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Insight · Wool Care
How to Get Pills Off a Wool Sweater (and Stop Them Coming Back)
The short answer
To remove pills from a wool sweater, lay it flat and take them off with a fabric shaver or a sweater comb, working in light strokes in one direction. A sweater stone works well on thicker knits. Do not pull pills off by hand, because that drags more fiber out and makes the next pills.
To stop them coming back, wash less and wash gently, turn the sweater inside out, fold it instead of hanging it, rotate it with others, and watch for straps and seat belts rubbing the same spot. Some early pilling is normal break-in and slows down after a few rounds.
You buy a good sweater, wear it through October, and one morning the sides and underarms are covered in little balls of fuzz. It looks tired before its time. Most men assume the sweater was cheap, and some are right. But nearly every knit pills to some degree, including very expensive ones.
The good news is that pills sit on the surface. They come off in a few minutes with the right tool, and the sweater underneath is usually fine. This guide covers what pilling is, why it happens, which tool to use, the step-by-step, and how to tell normal break-in from a sweater that is simply badly made.
What pilling is
A pill is a small knot of tangled fiber that sits on the face of the fabric, held there by a few strands still anchored in the yarn. It starts when short or loose fibers work their way out of the yarn. Friction rolls those loose ends together into a fuzzy clump, and the clump tightens into a ball each time it is rubbed.
That is why pills show up in the same places every time: under the arms, along the sides where your arms swing, on the cuffs, on the front where a desk edge or a steering wheel rubs, and anywhere a bag strap sits.
Why wool sweaters pill
- Friction. This is the main cause. Anything that rubs the same patch of fabric over and over will pill it: your arms, a backpack, a seat belt, a rough jacket lining.
- Shorter fibers. Yarn spun from shorter fibers has more loose ends to work free. Longer fibers are held more firmly in the twist of the yarn and pill less.
- Loose or soft knits. A soft, lofty, loosely twisted yarn feels great but lets fibers escape more easily than a tight, smooth one.
- Blends. Here is the honest part. Pure wool pills too, but wool fibers are relatively weak, so its pills tend to break off and fall away with wear. When wool is blended with a strong synthetic like nylon or polyester, the synthetic fibers hold the pill in place. The same strength that makes a blend tougher and easier to care for also means the pills stay until you remove them.
- Washing. Rough cycles, warm water, and tumbling with heavy clothes all rub the surface and speed pilling up.
Why our wool is a blend. Every Buffalo Jackson wool piece, from the Crewneck and Quarter Button sweaters to the Yukon, Riverton, and Aberdeen shirt jacs, is a wool blend, and we build them that way on purpose. The wool brings the warmth and its natural odor resistance. The blend adds durability, helps the garment hold its shape, keeps the weight and the cost down, and is often softer against your skin.
The honest tradeoff is the one above: a blend can hold a few pills on the surface, mostly along the sides in the first season. A quick shave with a fabric shaver or comb takes care of them, and the knit underneath stays sound.
Fabric shaver vs. sweater comb vs. pumice stone vs. hand pulling
| Method | Best for | Pros | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabric shaver | Large areas, most sweaters and wool shirt jacs | Fast and even. Handles a whole sweater in minutes | Pressing hard or going over one spot too long can thin the knit or cut a hole |
| Sweater comb | Fine and midweight knits, small patches | Gentle and precise. No batteries | Slower on a heavily pilled sweater |
| Pumice or sweater stone | Thick, chunky knits and heavy wool | Grabs stubborn pills well. Cheap and lasts years | Too rough for fine or thin knits. Can snag loose stitches |
| Hand pulling | Nothing | No tools needed | Pulls fiber out of the yarn and seeds new pills. Snip with small scissors instead |
| Lint roller or tape | Clearing loose fuzz after shaving | Quick cleanup | Will not remove pills that are still anchored |
For most men, one tool is enough. A fabric shaver is the fastest. A sweater comb is the gentlest. If you own a heavy wool shirt jac or a chunky knit, a sweater stone is worth having too.
