Sweatshirt Care: How to Stop Pilling and Keep Your Fit Crisp

Quick answer

Turn sweatshirts and fleece layers inside out, wash them cold on a gentle cycle with low spin, and either lay them flat to dry or tumble on low. Skip fabric softener and dryer sheets, which coat performance fibers and trap pills. If pills have already formed, a fabric shaver used on a flat surface restores the surface without thinning the garment.

Why sweatshirts pill, stretch, and shrink in the first place

Pilling happens when short fibers work loose from the yarn and tangle into little balls. Friction is the trigger: rubbing against a seatbelt, a tote strap, or the inside of a dryer drum. Stretching usually comes from wet weight. A soaked sweatshirt hanging on a hanger pulls itself out of shape at the shoulders and hem. Shrinking is heat plus agitation, which is why a hot wash or a high dryer setting can take a relaxed fit down a size.

The wash routine that prevents most damage

Wash similar weights together and keep zippers, hooks, and velcro away from knit surfaces. Use a mesh laundry bag for anything with a quarter zip or a smooth face, since metal teeth can snag the fabric next to it. Measure detergent for a normal load rather than eyeballing it; excess soap leaves residue that makes fibers feel stiff and look dull.

• Turn the garment inside out before it goes in the drum.
• Choose cold water and a gentle or delicate cycle.
• Select low spin to reduce the tugging that distorts cuffs and hems.
• Skip fabric softener and dryer sheets entirely.
• Wash fleece and cotton separately from towels, which shed lint and add friction.

Drying without shrinking or stretching

The safest method is to lay the sweatshirt flat on a drying rack, reshaping the shoulders and hem while it is still damp. If you prefer a machine, use the lowest heat setting and pull the garment out while it is slightly damp, then lay it flat for the last few minutes. Never hang a wet sweatshirt by the shoulders. The water weight is what turns a clean fit into a stretched-out neckline.

Fixing pills that have already formed

Lay the garment flat on a table and run a fabric shaver in short, light passes with the grain of the fabric. Do not press down hard or hold the shaver in one spot; that is how you cut a hole instead of removing a pill. A fine-tooth comb or a pumice stone works on small areas, but a shaver gives the most even result on a full panel. After shaving, lint-roll the surface to lift the loose fibers you just released.

When to stop treating and replace instead

If the fabric feels thin across the elbows, seat, or underarms, pilling is no longer the main problem. Repeated shaving on a worn panel removes the surface that gives the garment its structure. At that point, a replacement layer usually costs less than the time you would spend chasing a repair. This is also the moment to check whether the fit has permanently relaxed, since no wash routine can bring back a stretched-out cuff.

Diagnose the problem before you treat it

• Pills clustered under the arms and along the sides: This is friction pilling from seatbelts, bag straps, or the dryer drum. Wash inside out on a gentle cycle and air dry flat to slow it down. If pills return within a few wears, switch to a mesh bag and stop using the dryer.
• Shoulders or hem look stretched after washing: Wet weight is the cause. The garment was likely hung while damp or spun on a high setting. Reshape it flat and let it dry completely before wearing. If the neckline stays stretched after one flat dry, the knit has lost recovery.
• Garment feels a size smaller after a wash: Heat and agitation shrank the fibers. Cold water and low heat prevent it, but shrinkage that has already happened is usually permanent. Stop using hot water and a hot dryer; if the fit is still tight, size up on the replacement.
• Surface looks fuzzy but no pills have formed: This is the early stage. A single light pass with a fabric shaver plus a lint roller now prevents a bigger pilling problem later. Do not shave the same area twice in one session.

Fleece and vest care notes

• Crossover Fleece Q-Zip | Black Signature-Fit: Crafted from an ultra-soft performance fleece with four-way stretch and a modern signature fit. Performance fleece responds well to cold, gentle washing and flat drying, which protects the stretch and the clean athletic silhouette.
• PrimaLoft® Power Vest | Black Signature-fit: Features 100% recycled PrimaLoft® insulation in a clean, quilted design. Quilted insulation should be washed cold and dried on low or laid flat so the baffles keep their shape and the vest stays office-ready.