Pilling Info

Unfortunately,  pilling is the result of normal wear and tear, and is not considered a defect. It is broken clothing fibers on the surface become tangled together. Over time, these threads clump together, forming the characteristic lint ball that is stuck to your clothing. During a wash cycle, they can attract loose micro-threads, speeding up the fabric pilling process. Clothes pilling can also happen with everyday friction such as parts of your clothing rubbing together, a backpack or purse or even moving around on the couch.

Pilling Prevention

To prevent pilling, opt for sturdy fabrics that are tightly woven and made from durable materials. Clothes pilling is most common with looser, shorter fibers. Knitted fabrics tend to pill more than woven ones, and clothes made from wool, cotton, polyester, acrylic and other synthetics tend to develop pills more readily than silk, denim or linen. We stress our clothes every time we wear them—therefore, some degree of pilling is always possible. However, there are some ways you can help slow down or prevent fabric pilling by reducing the friction or abrasion your clothes experience day-to-day. This could include avoiding wearing a backpack with your favorite top, reducing your layers to prevent fabrics from rubbing, or choosing a tightly woven fabric as your second clothing layer. These precautions won’t get rid of pilling altogether, but they can help slow down the process.

Pilling Removal

You can remove pills, lint or fuzz from clothes by using a fabric comb or battery-operated pill/lint remover. Both of these methods help carefully cut or scrape away the fabric pills. This is also how to get fuzz and pills off sweaters which can show up on this loose fabric even after the most careful washing. When done correctly, you’ll end up with clothes that look as good as new.