I grew up with the sight (and smell) of moth balls inside my closet, and it was not something I enjoyed. The chemical smell of naphthalene was very strong and often lingers on the fabric of the clothes it’s just impossible to get rid off!
Now that I have my own household to take care of, moths are also one of the things I am forced to deal with. I have looked online for alternatives to chemical moth balls and have tried several of them too. There’s cedar for one, and then camphor as well as other herbal alternatives which do work but maybe not as effectively as the chemical mothballs, but they get the job done.
However here’s a great tip: nothing beats cleaning, cleaning and cleaning. Before hanging or placing any moth repellent inside your closets, make sure to take the clothes out first and give the closet a good vacuuming. As for your sweaters and coats, which moths absolutely love to chew on, it would be a good idea to first have them washed or dry cleaned and then placed inside a sturdy plastic container before being placed with the rest of your clothes.