How to Remove Pilling from a Patagonia Sweater
By Brittany McCrigler • Difficulty: Very easy
Introduction

The day-to-day washing and wearing of sweaters causes piling, or balling and fraying of the fibers that compose the sweater. Pilling is visually unappealing, but more importantly, it can lead to additional fraying of the garment. By removing the pilling you can help lengthen the life of your favorite Patagonia sweater. And we all know that old sweaters are the coziest.

Step 1
  • Lay the sweater flat on a table. Identify the pilled area of the sweater. It will be covered in little balls of fuzz.
  • Grab your sweater stone.
  • If you ever forget how to remove piling, there is a handy diagram on the back of the box.
Step 2
  • Working along the grain of the sweater, gently brush the sweater with the sweater stone.
  • As you use the stone you may notice a funny smell, that is a natural part of the stone which is released as it crumbles away. You will also notice small pieces of debris, as the stone cuts away pills it also breaks apart slowly. Simply shake out the sweater when you are done to remove debris.
Step 3
  • Lift the sweater stone.
  • To prevent snags, always lift the sweater stone when changing directions.
  • Brush the sweater stone the opposite direction along the grain of the sweater.
Step 4
  • Continue brushing until the pilling is removed.
  • Clean your sweater stone by rubbing your hand across the stone to remove the lint.