Say Goodbye to Shedding Blankets
Are you tired of blankets that shed?
While there are multiple reasons fleece can shed or pill (including the quality of the fleece fabric itself), the primary reasons have to do with two important and often overlooked steps in the fleece blanket business:
Brushing and Shearing
The brushing process is the first process in converting a base fleece fabric into a plush, soft, pile fabric. The base fleece fabric is passed through a series of small cylinders with tiny metal bristles on them. The fabric passes over and under these bristles and the brushing process pulls up the small loops on the fabric without breaking down the core of the fabric. After the brushing process is completed there a millions of single yarn strands standing vertical on the base fabric.
The shearing process is considered to be the most critical aspect of creating the non-shedding, pill-free finish of a quality fleece blanket. The number of passes and the height of the finish cut determines how your blanket stands up, or breaks down, over time.
In order to produce a more durable finish for a fleece blanket, this process must be repeated over and over again; with each pass the cutting height is reduced. If the shearing is completed quickly, in one or two passes (often the case with mass market blankets), numerous fibers that have not been cut evenly tend to join together with other longer fibers. The loose fibers eventually twist together causing a pill ball that is held on by a stronger anchor fiber. This anchor fiber eventually breaks down, dropping the pill, but polyester yarns are the most durable so it’s a long process that eventually requires a shaving mechanism to shear the pills from the fabric.When purchasing plush fleece blankets, look for a smooth, low pile finish or a smooth finish that has all single yarn strands standing vertical.
Try to avoid long fibers that are laying flat or fabrics where you can’t see the individual fibers—these blankets tend to shed and pill over time. The secret to having a blanket that won't shed or pill is simply to buy a fleece blanket that won't shed or pill. Obsessive brushing and shearing drastically affects the no-shed, no-pill finish of a fleece blanket. We’re obsessive and drastic when it comes to quality.
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