Pilling
- Similar words
- Lint/Fuzz
The fuzzing phenomenon where fibers on the fabric surface become tangled and clump together due to friction
A phenomenon in which loose fibers on the surface of a fabric become tangled together through friction during wear or washing to form small balls of fuzz. As a natural physical wear process of woven or knitted fabrics, it frequently occurs in short synthetic fibers or woolen yarns and is often not classified as a defect.
Pilling on a knit surfaceFABRIC PILLINGAppearance
It has the form of small, round, pellet-shaped clumps of fiber irregularly sprouting on the fabric surface. It is noticeable in areas subject to continuous friction, such as inside the collar, underarms, inside the sleeves, and areas touched by bag straps.
When choosing
To reduce pilling, it is advisable to check for Anti-pilling processing labels or pilling test grades. In general, fabrics woven with high-twist yarn or continuous filament fiber produce less pilling than fabrics with a lot of loose fuzz.
Care
Plucking off the pills that have formed by hand pulls out additional yarn from the surface, making pills form even more easily. It helps to reduce friction by cutting them off with a dedicated lint remover or fabric shaver and by turning the clothes inside out and placing them in a laundry net when washing.
Additional information
- Nep
- A grain-shaped decoration intentionally created during the yarn-spinning process, not pilling caused by friction.
- Snagging
- A phenomenon where fabric loops are caught on a sharp object and pulled out long, which differs from pilling where fibers clump together.
Some images are explanatory images created with AI.
