21—fibre Fatigue and the Pilling Cycle Part Iii: Pill Wear-Off and Fabric Attrition

Many researchers consider pilling to be a self-limiting process with little effect on fabric durability. Wear trials on woollen knitwear are described which show that pilling is self-limiting over the major part of the garment surface with the exception of zones such as the elbows and cuffs, which continue to generate pills throughout the life of the garment. An extensive microscopical examination of worn knitted garments showed little evidence of direct frictional wear even in severely damaged regions. Measurements of the fibre-diameter distribution showed that selective removal of coarse fibres had occurred as a result of biaxial-type fatigue and breakdown, whereas the removal of the fine fibres probably occurred as a result of pilling. It is suggested that pilling is an important attrition mechanism for knitted fabrics and loosely woven fabrics.