The fabric on my furniture has tiny fuzz balls. What are they?

Pilling of a fabric occurs when groups of short or broken fibers on the surface of the fabric become tangled together in a tiny ball called a "pill". Pilling is not necessarily considered a manufacturing defect. Pilling results from rubbing (abrasion) of the fabric during normal wear and use. Normal pilling occurs when non-structural fibers work their way out of the fabric and "ball" up. Due to the strength of most fabric fibers, these pills are unable to break away from the fabric and collect on the surface of your furniture. (You may have also noticed this on some clothes like wool sweaters.) There are several factors that can affect the amount of pilling, including the actual fabric content and the weave. Since the pilling involves non-structural fibers, it does not affect the durability or strength of the fabric. Pilling will subside over time. While pilling cannot be eliminated, it can be minimized by using a sweater or upholstery shaver (usually found locally) to remove "pills" ...  more