Benfieri — Knitwear Care Guide | benfieri.com
A diagnosis table: what causes pills, felted shrinkage, shoulder bumps and moth holes, and the fix for each.
Pilling happens where fabric rubs. Short fibres work loose from the yarn and tangle into small balls at friction points — under the arms, along the sides, across the chest where a bag strap crosses. Cashmere pills first because its fibres are shorter; a chunky knit pills less but snags instead, because the open structure catches on rough surfaces.
The fix is mechanical, not chemical: a sweater stone or fabric shaver removes pills without cutting the yarn. Lay the garment flat, move the tool in one direction with light pressure, and stop as soon as the pill lifts. Pulling pills off by hand draws the yarn out with them and leaves a hole.
Felted shrinkage is the one problem you cannot undo. It appears after a hot wash or a hot rinse with agitation: the fabric tightens, the stitch definition blurs, and the garment comes out one or two sizes smaller. Prevention — cold or 30 °C, squeeze never wring — is the only reliable fix.
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Shoulder bumps come from hanging. A wet or heavy knit on a narrow hanger concentrates the garment's weight on two points, stretching the loops there. Lay the sweater flat on a towel and the bumps relax within a day; cotton is more prone than wool because the plant fibre has less elastic recovery.
Moth holes appear where keratin fibres — wool and cashmere — are eaten by larvae. Store knitwear clean and fully dry, because larvae are drawn to body oils and food residue, and keep the closet aired. A cedar block in the drawer is a repellent, not a cure.
The table below pairs each symptom with its cause and the correct response, so you can diagnose from the outside of the garment before touching it.
Further reading