I don’t know what’s going on, but this is driving me crazy. The past four sets of sheets I’ve bought started pilling almost immediately, after just a few washings. I have some 10 year old sheets that are just fine (except the wrong size for our bed) so I know that it isn’t just us doing something wrong. I’ve bought high thread count, low thread count, cheap, and semi-expensive ones, and they’re all crap.
Our old sheets that are fine are Wamsutta, but looking online I’m seeing complaints about those pilling now, too.
So, can anyone recommend me some that actually hold up worth a damn? Much obliged.
I buy the cheap fitted sheets at Wal-Mart and while I don’t wash them weekly (maybe semi-weekly? I dunno, I bought 4 sets!) they have not pilled one bit. I think they’re like $5 for double fitted.
The only sheets I have ever had that pilled are ripoff “egyptian cotton” high-thread-count sheets I got from some vendor at a home show.
How often do you wash the sheets? Maybe you need more sheets so you wash them less frequently.
I have a set of purple sheets I bought at Target ca. 2007-08 which have shown no tendency toward pilling at all.
On the other hand, I have a set of flannel sheets I also bought at Target ca. 2007-08 which are pilling like crazy. Of course, I tend to expect that from flannel sheets.
Cotton knit jersey sheets. Always soft. Warm in the winter. Lightweight in the summer. I think the most recent set was bought from a catalog company called Garnet Hill, but that was only because Lands End didn’t have any available at the time.
I have high thread count sheets from Wal-Mart and some other shop like Bloodbath and Beyond, and they haven’t pilled in about seven years. It looks like the damned things are never going to wear out.
I think that it’s poly cotton that pills, or at least, that’s what pills around here. It’s not just sheets, either, it’s clothing as well. I suspect that it’s short staple cotton combined with polyester that is the worst offender.
We have high thread count 100% cotton sheets, machine washed and line dried once a week. I’ve had some of these sets over 10 years and others less than a year, and have to say have never noticed pilling. Could it be a factor of polycotton sheets, or high tumble dryer heat?
I like Overstock.com because they have lots of reviews. Other people will tell you which sheets got rough after washing, which ones pill, which ones are too big or too small. I’ve got two fabulous sheet sets from them by poring over the reviews.
The sheet set I got from Target last year is fine, no pilling. They’re nice and smooth. No idea of the content, sorry can’t be soused to go look for a tag! They were about $40 for a queen set, and a nice chocolate shade. I want another set!
I love the sheets I buy from Lands end. They’re huge, it’s the only set of king size sheets I’ve ever found that are wide enough that you don’t run out of sheet as soon as there is an actual person in the bed and we haven’t had any pilling at all. I’ve had the oldest set for 6 months now and they’re just a smooth as the day we bought them. I loved them so much I ordered two more sets the next time they went on sale.
These are the ones we bought. Sad though, looks like they might be discontinuing them, there aren’t many options left. Hopefully they’re only changing colours.
Kmart sheets (2 queen size set pack for 40 dollars) I’ve had for about five years don’t pill, but I don’t use a dryer so that could make the difference. They were and still are surprisingly soft and smooth. I know that pilling though. My little girl’s character sheet sets get them almost as soon as they get their first washing.
I’ve never seen jersey sheets (tshirt material) pill. Because tshirts don’t pill, at least mine never have. You could maybe give those a try? I got a queen jersey sheet set at meijer for like $15-20
The only set of sheets we own that have pilling are the flannel set, all the others are fine.
My sheets are all bought on sale from Macy’s when they have them at 50-60% off, I like the Ralph Lauren, but there is another brand they have that is super-soft. All 100% cotton, thread count over 400.
I have 450 TC sheet set from Target (the damask stripe) that was a wedding gift in 2008, still looking perfect. Well, a bit faded, but perfect as far as pilling. Ick! That would drive me nuts.
The Target Organic Cotton ones have done extremely well; owned them about a year of washing weekly (occasionally use another set). They can’t be more than $50 for a queen set either and often go on sale for $10 bucks off. They don’t list thread count prominently so I was surprised to see they’re only 200 thread count. I think they feel like your average 500-600 thread count you’d find at BB&Beyond, which is what my parents have and I find similar feel to.
I’ve only heard good things about Target brand sheets (looks like I’m the 3rd in the thread to say so).