Pilling test

The pilling test rates how strongly a textile forms pills under friction. In Europe it is run mainly per ISO 12945-2 (Martindale) or ISO 12945-1 (ICI box). Under Martindale a circular sample is rubbed against a reference fabric with defined pressure in a Lissajous motion; the sample is graded visually after 125, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 7000 cycles. In the ICI method several samples rotate in a cork-lined wooden box. Both methods yield grades from 1 (heavy pilling) to 5 (no pilling) via photographic references. Workwear typically targets 3-4 after 2000 cycles, business shirts and polos 4-5. It is a key quality metric for knits, fleece and wool, since pilling is obvious in daily use and undermines perceived value. Besides fiber blend, twist, weave and finishing matter a lot.