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One of the main reasons I don’t “buy all the lululemon” is because I have had a consistent experience with pilling.
No matter what I do, my lululemon Align leggings pill in between and sometimes on the front and backside of my thighs. It’s unsightly, itchy and pretty annoying considering I paid over $100 for them.
My thighs rub together 24/7. This action is endearingly nicknamed the “chub rub.” It does not matter if you’re skinny or heavyset, chub rub can happen to anyone.
This can be due to your size or because your bones are aligned in a weird way.
Even when I was 15 pounds lighter, I still experienced chub rub. Chub rub is the main cause for pilling.
Other causes include regular wear and tear, overuse, and brushing against abrasive surfaces such as rocks, cement, velcro, or brick.
I’ve been fortunate to be able to testALLthe lululemon fabrics below. I’ve listed a description of the fabrics along with how to prevent and remove pilling when it happens. Read through the descriptions to determine the perfect fabric for your lifestyle.
Related: Best Fabric Shavers to Remove Pilling and Loose Threads
lululemon Fabric Descriptions + How to Prevent and Remove Pilling from Leggings
#1 Everlux
| Description | Everlux is lululemon’s newest fabric technology. The fabric has a double-knit structure that makes it indestructible yet super comfortable and lightweight. |
| Fabric Feel |
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| Does it Pill? | I’ve worn my Everlux pants 5 times already and it has not pilled. I have a feeling it might eventually do though. The fabric is VERY similar to Ultracor fabrics, which have pilled within 10 wears. |
| Products Made With This Fabric | In Movement Tight, Crop, and Short |
| How to Prevent Pilling | Leggings have not pilled. |
#2 Luon
| Description | Soft brushed fabric that offers a hugging sensation. Luon Options:
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| Fabric Feel | The fabric feels brushed and super soft. The fabric will off a lot of stretch and sometimes even stretch out. |
| Does it Pill? | Luon will eventually pill over time even if you do not have chub rub. Pilling can occur when the fabric rubs against itself or on skin. Pilling will occur mostly on the surface of the fabric and gusset of pants made with Luon. |
| Products Made With This Fabric | |
| How to Prevent Pilling |
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#3 Luxtreme
| Description | Luxtreme is lululemon’s performance fabric. It is compressive durable and slick to the touch. Luxtreme Options:
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| Fabric Feel | The fabric feels slick yet soft. The fabric will offer a lot of stretch but not as much as other fabrics. The fabric is very durable and will not pill easily. |
| Does it Pill? | Luxtreme will eventually pill over time. Depending on the print, pilling may occur more slowly. |
| Products Made With This Fabric |
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| How to Prevent Pilling |
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#4 Nulu
| Description | Naked feel sensation fabric that does not compromise on performance. |
| Fabric Feel | The fabric feels brushed and buttery soft. The fabric is super lightweight and meant for low to medium-impact sports. Get your true size in Nulu. |
| Does it Pill? | Nulu DOES PILL |
| Products Made With This Fabric | Align I/II Pant and Crop |
| How to Prevent Pilling |
|
Pilling on lululemon Align leggings tends to occur in between thighs.
#5 Nulux
| Description | Nulux was modeled after their Nulu naked feel sensation fabric. lululemon wanted to make a similar version for high impact sports. They did the job VERY well. |
| Fabric Feel | Fabric feels silky soft and stretches more than other lululemon fabric. People have sized down in Nulux products. I order my Nulu in my true size. |
| Does it Pill? | Nulux does NOT PILL. I’ve worn my Nulux more than 10 times and I’ve yet to experience pilling. |
| Products Made With This Fabric |
|
| How to Prevent Pilling | Does not pill. |
#6 Silverescent®
| Description | Silverescent® is soft knit fabric with a mesh quality that does not stink due to X-STATIC technology. |
| Fabric Feel | Comes in 2-way and 4-way stretch. Feels lightweight yet durable and thin. To me, swift reminds me of raincoat material without the impermeable qualities. |
| Does it Pill? | Silverescent® fabric DOES pill where it rubs against fabric or skin. I’ve seen pilling underneath my armpits mostly with Silverescent fabric. |
| Products Made With This Fabric |
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| How to Prevent Pilling |
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#7Swift
| Description | Soft brushed fabric that offers a lightweight hugging sensation. Swift Options:
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| Fabric Feel | Comes in 2-way and 4-way stretch. Feels lightweight yet durable and thin. To me, swift reminds me of raincoat material without the impermeable qualities. |
| Does it Pill? | Swift fabric DOES NOT PILL. |
| Products Made With This Fabric |
|
| How to Prevent Pilling | Not Applicable |
Other lululemon Fabrics that DO PILL
- Herringbone: Pills like crazy! I’ve had my herringbones for 3 years and they pill as soon as I start to walk around in them. It’s very easy to remove the pilling with an electric shaver and the leggings are supposedly made out of Luon. They are also thick enough that shaving and pilling does not thin out the fabric.
- Pique:This fabric is similar to herringbone but a little thinner. The fabric has a more compressive fit than herringbone and it does not pill as much. Pilling can also be removed with an electric shaver.
How to Remove Pilling from Leggings
#1 Using an Electric Fabric Shaver
This is our preferred method of removing pilling from my activewear. We use a corded electric shaver so that we do not have to buy batteries.
If you want something without a cord, we recommend the Magictec rechargeable fabric shaver. It’s compact, USB rechargeable and is highly rated on Amazon.
Related: Best Fabric Shavers to Get Rid of Pilling
When using an electric fabric shaver, keep the pressure of the shaver against the fabric light so that it does not create a hole in the fabric.
It should take less than a minute to make your leggings feel new again (see below image).
Electric Fabric Shaver by Conair
Before and After photo of removing pilling from my yoga pants using an electric razor.
#2 Using a Disposable Razor
I haven’t tried this method, but it apparently works. Keep a disposable razor on hand designated to remove pilling when it occurs.
I would keep it in an area with all my sewing and knitting tools. Also consider using it on other garments that pill, such as sweaters and shirts.
I hope this guide was helpful in shining some light on which lululemon fabrics are prone to pilling and what you can do about it. If you have any other tips, please leave them in the comments section of this post. Thank you for visiting!
If you liked this post, you might like these too:
- The Dreaded Chub Rub and How to Prevent Chafing
- How to Accurately Describe the Condition of Your lululemon Item
- Best lululemon Legging, Pant, and Tight Styles
- lululemon Glossary of Acronyms and Terms You Should Know
- lululemon Sizing Guide
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