Knitwear almost never dies of old age. It gets stretched by a hanger, shrunk by a hot wash, or roughed up by a dryer, and then it looks tired long before the yarn has actually given up. Nearly all of that is avoidable.
Why knits pill, and what to do about it
Pills are short fibres that work loose, tangle and ball up where the fabric rubs — underarms, the sides where a bag strap sits, cuffs. It isn't a sign of cheap yarn on its own. Every knit with short staple fibres will do it, and friction decides how fast.
To slow it down: wash inside out, don't wear the same piece two days running, and rotate the shoulder your bag sits on.
To fix it: a sweater comb or a battery fabric shaver, used on a flat surface with the garment laid out, not held up. Work in one direction with light pressure. Don't use a razor unless you've made peace with the possibility of a hole. Removing pills doesn't damage a good knit — leaving them to mat together does.
Fold. Never hang.
A hanger concentrates the full weight of a knit on two points. Gravity does the rest, and you end up with shoulder bumps and a hem that grows an inch. Fold knitwear and stack it, or roll it if space is tight.
If you must hang something knitted — a long cardigan, say — fold it over the bar of the hanger at the waist rather than putting it on the shoulders.
Washing, in order of importance
- Wash less than you think. Knits worn over a shirt or tee aren't touching much skin. Air them overnight and wash when they actually need it. Spot clean small marks.
- Cold water. Heat is what shrinks wool. Cold also protects colour.
- Inside out, in a mesh bag. Keeps the outer face away from friction and stops sleeves getting stretched by the drum.
- Gentle or wool cycle, low spin. The agitation is what felts wool, not the water.
- Mild detergent, no fabric softener. Softener coats fibres and encourages pilling. For wool and cashmere, use a wool wash without enzymes — enzymes are designed to break down protein, and wool is a protein.
Drying is where most sweaters are lost
Never put a knit in a tumble dryer. Never wring it either — twisting is what distorts the shape.
Instead: lift the garment supporting its whole weight, press it between two towels to get the water out, then lay it flat on a dry towel and reshape it by hand to the dimensions it should be. Sleeves straight, body square. Leave it flat, away from direct sun and radiators. A drying rack that lets air move underneath speeds it up.
Storing knits between seasons
Wash or dry clean before you put anything away. Moths are drawn to body oils and food traces far more than to clean wool — a piece stored dirty is the one that comes out with holes.
Store folded in a breathable cotton bag or a box, not a sealed plastic tub, which traps moisture. Cedar blocks and lavender help, and both need refreshing; cedar needs a light sand once a year to work at all.
Quick fixes
- Stretched cuffs: dampen with warm water and let them air dry flat. Wool has memory and will often draw back.
- A pulled thread: don't cut it. Use a needle to pull the loop through to the inside and spread the surrounding stitches back with your fingers.
- Light shrinkage: soak in cool water with a capful of hair conditioner, which relaxes the fibres, then gently stretch back to shape while damp and dry flat.
A knit treated this way lasts years. One hung on a hanger and tumble-dried lasts a season.
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