How to remove pills from a wool sweater, step by step
- Start with a clean, dry sweater. Wet or damp wool stretches and tears more easily. If it needs a wash, wash it first and let it dry fully. Our guide on how to wash a wool sweater covers that.
- Lay it flat on a hard surface. A table or ironing board works. Smooth out every wrinkle, because a fold is where a shaver catches and cuts.
- Test a hidden spot. Try the tool inside the hem or under an arm first to see how the knit handles it.
- Work in light, short strokes in one direction. With a shaver, glide it flat without pressing, in small circles or straight passes. With a comb or stone, draw it gently across the surface in one direction. Let the tool do the work.
- Hold the fabric taut near seams and ribbing. Stretch the area lightly with your free hand so the tool does not grab a stitch.
- Snip stubborn pills. For the odd large pill, lift it and cut it with small scissors. Do not pull it.
- Clear the fuzz. Empty the shaver often, and finish with a lint roller or a soft clothes brush.
- Stop when it looks even. Going over the same area again and again thins the fabric. A few pills left behind are better than a bald patch.
Wool shirt jacs and jackets pill too
Pilling is not only a sweater problem. A wool shirt jac gets worn as a jacket, so it takes more abuse: backpack straps, seat belts, and the rub of your arms against the body all day. On our Yukon, Riverton, and Aberdeen shirt jacs, the brushed wool face is where you will see it first.
The fix is the same. Lay it flat, use a shaver or a stone with a light hand, and work with the direction of the nap. Brush it with a clothes brush after wearing to lift loose fibers before they tangle. If you are new to the style, read what a shirt jac is, and for heavier wool outerwear see how to clean a wool jacket.
How to stop pills coming back
You cannot stop a knit from pilling completely, but you can slow it down a great deal.
- Wash less. Wool resists odor. Air it out between wears and wash only when it is dirty or still smells after airing.
- Wash inside out, cold, and gentle. Use the wool or delicate cycle, a mesh bag, and no heavy clothes in the load. Hand washing is gentler still.
- Never tumble dry. The dryer rubs the surface for an hour. Dry it flat.
- Rotate your sweaters. Give each one a day or two off. Wool recovers its shape and the surface settles between wears.
- Fold, do not hang. Hanging stretches the shoulders and lets the sweater rub against its neighbors in the closet. See how to store wool clothes.
- Watch for straps and rough surfaces. A messenger bag strap, a backpack, a seat belt, or a rough jacket lining will pill the same spot every day. Switch shoulders, or wear a smooth layer over the sweater when you carry a bag.
- Brush after wearing. A soft clothes brush lifts loose fibers and dust before they tangle into pills.
- De-pill early. Light, regular grooming is gentler than one big session on a badly pilled sweater.
Pilling and quality: normal break-in or a bad sweater?
Pilling alone does not mean a sweater is cheap. Here is how to tell the difference.
| Sign | Normal break-in | Likely low quality |
|---|---|---|
| Where | High-friction spots: underarms, sides, cuffs | All over the sweater, including low-wear areas |
| When | Early wears, then slows down | Keeps getting worse, week after week |
| After removal | Fabric looks even and full | Fabric looks thin, holey, or see-through |
| Yarn | Holds together when you stretch it gently | Feels loose, fuzzy, and sheds on your clothes |
Most sweaters pill most in their first stretch of wear, as the loose, short fibers left from spinning work their way out. Remove them once or twice and it usually slows down. A sweater that pills heavily everywhere and thins out when you remove them is the one to worry about.
Wool pieces worth the upkeep
Crewneck Wool Sweater | Wood Fleck
A midweight waffle-knit crewneck in a wool blend, with ribbed waist and cuffs. The fleck in the yarn helps hide wear between groomings. Also in Charcoal Gray Fleck.
$69.95
Shop the Crewneck
Quarter Button Wool Sweater | Charcoal Gray Fleck
The same midweight waffle knit and blend with a quarter-button placket, wood buttons, and corduroy trim. Wear it over an Oxford or a tee.
$78.95
Shop the Quarter Button
Yukon Wool Shirt Jac | Desert Valley Plaid
Our most-reviewed shirt jac. Heavyweight brushed wool-blend fabric with two flap chest pockets, side pockets, and brown horn buttons. Wear it over a tee as a shirt or over a flannel as a jacket. Also in Greybull Plaid and Red Valley Plaid.
$184.95
Shop the Yukon
Riverton Wool Shirt Jac | Charcoal Shadow Gray
A brushed wool-blend shirt jac, cut in a more modern, less bulky fit. Side pockets for your hands and flap chest pockets. Also in Misty Granite.
$174.95
Shop the Riverton
Aberdeen Wool Twill Shirt Jac | Thistle Grove
A lighter, plaid wool-blend shirt jac with an interior contrast lining, flap chest pockets, and adjustable button cuffs. It layers over a dress shirt as easily as a tee.
$184.95
Shop the AberdeenSee all wool sweaters or every shirt jac.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get pills off a wool sweater?
Lay the sweater flat on a hard surface and use a fabric shaver or a sweater comb in light strokes in one direction, holding the fabric taut near seams. Snip any stubborn pills with small scissors, then clear the fuzz with a lint roller or clothes brush.
Is it safe to use a fabric shaver on wool?
Yes, if you use a light hand. Keep the sweater flat and smooth, glide the shaver without pressing, and do not go over one spot again and again. Test a hidden area first. Pressing hard or shaving a fold can thin the knit or cut a hole.
Is a sweater comb or a fabric shaver better?
A fabric shaver is faster and suits large areas. A sweater comb is gentler and more precise, and better for fine or midweight knits and small patches. Either works well on most wool sweaters.
Can you use a pumice stone on a wool sweater?
A sweater stone, which is a type of pumice, works well on thick and chunky knits and heavy wool. It can be too rough for fine or thin knits and may snag loose stitches, so test it on a hidden spot first.
Should you pull pills off by hand?
No. Pulling a pill drags fibers out of the yarn, which loosens the knit and creates the next pill. If you have no tool, lift the pill and snip it with small scissors instead.
Why does my wool sweater pill so much?
Friction is the main cause, especially under the arms, along the sides, and where a bag strap rubs. Shorter fibers, soft loose knits, rough washing, and wool blended with nylon or polyester, which holds pills in place, all add to it.
Does pilling mean a sweater is low quality?
Not on its own. Nearly every knit pills in high-friction areas, and early pilling that slows down after you remove it is normal break-in. Pilling all over, including low-wear areas, that keeps getting worse and leaves the fabric thin is a sign of lower quality yarn.
Does pure wool pill less than a wool blend?
Pure wool still pills, but its pills tend to break off and fall away with wear. In a blend with nylon or polyester, the stronger synthetic fibers hold the pills on the surface until you remove them. The tradeoff is that a blend is usually stronger and easier to care for.
Are Buffalo Jackson wool sweaters 100% wool?
No. Our Crewneck and Quarter Button sweaters are wool blends, like all of our wool pieces. The wool gives warmth and natural odor resistance, and the blend adds durability, helps the sweater hold its shape, keeps weight and cost down, and is often softer against the skin. Like any blend, they can hold a few pills on the surface, and a quick shave takes them off.
How do you stop a sweater from pilling?
Wash it less, and when you do, wash it inside out in cold water on a gentle cycle and dry it flat. Rotate your sweaters, fold them instead of hanging them, brush them after wearing, and avoid bag straps and seat belts rubbing the same spot.
Does washing a sweater inside out prevent pilling?
It helps. Turning a sweater inside out protects the outer face from rubbing against the drum and other clothes. A mesh laundry bag and a gentle cycle help even more.
Xan Hood founded Buffalo Jackson Trading Co. in 2009. He designs our leather goods, flannels, wool, and outerwear in Matthews, North Carolina.