You’re getting dressed in the morning, or undressed at the end of the day, and you spot it – little balls of fabric conveniently located near the knee, on the thigh, or at the ankles of your hosiery. These pesky fabric blemishes are called “pills” or “pilling”, and there is something you can do to remove them or prevent them from happening in the first place. 

Not all hosiery fabrics will develop pilling easily, but some are more likely to than others. One such fabric particularly prone to pilling is Merino, like in our Franco Bombana Lana Merino Wool Tights. It’s important to note that pilling doesn’t necessarily change the structural integrity of a great pair of Merino tights, but it does greatly affect their look. Pilling occurs when the longer fibers of a fabric like wool begin to knot and form these small balls, a process typically encouraged by friction. Friction is the reason why you’ll most often find pilling in areas where fabric rubs together or rubs against shoes or other pieces of clothing. 

How To Prevent Pilling 

Preventing pilling means preventing friction. Proper washing care of your hosiery is necessary to ensure friction isn’t occurring while being cleaned. Wearing shoes that fit properly to minimize rubbing against the ankle or heel can also help to prevent pilling. If pilling most often occurs on the thigh area, rotating your hosiery more frequently to ensure one pair isn’t regularly experiencing friction can help to keep pilling at bay. 

How To Remove Pilling 

Once your hosiery begins pilling, it’s not over for your hose. There are things you can do to remove pilling, but removal must be done gently. A gentle and high-quality fabric shaver is one of the easiest ways to remove pilling. However, any shaver should be tested on a “test” piece of fabric first to ensure it won’t damage your hose. If pilling is minimal, you can also simply pick the pills from the fabric gently with your fingers. 

Pilling happens, but there is something you can do about it. If you’re looking to expand your hosiery collection in an effort to avoid pilling on your favorite hose, see what we have in store for you at Hosieree.com today.