TENCEL lyocell sheets can pill, but they pill less than most cotton blends and polyester, because the fibre is long and smooth. When small balls or a fuzzy patch do appear, it is almost always in a spot that sees a lot of rubbing, such as where your feet sit or where a pillow moves, and it usually traces back to wash day: hot water, a crowded drum, rough company in the load, or too much heat in the dryer. Wash cold, keep sheets away from towels and zips, and dry low, and eucalyptus TENCEL sheets stay smooth for years. This guide explains why sheets pill, how TENCEL compares, and how to keep our eucalyptus TENCEL sheet sets smooth.
Why sheets pill
Every woven fabric is made of yarns, and every yarn is made of fibres twisted together. Pilling starts when the ends of short or broken fibres work loose from the surface. Friction rolls those loose ends together into tiny balls, and the balls stay anchored to the fabric by the fibres that are still part of the yarn.
Three things decide how much a sheet pills. The first is fibre length: short fibres have more ends, and more ends means more loose material to roll up. The second is fibre strength: very strong synthetic fibres hold the pills in place, so they build up instead of falling away. The third is friction, which comes from your body, your sleepwear, your pillow and, above all, the washing machine.
Do TENCEL sheets pill?
Less than most, but they are not immune. TENCEL lyocell is spun from eucalyptus wood pulp into long, even fibres with a smooth surface, which leaves fewer loose ends to roll up. That is the main reason TENCEL feels smooth to begin with, and it is also why it holds up well against pilling.
What TENCEL can do, if it is washed roughly, is develop a light fuzz. When the fibre is wet it is softer, and heavy rubbing in a full, hot wash can split tiny fibrils off the surface. You see this as a slightly fuzzy or dull patch rather than hard balls. It is cosmetic, it does not mean the sheet is wearing out, and gentle washing prevents it.
How TENCEL compares with other fabrics
| Fabric | How much it pills | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Polyester and microfiber | A lot | Strong fibres hold the pills on the surface, so they build up over time |
| Cotton blends | Quite a lot | A mix of short cotton fibres and strong synthetic ones pills and keeps the pills |
| Short staple cotton | Some | Short fibres leave many loose ends; long staple cotton pills much less |
| Bamboo viscose | Some | The fibre is weak when wet, so rough washing roughens the surface |
| TENCEL lyocell | Little | Long, smooth fibres; rough washing can raise a light fuzz rather than pills |
| Linen | Very little | Long, stiff fibres, though it creases and feels crisp rather than soft |
For how these fabrics feel at night, see which sheets sleep coolest. If you are judging a new set in the shop, this guide to spotting good quality sheets covers what to look and feel for.
What makes pilling worse
Most pilling is caused by things that happen around the sheet rather than by the sheet itself.
- Washing with towels, jeans or anything with a zip. Towels shed lint and rough fabrics act like sandpaper. Zips, hooks and hook and loop fastenings snag the surface.
- A full drum. Sheets packed tight rub against each other for the whole cycle instead of moving through the water.
- Hot water and long cycles. Heat softens the fibre and a long, fast cycle adds friction while it is at its weakest.
- High heat in the dryer, or over-drying. Tumbling a dry sheet in a hot drum is pure friction.
- Rough sleepwear and heels. Fleece pyjamas, dry skin on heels and toenails all rub at the same spots every night, which is why the foot of the bed pills first.
- Bleach and harsh detergent. Both weaken the fibre surface, which makes it easier for ends to break loose.
How to stop TENCEL sheets from pilling
- Wash sheets on their own. A sheet set alone, or with a duvet cover at most, gives the fabric room to move. Keep towels, denim and anything with a fastening in another load.
- Use cold water and a gentle cycle. Our sheets are made to be machine washed cold. Cold water protects the fibre and also the size of the sheets; most shrinkage comes from hot washes.
- Choose a mild liquid detergent. Liquid dissolves fully, where undissolved powder can grind against the fabric. Skip bleach.
- Leave out fabric softener. It coats the fibre and dulls the smooth surface. TENCEL is soft without it.
- Tumble dry low and take them out promptly. Low heat dries the sheets without roughing them up, and removing them as soon as they are dry stops the drum from polishing them. There is more on settings in our guide to drying TENCEL.
- Line dry when you can. Hanging sheets to dry removes dryer friction entirely, and it also keeps creases to a minimum.
- Rotate two sets. Each set gets a rest between washes, so neither wears faster at the high-friction spots.
How to remove pills or fuzz
If pills have already formed, they come off easily, and removing them does not harm the sheet.
- Fabric shaver. Lay the sheet flat on a bed or table, hold it taut, and move a battery fabric shaver lightly in small circles. Let the blades do the work rather than pressing down.
- Lint roller or tape. Good for a light fuzz and for loose lint picked up in the wash.
- Avoid razors and pumice stones. They cut and scratch the surface along with the pills, which creates more loose ends.
Once the surface is smooth again, the steps above stop the pills from coming back. A sheet that pilled because it was washed with towels will usually stay smooth once the towels go in another load.
Pillowcases and duvet covers
Pillowcases see a lot of rubbing from hair and skin, so the same care applies: cold wash, no towels in the load, low heat. Our eucalyptus TENCEL pillowcase pairs have a deep envelope closure, so there is no zip in the wash to catch the fabric. Duvet covers pill least of all, because nothing rubs against the outside of a cover much; this guide covers washing the cover and the insert.
Questions people ask
Do TENCEL sheets pill more than cotton?
No. TENCEL pills less than short staple cotton and far less than cotton and polyester blends. A good long staple cotton is closer, and both stay smooth with gentle washing.
Does pilling mean the sheets are poor quality?
Not on its own. Any fabric pills if it is washed with towels on a hot cycle. Pilling that appears after only a few washes, all over the sheet, points to short fibres or a blend. Pilling only at the foot of the bed points to friction, which care can fix.
Will pills come back after I remove them?
Only if the cause stays the same. Change the wash routine and the surface stays smooth. TENCEL also softens with washing, and well cared for sheets last for years.
Are there any downsides to TENCEL I should know about?
It asks for gentle care: cold washes, low heat and no bleach. For the full picture, see the disadvantages of TENCEL.
Every ArthCrafted sheet set comes in Queen and King, with a fitted sheet, a flat sheet and two pillowcases, and 18 inch deep pockets for mattresses up to 20 inches. Shop eucalyptus TENCEL sheet sets.
