Why does a turtleneck sweater pill and fuzz and what can you do to prevent it?

We all love our turtleneck wool sweaters but they tend to show signs of wear over time.  Those clumps that form small fuzz balls called pills can form on your favorite women turtleneck shirts and sweaters no matter how high or low the quality or price.  It only gets worse every time you wash and wear it.

Why and how does this happen?  What did you ever do to that rib turtleneck sweater that’s caused it to rebel against you?  The fact is that pills form when fibers in the sweater break, tangle, and unravel when the ends of them are exposed.  Sweaters get these due to their visible yarn however, any woven wool turtleneck and sweater are vulnerable to this and unfortunately you’ll never know when or where a sweater will pill.

So, why does it happen?  Friction starts the pilling process in common areas that get a lot of rubbing such as armpits, torso, elbows, forearms, and shoulders.  If you carry a bag with a shoulder strap you will begin to notice the pilling, there first because a strap will cause a lot of friction on the fabric much faster than anywhere else.

So what can you do to extend the life of your favorite sleeveless turtleneck sweaters for women?  Try to be more careful with it and don’t be so hard on it!  The more you wear it the more likely it is to pill, washing doesn’t cause pilling nearly as much as friction from everyday wear will cause.  You can wear that sweater a little longer if you allow at least 24 hours between wears.  This is because fibers can “recover” from being stretched and pulled while you wear it.  If you do notice pills and fuzz you can buy a sweater comb which will help remove those little clumps of fiber that accumulate in various areas.