When you find a shirt or pair of pants that you really like, it can be tempting to wear and wash them regularly. But after a few washes, you may notice small, stubborn lint in certain areas or on the garment as a whole that can’t be easily removed with a lint brush or lint roller. This is called pilling, and it’s frustrating, but preventable. Here’s how to prevent it from happening to your clothes.
Pilling in Fabric 101: What is it and how do you prevent it?
"Pills" are small, firm lint or fuzz that forms on clothing as it is worn and washed. They can make otherwise good-looking garments look old and less polished.
Pilling occurs when individual fibers on the surface of the fabric break as a result of normal wear and tear, most commonly the armpits of shirts and the inseam of pants, or added friction caused by carrying things like a backpack or purse. These broken fibers tangle together and form small knots or clumps of lint. When you wash your clothes, these lint balls attract loose micro-threads, accelerating pilling.
But unlike loose lint, which you can easily remove with a lint brush or roller, lint takes more effort to remove. That’s why it’s better to prevent it in the first place.
