Why Does Cashmere Pill?
If you have just noticed small fuzzy balls on a cashmere jumper, you are not alone, and it does not necessarily mean you bought something poor. Some pilling is normal on soft knitwear. What matters is how much, where, and whether it keeps coming back. Below: why it happens, a quick way to tell normal from a problem, and how to remove pills without harming the knit.
Why it happens
A pill is a small ball of tangled fibre on the surface of a knit. Yarn is made of many short fibres twisted together. When a fibre end works its way out, it can rub against other loose ends and twist into a ball that stays attached. Cashmere fibres are fine and soft, which is why it feels the way it does, and the same fineness means the ends are easily pulled loose by friction. It happens with wool and silk blends too; it is a feature of friction on soft fibre, not something peculiar to cashmere.
It is also more common in the first weeks of wear, when loose ends already in the yarn reach the surface. After those are removed, pilling often slows down.
Where you will see it
| Where | What is rubbing | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| Under the arms and at the sides | Your arms against the body | Rotate jumpers so the same spot is not worn every day. |
| Cuffs | Desks, tables, bag handles | Push sleeves up when working at a desk. |
| Where a strap sits | Handbag or shoulder strap, seatbelt | Move the bag to the other side, or carry it by hand. |
| Front and back | A coat or another garment | Avoid rough linings or wool coats directly over soft cashmere. |
Normal, or worth a second look?
Treat this as a checklist, not a verdict. No one sign proves a fault, so look at the whole garment.
| Normal | Worth a second look |
|---|---|
| A few pills, mostly where it rubs | Pills form quickly and all over, not just at friction points |
| Mostly in the first weeks of wear | They come back heavily after each combing |
| Small, and come off easily with a comb | The fabric looks thin or bare in patches, or a lot of fluff comes off |
| The surface looks smooth again afterwards | The label shows a blend you did not expect, such as a large share of synthetic fibre |
| Less over time, not more | It gets worse over time rather than better |
Fibre content on the label is the first thing to check. Yarn made from longer fibres and spun firmly tends to pill less than yarn made from short fibres spun loosely, though you cannot always see this in a shop.
What to look for when you buy
- Read the label. A blend is not a fault in itself, but it should match what you are paying for. Every piece in our cashmere range lists its fibre content on the product page.
- Feel the knit. Press it between your fingers: dense and springy, or thin and loose? Hold it up to the light to see how closely it is knitted.
- Be wary of a very fluffy or brushed surface. It may feel soft in the shop, but a lot of surface fluff can mean more loose fibre to pill later.
- Ask. In our shop at The Glen you can pick up a piece, handle it and ask about it.
We will not tell you that any cashmere never pills. A good garment still pills a little where it rubs, and it is better to know that before you buy than to be surprised.
How to remove pills
Do not pull pills off by hand. Pulling drags out more fibre and makes it worse.
- Lay the garment flat on a table or ironing board.
- With a cashmere comb, brush lightly in one direction. With a fabric shaver, move it gently over the surface without pressing hard.
- Take your time where it rubs most, and stop when the surface looks smooth.
- Brush away the loose fibre.
For one stubborn pill, small scissors can work: lift the pill away from the knit and snip only the pill, taking care not to cut the yarn.
How to pill less
Rotating jumpers and watching what rubs are in the table above. For the rest, gentle washing and flat drying are in How to Wash Cashmere at Home, folding rather than hanging is in Cashmere Care, and summer storage is in How to Store Cashmere Over Summer in Melbourne. Do not tumble dry.
If a piece from us pills heavily
Unused items with the tags attached can be exchanged within 14 days (see the returns policy). For anything else, ring us on +61 403 595 736, visit us at Shop G-85A, The Glen, Glen Waverley, or use the contact page.