Quick fix: Use a fabric shaver (also called a lint shaver or pill remover) to remove pills — it takes minutes and leaves the fabric looking almost new. Never pull pills off by hand; that breaks more fibers and makes pilling worse.
What you are seeing
Small fuzzy balls of fiber (pills) have formed on the surface of your knitted fabric, especially in high-friction areas like underarms, cuffs, and where a bag strap rests. The fabric looks worn and rough even if it's relatively new. Pilling is caused by short fibers working loose and tangling together.
Why it happens
- Short-fiber yarns (superwash wool, acrylic, cotton) pill more than long-fiber yarns (merino, silk, linen)
- High-friction areas where fabric rubs against clothing, skin, or bags
- Machine washing when hand washing is recommended — agitation breaks fibers
- Some yarns are simply prone to pilling regardless of care
Fix it now
- Use a fabric shaver: charge or install batteries, hold the knit taut (not stretched), and run the shaver over the surface in slow circles. Empty the collection compartment regularly.
- For a single session: use a sweater stone or depilling comb — drag gently across the surface in one direction.
- Avoid scissors unless the pills are very large — it's easy to accidentally cut the actual knit fabric.
- After depilling, wash gently by hand in cool water to remove loose fiber debris.
Prevent it next time
- Choose long-fiber yarns (100% merino, silk, or linen) for garments worn close to the body
- Hand wash in cool water with a gentle detergent — machine washing accelerates pilling even on "machine washable" yarns
- Turn garments inside out for washing
- Store folded, not hung — hanging stretches the fabric and causes friction