You want to keep your cozy warm wool sweater looking beautiful for a long time, without those annoying pills. We’re happy to tell you how you can prevent them as much as possible, and if they do appear, what you can do about it.
What is pilling actually?
Pilling is a characteristic of wool. Wool yarns are spun from the fleece of a sheep. The sheep’s fleece consists of short fibers that tend to come out of the yarn and clump together into a ball. The younger the wool, the greater the chance of pilling. For example, a lambswool sweater has the highest chance of pilling because it comes from a young fleece. Merino wool pullovers, on the other hand, use the fleece of the Merino sheep, which is much finer and softer, resulting in significantly less pilling of the fabric.
How does pilling occur?
Pilling is mainly activated by friction. It often starts on the elbows and under the arms. That’s why it’s important to seek advice on the right fit: being too big or too small can actually cause extra pilling while wearing the sweater.
What can you do to prevent pilling?
Avoid wearing your wool sweater for consecutive days and allow it time to rest. This applies to all your clothing and shoes.
It may sound strange, but wash your wool sweater regularly. Use a suitable program (maximum 30 oC, low spin cycle, and wool wash program). Use a detergent that is suitable for delicate clothing. Regular washing helps remove loose fibers from the sweater, reducing the chances of them clumping together and forming pills. Always wash the sweater inside out.
If hand washing is the only option, make sure the water is not too hot (lukewarm) and avoid using too much detergent. Simply rinse the sweater without rubbing it, as this can activate the loose fibers.
Also, pay attention to what you wear over your sweater. Even a label from a coat or a seatbelt can cause pilling.
You’ve done your best, but still have pilling on your wool pullover?
Even if you’ve taken all the necessary precautions and have been careful with your fine lambswool pullover, it’s still possible for pilling to occur. Fortunately, there are several ways to deal with it. Here are some tips for you:
- And the most effective one: purchase a fabric shaver and shave the pullover in circular motions, slightly stretching it. Take your time, and you’ll notice that the pullover’s color will become less dull.
- Get a fabric comb and do almost the same as in tip 1, but manually and in straight lines over the pullover.
- Never pull the pills off the pullover by hand, as this can cause more damage than improvement.
- If you’re really struggling, visit one of our stores with your favorite sweater, and we can show you the best way to treat it.
Extra tip!
If you find that your lovely merino wool sweater becomes static, especially when taking it on and off, you can wash it with a small amount of fabric softener. This will create a thin film layer on the sweater, helping it discharge static electricity more effectively.
