THIS IS HOW YOU SAFELY REMOVE FLUFF AND PILLS FROM MERINO WOOL


Has your merino wool clothing resurfaced out of the winter storage yet? Because that beautiful late summer that we have been promised: it clearly has other plans. Brrr. Despite that: it's always a party to see your winter favorites again. Or… is it a bit disappointing this time? Have they – unlike you – visibly aged? Do we see fluff and pills on your favorite merino wool sweater?


Ai. You overlooked that when you, dizzy on taking in those first rays of sunlight, made your cupboard spring-proof. Consider this: lie through your teeth and tell those sweaters they look AMAZING. Never better. And that it should be celebrated. With a spa-and-wellness day. Guaranteed success: you have known them for longer than today. This is your strategy. Set a date, stock up on a battery of lotions & potions for yourself, and roll up your sleeves to treat your merino wool friends to a rejuvenating cure. Let's do this. KILL THE PILL.


* First this. Pills and fluff are inextricably linked to (merino) wool. Wool is (animal) hair with a natural frizz. If you expose it to friction, it will felt. Felting is just like tangles: if you are blessed with a bunch of curls à la Nicole, then you know, just like she does, that you don't have to dry them full force after washing. Then you get dreads à la Ilse, and you just have to want that (fortunately she does ☺). Fact: if you wear woolen clothing, every movement causes friction. In other words: that (merino) wool fluffs, cannot be avoided. Let's just say: you're not doing anything wrong. We're happy to help you out of the fire: we're going to tackle this together.

 

Merino trui La Clique

 


This is how you safely remove wool fluff and pills

1. Lay your merino wool garment as flat and smooth as possible. Ideally on an ironing board: it is narrow enough to fit into your sweater or cardigan, because treating one layer of the knitwear at a time is the safest way. Grab your pilling comb. If you don't have one: in our shop you will find a fine pilling comb, tried & tested by yours truly. Lightly stretch the knit with 1 hand until it is completely smooth. Brush with the lint comb in 1 direction, it doesn't really matter which direction. Check whether there is indeed any lint stuck to the comb. If that is not the case: apply a little more pressure, but not too much. Knitwear has a natural stretch, and you don't want it to sag.

Repeat until most of the lint and pills are removed. You can clean the comb in between by pulling the fluff off. Not quite satisfied yet? Repeat the procedure in the opposite or crosswise direction until you are satisfied. But not until your merino wool garment is stripped bare. Everything can come off, but it won't grow back on its own.


2. More lint than the lint comb can handle? Then you can also try it with a clean, sharp razor blade. By this we do not mean a separate blade, but one in a holder that you also use for your legs and/or lady parts. Then your garment must be really smooth on the ironing board, otherwise you will cut right through a crease or fold. In addition to a steady hand, you also need nerves of steel. Kidding. It's easy to do, but you have to concentrate.


3. A fluff trimmer is also a handy tool that allows you to shave fluff and pills directly from the knit. But why would you choose a battery-operated method if you can also do it sustainably by hand? That's as meditative as gardening, minus the stubborn mourning edges.

 

Pluisjeskam

 
"What a hassle" I hear you say. Are pills and pilling really unavoidable on my favorite merino wool items? No. Well… maybe a little. There are some tips & tricks, but they are more about delaying than preventing. For the sake of completeness, we list them here for you.

 

Tips to prevent pilling and fluff on merino wool

  1. Do not wear the same (merino) wool item for several days in a row. Wool fibers, like memory foam, have a shape memory. If you let a worn garment rest for 24 hours, you give the fibers a chance to recover.
  2. Always follow the washing instructions. They are there for a reason.
  3. Use a special wool detergent. As a result, the natural fat layer of wool remains intact: this keeps the fibers supple, so that they don't felt as quickly.
  4. Wash your garment in a laundry bag. The less friction, the less pills and fluff.
  5. A little something from the category 'if doesn't help, it won't hurt either': put a new woolen garment in a tightly closing plastic bag and put it in the freezer overnight. It is supposed to stabilize the wool fibers, but that has not been scientifically proven. To be honest, we've never tried it ourselves: if you experience it working, we'd love to hear about it.
  6. Still pills and fluff? Don't pick at them with your fingers! You'll only pull more fibers to the surface, which then start felting with doubled force. So hold back and follow the instructions above. You'll get through it.


Last but not least. Don't let horror stories about pills and fluff stop you from enjoying merino wool. It is a beautiful natural product that is worth cherishing. Yes, merino wool can shed. No, that doesn't mean "end of story". To throw our favorite Cruijff quote back into the group: "every advantage has its disadvantage". And the disadvantage of pilling does not outweigh the enormous advantages that merino wool has to offer. So keep investing in merino wool garments: maintain them with love and they will pay you back with warmth, comfort, and a long lifespan.

 

Now that we're at it... in our shop you'll find the newest merino wool items: you just have to check them out!

 

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Merino wol pluisjes