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Why Is Knitwear Pilling?
Nowadays, knitwear is increasingly trendy. Wherever you shop, it is available. Famous brands have knitwear in their collection as well. Who won’t love knitwear? It’s perfect for every season. With it comes various styles and knitwear materials that you can choose from. Whether you want one to warm up your winter or a slouchy knit, which is an amazing throw-on choice for summer.
You probably got the perfect knitwear for this season. You were happy! However, after just one wash, it is coated with tiny thread knots. Nobody likes those pesky fuzz bobbles or pills on their clothes. It’s a terrible sight.
What is Pilling?
Pilling is also known as bobbling. It is the growth of fuzzy balls on the surface of knitwear clothing. This may leave your knitwear looking unappealing or worn out.
Why does pilling happen? Is it because of washing? There are many reasons to consider why knitwear pilling occurs. Pilling can also be caused by rubbing during use, and while it can happen everywhere on the sweater, the most common regions are the elbows, armpits, sleeves, belly, and sides, where the arms of the garment are continually in touch with the body of the sweater during wear. Additionally, the pill attracts other loose threads in a wash load, causing the two to become entangled. That’s how knitwear gets small knots on it. It’s fluff from another cloth that’s causing the knot.
How to Prevent knitwear Pilling?
We adore knitwear, but we despise pilling! We try our utmost to avoid seeing knitwear turn into bobbles over time. You probably would love to know how to prevent your clothes from pilling. Because we put stress on our garments every time we wear them, pilling is always a possibility. However, by limiting the friction or abrasion your clothes are exposed to on a daily basis, you may significantly reduce or avoid fabric pilling. This may include avoiding wearing your favorite top with a backpack, minimizing your layers to minimize friction, or picking a tightly woven fabric as your second layer. These steps will not completely eliminate pilling, but they will assist to slow down the process. Other than that, here are some tips that you can practice to prevent knitwear from pilling.
- Use the gentle cycle in the laundry for knitwear that you think will pill. Your garments will be protected by reduced agitation and a shorter wash cycle. Alternatively, hand washing is a gentler option.
- Turn any clothing inside out before washing it by hand or in a machine. This protects the fabric’s surface against abrasion caused by other clothing, zippers, and buttons.
- Do not exceed the capacity of the washing tub. Cramming it to the brim with clothing prevents them from moving freely and damages their surface.
- Before you start washing, make sure you sort your clothes carefully. When delicate things are washed in the same load as jeans, the surface of the materials is abraded and damaged. Lint-producing materials, such as terry cloth, should not be washed with regular laundry. Lint from terry cloth will stick to the polyester surface if there are broken fibers.
- Choose a washing detergent that has the cellulase enzyme. Cotton pills will be broken down and removed with the aid of the enzyme.
- During the rinse cycle, add a commercial fabric softener. Cloth softener contains chemicals that coat the fibers of the fabric, reducing abrasion.
- Avoid using harsh or strong cleaners and bleach. These harsh chemicals can weaken fibers and cause them to shatter and pill.
- Avoid using the dryer. Dry woven fabrics and knitted clothes should be laid flat to dry. Remove delicate objects from the dryer as soon as possible to avoid abrasion from other fabrics.
How do you manually remove lint, pilling, and fuzz from your knitwear collection?
If there aren’t too many pills created, they may be simply removed by hand. This should be done on a regular basis, either after drying or shortly before ironing. On the other hand, pills can also be removed with a comb, but it must be done gently and carefully. Small battery-operated pill and lint removers, often known as “de-pillers” or “fabric shavers,” are inexpensive and effective at eliminating pills, restoring your clothes to its original state.
The abovementioned can help remove pills, lint, or fuzz from clothes. Both of these approaches aid in the removal of fabric pills by gently cutting or scraping them away. This is also how to remove fuzz and pills from sweaters, which can appear even after thorough washing on this loose fabric. You’ll finish up with clothes that appear as good as new if you do it right.
You might be wondering as well if it is possible to stop pilling. Unfortunately, you will never be able to completely prevent your garment from pilling, but you may slow down the rate at which it does so by properly caring for it. Because friction in a washing machine accelerates pilling, we recommend washing your knits inside out in lukewarm water in a sink or bucket. Knitwear should be washed with liquid soap rather than detergent since it is gentler. Wring it out and spread it flat to dry once it’s been cleaned.
Are there knitwear materials that (almost) never pill?
The answer is a BIG YES. Our company offers various kinds of knitwear material, and some never pill. One example is merino wool. Merino wool is a soft, elastic, and breathable sheep’s wool that doesn’t pill as quickly due to its long fibers. Recycled yarns are also ones you can pick. And, to give you a tip, seek for a firmly spun yarn and tight weave, regardless of the materials used. This can avoid pilling and snagging. It’s a positive sign if you gently tug the knitwear (e.g. sweater) and it rapidly returns to its original shape. Examine the sweater for any early signs of pilling; early signs of pilling might suggest lower-quality fibers.
Lastly, take good care of your knitwear collection. Pilling is avoidable with the right knowledge and proper care.
If you’re looking for a knitwear manufacturing company that manufactures high-quality knitwear, we got you! With us, you will have plenty of yarn materials to choose from. Not just that, we also offer sustainable yarns to help save our environment. For more inquiries, do not hesitate to contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
