Why Is My Throw Shedding or Pilling, and How Do You Stop It?

By Snoozyn · Updated October 2026

Fluff on a dark sofa, bobbles on the arm where you rest your elbow: both are common with throws, and both are easy to manage once you know which one you are dealing with.

This guide explains why throws shed and pill, which fibres do it most, and what actually stops it.

Why is my throw shedding so much?

Your throw is shedding because short, loose fibres trapped in the yarn during spinning, weaving and finishing are working their way out with use; it slows down after the first few weeks.

Every yarn is made of fibres twisted together, and some are shorter than others. Those short ends are not held as firmly, so friction from sitting, folding and washing releases them. Throws with a brushed or raised surface shed more, because brushing teases fibre ends out of the yarn on purpose to make it soft. Fringes and tassels also drop a little fluff at first, where the yarn has been cut.

Shedding that carries on for months, or leaves thin patches, is unusual and worth checking against the care label.

What is the difference between shedding and pilling?

Shedding is fibre leaving the throw as loose fluff; pilling is fibre staying attached but rolling up into small balls where the cloth is rubbed.

They have the same root, short fibres, but different results. With shedding you see fluff on the sofa and your clothes. With pilling you see bobbles on the throw itself, usually on the parts that touch the sofa arm, seat or your sleeves.

Which throw fabrics shed or pill the most?

Brushed wool blends shed most at first, while blends with a high share of polyester or acrylic are more likely to pill, because those strong fibres hold the pills in place.

Fibre or cloth	Shedding	Pilling
Pure wool, lambswool, merino	Some, first weeks	Light; pills drop off
Wool with alpaca, mohair or angora	More at first	Some
Wool and acrylic or polyester blends	Little	More likely; pills cling
Polyester-led chunky knits	Little	Possible where rubbed
Cotton muslin and cotton knits	Lint in first washes	Light
Linen cotton	Lint in first washes	Rare

None of this means one fibre is better. A brushed blend sheds because it is soft and lofty; a tightly woven cotton sheds little because its surface is flat. Our guide to what alpaca, mohair and angora add to a wool blend covers that trade-off.

How do you stop a throw shedding?

You cannot stop the first few weeks of shedding entirely, but you can shorten it by shaking, airing and gently brushing the throw, and by keeping it out of the tumble dryer.

1. Shake the throw outdoors, hard, before first use and every few days for the first fortnight.
2. Hang it over a line or a chair outside on a dry, breezy day for an hour to loosen fibres.
3. Run a lint roller or a soft clothes brush over the surface, brushing in one direction.
4. For cotton and linen cotton, wash it on its own for the first one or two washes at 30°C, then line dry.
5. For wool and wool blends, spot clean or hand wash in cool water only when needed; our guide to washing a wool throw without shrinking it explains how.
6. Never tumble wool or wool blends: heat and tumbling release more fibre and can felt the cloth.

How do you remove pills from a throw?

Lay the throw flat on a table and glide a battery fabric shaver or a de-pilling comb lightly over the bobbled area, without pressing or pulling.

Work in small sections and empty the shaver often. On chunky knits, go slowly over the loops so the blade does not catch yarn. Never pull pills off by hand, as that drags more fibre out and starts new ones. To slow pilling, fold the throw rather than balling it up, and swap the side or end that rests on the sofa arm.

Which throws in our range are easiest to live with?

If you want very little fluff, choose a flat cotton or linen cotton weave, or a polyester-led woven; if you want softness and loft, a brushed wool blend is worth a few weeks of shaking.

Flat and fuss-free: the five-layer cotton throw, from £56.90, and the herringbone twill throw (80% polyester, 20% wool), from £46.90. Soft and brushed: the angora wool blend throw in moss grey at £84.90, the alpaca wool blend at £86.90 and the mohair check at £99.90. The polyester-led chunky knit, from £42.90, sheds little but should have its fringe shaken out regularly.

The same rules apply underfoot; see cleaning a rug by fibre. For off-season care, read storing throws away from moths and our full care guide.

Frequently asked questions

Will a wool throw stop shedding eventually?

Yes. Most wool throws shed noticeably for the first few weeks, then much less once the loose short fibres have worked free. Regular shaking and airing speeds this up. Light shedding from a brushed surface can continue at a low level.

Does washing a throw make it shed more?

The first one or two washes of a cotton throw release lint, which is why it should be washed alone at first. Washing wool too warm or too hard, or tumbling it, releases more fibre and can felt the surface.

Is pilling a sign of a poor-quality throw?

Not necessarily. Pilling depends on fibre length, twist and how much the throw is rubbed. Soft, loosely spun yarns pill more than tightly twisted ones. Strong synthetic fibres keep pills attached, so blends can look bobbly sooner.

Can you use a razor to remove pills from a throw?

A fabric shaver or de-pilling comb is safer. A disposable razor can cut the yarn, especially on knits and brushed blends. If you must use one, lay the throw flat and stroke very lightly in one direction.

How do you get throw fluff off a sofa and clothes?

Use a lint roller or a slightly damp rubber glove, wiping in one direction. Vacuum the sofa with an upholstery brush. Shaking the throw outdoors every few days during its first weeks reduces how much fluff ends up on furniture.

Why does only one part of my throw pill?

Pills form where the throw is rubbed most, such as the part over a sofa arm or under your elbows. Rotate the throw regularly, so a different edge sits on the arm, and fold it rather than bunching it up.