Will Acrylic Fabric Pill?

Acrylic fabrics will pill under certain conditions. To understand this, you need to first understand the characteristics of acrylic, the causes of pilling, and the factors that affect the pilling of acrylic fabrics.

1. Characteristics of acrylic
About acrylic: Acrylic is a synthetic fiber made of polyacrylonitrile or acrylonitrile copolymers with an acrylonitrile content greater than 85%. It has the characteristics of being crisp, wrinkle-resistant, and lightweight. It is 15% warmer than wool, and its light resistance ranks first among natural fibers and chemical fiber fabrics. Therefore, it is widely used in clothing, decoration and other fields.

2. Causes of pilling
Fiber friction: In daily use, the fabric is constantly rubbed against external objects, causing the fibers on the surface of the fabric to move under the action of external forces. For example, when wearing clothes made of acrylic fabrics, the clothes rub against objects such as backpacks, tables and chairs, causing the fibers on the surface of the clothes to shift.
Fiber entanglement: When the fibers on the surface of the fabric move to a certain extent, they will entangle with each other to form small ball-shaped knots. These small balls may be loose at first, but as the friction continues, the small balls will gradually become tighter and more obvious.

3. Factors affecting the pilling of acrylic fabrics
Fiber length: Longer fibers are relatively less likely to pill. This is because long fibers are more tightly and firmly interwoven in the fabric. When rubbed, long fibers are not easily pulled out of the fabric and tangled together. In contrast, short fibers are relatively less interwoven in the fabric and are more likely to be pulled out and tangled under friction, resulting in more obvious pilling.
Fiber fineness: Acrylic fabrics with finer fiber fineness are relatively more likely to pill. Fine fibers have a larger specific surface area, which means that they have a larger area in contact with external objects. Under the same friction conditions, fine fibers are more likely to be affected by friction and move and entangle. In addition, fine fibers have relatively low strength and are more likely to break when rubbed. The broken fibers are more likely to entangle with each other to form small balls, which in turn causes the fabric to pill.
Fabric structure: Different fabric structures also have a certain influence on the pilling phenomenon. For example, the surface of a plain weave fabric is relatively flat, and there are relatively more interweaving points between the fibers, which makes the fibers more fixed in the fabric, so it is relatively less likely to pill. However, due to the characteristics of the organizational structure of knitted fabrics, the binding force between fibers is relatively weak. When subjected to friction, the fibers on the surface of the fabric are more likely to be pulled out and entangled together, making pilling more likely to occur.
Finishing process: The finishing process of the fabric will also affect the pilling performance of acrylic fabrics. For example, acrylic fabrics that have been anti-pilling finished usually form a protective film on the surface of the fabric, or by changing the surface properties of the fibers, the friction between the fibers is reduced, thereby reducing the possibility of the fibers entangled with each other during the friction process, thereby effectively improving the anti-pilling performance of the fabric. In addition, some special finishing processes, such as heat setting and resin finishing, can also improve the anti-pilling performance of the fabric by improving the organizational structure of the fabric and the arrangement of the fibers.

Although acrylic fabrics have the possibility of pilling, this situation can be greatly improved by optimizing the production process, finishing and other means. When wearing and maintaining acrylic fabric clothing, choosing the right way can also reduce the occurrence of pilling.