Piling

[Marg]

Hi All! Does anyone know what causes that piling on cotton clothing? Sometimes when I get a new batch of tie-dye out of the dryer it has piling - little bits of fabric stuck all over it. Is it caused by heat or too fast of a washing churning? Does anyone know how to get it off ? Thanks and Peace-Marg

[pburch]

I think that pilling is caused by using short cotton fibers in manufacture. My American Apparel t-shirt got pills almost immediately even though I washed it gently. I'm not buying another of that brand, since other (cheaper!) brands have been superior in this respect.

Always, without exception, washing knit garments inside out, helps delay pilling a bit, but obviously did not work in this case.

There are fabric treatments that reduce pilling on commercial cotton clothing, but I suspect any fabric surface treatment of possibly interfering with dyeing.

Paula

[LiveFreeorDye]

I read somewhere, maybe Heloise in the newspaper, that if you wash polyester and cotton together it will cause pilling. But I doubt anyone dying has any polyester in with their cottons, plus I always wash mixed items toether and can't say I've ever observed this effect....

take it easy
Sue