection of Sherpa faster than usual; in the blink of a second, it transforms into a look of being run over or raked through by a vacuum cleaner.

That’s why learning how to wash sherpa fabric correctly is essential. The good news? It’s not difficult—with the right approach, you can keep sherpa soft, clean, and cosy for years.

Why Sherpa Needs Gentle Care

It has the final feel of real fleece. This incredible fluffiness is a courtesy of the brushed woolly side, the one that is very soft. Otherwise, one side goes with a smooth knit to provide the fabric with structure.

But that fluffiness comes at a price. The brushed fibres can flatten, mat, or pill if the sherpa is washed incorrectly. Think of a sherpa like a pampered pet—soft, lovable, but absolutely not a fan of heat, harsh products, or rough handling.

If you treat it gently, the sherpa remains beautifully plush. Treat it roughly, and it will let you know.

Before You Start Washing

Taking a few preparation steps can make all the difference.

Give It a Shake

Start by shaking out your sherpa outside. You’ll be shocked at how much lint, dust, or mystery fluff falls out. (No judgment—sherpa attracts everything.)

Check the Care Label

Some Sherpa blankets and jackets may only require delicate hand washing, while others are washable in a home machine. Simply put, a washing label is no different from being a blueprint-just make sure that persistence in following instructions is a part of the plot, to keep your sherpa blanket forever.

Spot Clean Stains

If surface stains can be seen, use a mild bleach-free stain remover. Be delicate as if you are cleaning a luxury item—which you are.

Wash Sherpa Alone

Sherpa does not play well with items that have zippers, Velcro, hooks, buttons, or rough textures. Give Sherpa its own personal wash cycle. It deserves it.

The Safest Method: Hand Washing Sherpa

Hand washing is the most reliable way to protect the sherpa’s fluff.

To begin, fill up a basin or bath with cold water and then a small amount of mild detergent. After immersing in the water, massage the Sherpa gently, without rubbing, pushing, pressing, or wringing-no, Sherpas are not rugs.

Soaking needs a duration of 10–15 minutes, starting immediately after they are placed for washing. Cold-water rinsing can be continuous to ensure no soap remains at all, as soap residues become gummy and produce stiffness to the sherpa. Try to get as much water out of the fabric as possible by gently squeezing the excess, or gently rolling the fabric in a towel; be particularly careful not to stretch or deform sherpa fibres.

Machine Washing Sherpa (If allowed)

If your label says machine washing is safe, proceed—but gently.

Turn the sherpa fabric inside out and place it inside a mesh laundry bag. This protects the fluffy fibres from friction.

Use:

  • Cold water
  • A delicate or gentle cycle
  • Mild detergent
  • No bleach
  • No fabric softener

Fabric softener may sound tempting, but it can coat the fibres and actually make the fabric feel less soft.

If possible, run an extra rinse cycle. Getting all the detergent out helps keep the sherpa smooth and cushy. And whatever you do—do NOT overload the machine. Sherpa needs space to float and move. When crowded, the fibres rub against other clothing and can mat down.

Drying Sherpa the Right Way

Drying is the step where things often go wrong. One moment of high heat, and your sherpa can come out looking like it had a rough day.

Best Method: Air Drying

Place your sherpa garment on a lying towel, and allow it to dry without outside intervention. Do not expose it to direct sunlight, radiators, or heaters. The major limitation for garment care is the product’s air-dry time, which furthers softness.

If You Must Use a Dryer

Use the lowest possible heat or the “air fluff” setting. Remove your sherpa as soon as it dries. Overheating can melt synthetic fibres or cause long-term texture damage.

How to Restore Sherpa’s Fluffiness

Sherpa fabric is sometimes hard-wearing, and therefore, it may lose some fluffiness after washing. It is good to know that re-fluffing it is easy. If necessary, once the fabric is fully dry, use a soft-bristle brush, a pet slicker brush, or your fingertips to lightly fluff the fabric.

Raise the pile and work with slightly more difficult matted areas while using small, circular motions, which promotes more looseness in fibres. This whole process, from fluffing out windows to fluffing out the piles, must be done with the minimum possible touch.

Long-Term Care Tips for Sherpa

To keep the Sherpa cosy long-term:

  • Spot clean often instead of washing frequently.
  • Store it loosely, never compressed under heavy items.
  • Avoid heat in every form—washing, drying, or ironing.
  • Brush lightly now and then to maintain softness.
  • Shake and air out sherpa blankets occasionally to freshen them up.

Sherpa is not high maintenance—it just appreciates gentle, thoughtful care. Much like that favourite plant you never remember to water, but somehow still loves you.

Final Thoughts

In order to stay so soft and luxurious in a blanket, jacket, or home item, one must wash a sherpa fabric very gently. Sherpa requires only the mildest detergent, cold water, a little tenderness, and a very gentle dry.

Treat your sherpa right, and it will reward you with endless comfort and cosiness—no drama included.

About PeachFur Fleece

PeachFur Fleece is driven by the belief that comfort is the essence of quality. Over the course of two decades, we have been crafting the best quality fleece blankets in bulk, fleece jackets, and embroidered fleece products with custom designs. They are made from scratchy material, stone-coloured and bushy.

Our commitment to using higher-quality materials and well-crafted products results in fleece items that you proudly give away, and are not easy to throw away or dispose of.