PAGE 1Superior Service, Smart SolutionsCOPYRIGHT 2017

Your client purchased a new sofa and they are crazy about it. It was a perfect, problem-free project. Until now. The sofa is about six weeks old and the client has called to tell you that there a dark balls of fuzz starting to show up all over the seat cushions and arm covers. Uh oh.

What is Pilling? A pill, sometimes called a “bobble,” is a small knot of fibers that forms on the surface of a fabric. The term for the overall formation of these tiny balls of fiber is called “pilling.” Everyone is familiar, for example, with the pilling that sometimes develops on a heavy, knitted sweater. But why do some fabrics seem to pill so readily, while others do not? Let’s take a closer look.

Continuous v. Staple There are two primary types of fibers used to make fabrics: “continuous filament” fibers and “staple” fibers. Continuous filament fibers are long… at least many yards and up to several miles long. Fabrics made from continuous filament yarns exhibit virtually no “fuzziness” or loose fibers on the surface.

Unlike continuous filament fibers, staple fibers are relatively short in length… typically varying from about one to five inches. All natural fibers except silk are staple fibers, while synthetic fibers (nylon, polyester, etc.) can be produced as either continuous or staple. Importantly, staple yarns and the fabrics made from them exhibit various degrees of fuzziness.

If you guessed that fabrics made from staple yarns are more susceptible to pilling, you’re right. In order to exhibit pilling, a fabric has to have at least one characteristic: There must be loose fiber ends on the surface. But many fabrics made from staple yarns do not pill. Denim fabrics are made from cotton (the most common staple yarn) and you

When Pilling is the Problem... We've Got the Factsdon’t see pilling on these. There must be more to it than just the staple fibers.

Natural v. Synthetic Fiber strength plays a big role in pilling. Natural fibers like cotton and wool are relatively weak. Pills on fabrics made from natural fibers tend to break off more readily. Synthetic fibers are strong. When a pill is anchored to a fabric by fibers such as polyester or acrylic, the pill tends to stay put. Thus, fabrics made from staple yarns of synthetic fibers are more likely to show pilling.

Twist Plays a Role When yarns are made, some level of twist is usually required to give the yarn greater strength and to make it suitable for weaving. The level of twist varies, depending on the desired properties of the finished fabric. Individual fibers in yarns that are tightly twisted tend to be locked in place. Staple fibers in loosely-twisted yarns are more able to slip past each other, creating more and longer fibers at the surface of the fabric. Of course, this property means a fabric that is more susceptible to pilling.

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Staple yarn showing loose fibers protruding from the yarn bundle. Fibers from the fabric itself and from other fabrics are gradually entangled on the surface to form pills.

PAGE 2Superior Service, Smart SolutionsCOPYRIGHT 2017

Weave Structure Fabric structure also plays a role in pilling. All other things being equal, a fabric that is more loosely woven will be more susceptible to pilling than one that is tightly woven.

Again, it goes back to how tightly the individual fibers are bound within the fabric structure.

We mentioned earlier that denim is not prone to pilling complaints. Let’s look at the four characteristics that make a fabric more susceptible to pilling and see how this fabric rates.

1. Staple fiber? YES.2. Synthetic fiber? NO.3. Low yarn twist? NO.4. Loose weave? NO.

Of the four characteristics we discussed, cotton denim has only one risk factor for pilling (it is made from a staple fiber). On the plus side, it is a natural fiber, the yarn has a tight twist and the fabric has a tightly-woven structure.

In our next issue, we’ll take a closer look at actual upholstery fabrics and dig a little more deeply into a “real world” pilling complaint.

Got A Question? We always appreciate inquiries about fiber names, fiber properties and similar subjects. If you have comments or questions, please feel free to contact us!

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Upholstery Pilling