Pilling Explained

What is ‘pilling’ and what can we do about it?

Here at BIBICO we are extremely proud of our reputation for creating 100% wool knitwear and it would be fair to say that we love all things made of this most versatile yarn, from the cosiest of Fair Isle mittens, to the enveloping warmth and softness of a coat cardigan.  Wool serves us so well as a material which is sustainable, biodegradable and recyclable. What’s not to love?

Well, many people ask us here at our shop in Bath and online…

‘Do your jumpers go bobbly?’

‘Bobbling’ is the lovely word we use for what is technically known in the wool business as ‘pilling’, although pilling, the forming of little balls on the surface of a garment, can happen with many types of fabrics and materials.

Wool gets a particularly tough time being associated with pilling and we thought we’d try to set the record straight about why it happens and what you can do about it.

Firstly, it’s untrue that pilling happens when a woollen garment is made of poor quality yarn, actually the reverse is true.  Pilling is more likely with softer, less tightly woven yarns as the fibres of these yarns can be more easily fluffed up and collect together as we commonly see with pilling.

This collecting together of surface fibres is a natural part of the life of a knitted garment and is impossible to prevent entirely. As the wool comes into contact with other things, the friction and rubbing that occurs is what causes the forming of these pills. The good news is that over time, as your garment is worn and washed, the pilling should decrease.

There are things we can do to reduce the bobbling effect. Washing garments less often is useful (and also better for the environment), as is washing inside out to prevent extra friction.

So, is pilling something we should really be concerned about? Well, the good news is that if it’s something you’d like to minimise then bobbles can be very gently removed either by hand, with a wool comb or using a small battery operated de-bobbler which lightly shaves the bobbles away.

All in all, it’s useful to know that our high quality, super-soft knits may see some slight bobbling in the initial stages of their lives, but much more importantly, a loved and cherished garment from us will be a timeless, warm and durable addition to your autumn/winter wardrobe for years to come.