The definition of pills or the pilling of fabric is the tiny fuzzballs that appear on fabric products and furniture, including clothing, bedding and sofas. These small fabric bobbles can cause many concerns about quality, appearance, and comfort, despite occurring from normal, daily use.

Through regular use of fabric furniture, a single or group of loose fibres on the surface can twist and form tiny balls, also known as pilling. The yarns used in weaving King Living fabrics contain millions of individual fibres and the loss of a few on the surface as the fabric settles is quite normal.

King Living uses only the highest grade, premium fabrics for all furniture and accessories, and every fabric in the King Living Fabric Collection has been rigorously tested for seam strength, abrasion resistance, colour-fastness to light, cleaning and general wear and tear.

However, pilling is a common characteristic of soft furnishings, particularly those made with blended fibres, and it can often be managed with the right approach to care. For general tips on maintaining, cleaning, and caring for your designs from the King Living furniture collection, you can explore our fabric care and product care guides.

If you’ve noticed pilling on your sofa or elsewhere in your home, this article will help you identify what causes pilling, how to prevent it, and how to remove it.

Pilling occurs when the fibres in the fabric rub together. The friction causes the fibres to become loose, ball up and tangle, with the weaker, broken fibres, wrapping around the stronger fibres.

This friction occurs through general use. Whether you sit or lie on your sofa, your skin and clothes come in contact with the material creating friction and abrasion resulting in pills. 

Pilling is more likely to appear on high-contact zones such as seat cushions, armrests and headrests, where the fabric experiences the most regular movement and pressure.

Fibre transfer can also cause pilling on your fabric sofa. This occurs when loose fibres from your clothes, blankets, cushions or throws attach to the sofa fabric. You’ll often know if fibre transfer is the cause for your sofa pilling rather than friction, as the pills will be a different colour to your sofa material.

Fabrics made from blended fibres, such as polyester-cotton or wool-synthetic mixes, are generally more prone to pilling. These combinations often include shorter or looser fibres that can lift from the fabric surface through friction.

While synthetic fibres tend to hold pills in place due to their strength, natural fabrics with longer fibre weaves such as cotton, linen and wool, may allow pills to shed more easily.

Soft, brushed textures can also increase the likelihood of pilling, as these surfaces invite more abrasion during everyday use. Fabrics such as chenille, velvet and brushed cotton, while offering a luxurious hand-feel, are more susceptible due to their raised or plush surfaces.

While pilling can be bothersome, it is not regarded as a fault, defect, or indicator of poor-quality fabric. As it is typically caused by loose fibres, external textiles such as clothing or throws, or even fine particles like lint or dust, fabric pilling is considered a normal characteristic of woven materials and is not covered under a furniture warranty.

However, because pilling is a common and expected occurrence, there are a number of tools designed to help minimise or remove it from fabric surfaces.

Rotating your seat and back cushions to even out wear is particularly important if you sit or lounge in the same spot. Rotating the sofa cushions prevents one section of your sofa from becoming more worn than others. In addition to helping prevent pilling, regularly rotating your cushions supports their shape and structure, preserving both the comfort and refined appearance of your sofa over time.

2. Be mindful of cushion and throw materials

Some materials are coarser and more abrasive than others, meaning certain cushions or throws can contribute to pilling faster and more vigorously, through fibre transfer. Cushion, blanket, and throw materials such as wool, felted textiles, boucle, or heavily textured knits are more likely to cause friction due to their coarse or looped surfaces. Similarly, synthetic blends with a brushed or fuzzy finish can transfer loose fibres, increasing the likelihood of pilling in high-contact zones.

3. Regular vacuuming

As dirt and dust can also cause friction, we recommend vacuuming and cleaning your sofa regularly to remove any foreign matter. Regularly vacuuming or using a lint roller on your sofa will also help to remove loose fibres before they ball up and create pills.

A depillar shaving fabric pilling.

Pilling is a normal occurrence caused by general wear and tear, and does not affect the durability or functionality of the fabric.

In the first few months of owning and using your sofa, pilling may appear more frequently and extensively. Don’t worry, as this typically subsides once the excess loose fibres move to the surface and get removed.

Caring for fabric furniture may seem challenging at first, and we understand your furniture is an investment. So, if an accident does happen that you can’t fix, King Living furniture can be recovered through the King-Care® recovering service.

At King Living, all our fabrics undergo an extensive fabric pilling and quality test by three independent laboratories before being approved as a King Living fabric and made available to our customers. While pilling is natural and can occur on most fabrics, we select quality fabrics featuring pilling ratings of three stars or above, suitable for everyday furniture use. If you are unsure whether a fabric sofa is the right choice for your home, our Leather vs Fabric article can help guide your decision.

While pilling can be frustrating, these tiny, fuzzy knots are a natural part of fabric wear and should not detract from the comfort, texture or refined appearance of a fabric sofa.  If you need help selecting the right fabric, you can book a Showroom consultation online or speak to one of our Interior Decorating Consultants, who will help you select the right material for your home and needs.

To learn more about King Living fabrics and care, explore: