As much as we love sweater weather, we dread the hunt for the fabric shaver to clean up all the pilling. We can’t make those little balls on your sweaters go away altogether, you’ll still need to de-pill once a season, but these tips can cut your fabric shaver use way down.
Consider these materials - Merino wool is soft, elastic, and breathable sheep’s wool that doesn’t pill as easily. Look for one with a low percentage of viscose material mixed in. The Woolmark logo indicates higher quality. And if you have a bigger budget, you can’t go wrong with thick cashmere. It doesn’t pill much and it’s heavy and soft, but it’ll cost you between $300 and $600 for a good sweater.
Avoid these materials - Wool and polyester blends can be hard to de-pill, so stay away from those. And avoid sweaters with three or more fibers, too.
Test the sweater in the store - If it’s already pilling in the store, that could be a sign of lower quality fibers. And no matter what the material is, look for a tightly spun yarn and a tight weave to prevent pilling and snagging. When you pull the sweater gently, it’s a good sign if it bounces right back into shape.
Take care of your sweater - Cross-body bags and jackets with rough linings can increase pilling, so try not to wear those with your sweater. But when those inevitable pills form, use a fabric comb, stone, or shaver to get rid of them or ask your dry cleaner if they can provide the service for you.
Source: Moneyish