How to Prevent and Remove Pilling from lululemon Leggings

Reading Time: 6 minutes

One of the main reasons I don’t “buy all the lululemon” is because I have had a consistent experience with pilling.

No matter what I do, my lululemon Align leggings pill in between and sometimes on the front and backside of my thighs. It’s unsightly, itchy and pretty annoying considering I paid over $100 for them.

My thighs rub together 24/7. This action is endearingly nicknamed the “chub rub.” It does not matter if you’re skinny or heavyset, chub rub can happen to anyone.

This can be due to your size or because your bones are aligned in a weird way.

Even when I was 15 pounds lighter, I still experienced chub rub. Chub rub is the main cause for pilling.

Other causes include regular wear and tear, overuse, and brushing against abrasive surfaces such as rocks, cement, velcro, or brick.

I’ve been fortunate to be able to test ALL the lululemon fabrics below. I’ve listed a description of the fabrics along with how to prevent and remove pilling when it happens. Read through the descriptions to determine the perfect fabric for your lifestyle.

Related: Best Fabric Shavers to Remove Pilling and Loose Threads

lululemon Fabric Descriptions + How to Prevent and Remove Pilling from Leggings

#1 Everlux

Description	Everlux is lululemon’s newest fabric technology. The fabric has a double-knit structure that makes it indestructible yet super comfortable and lightweight.
Fabric Feel	Feels like a thicker Luxtreme or Nulux Super soft and buttery surface Lightweight fabric Offers 4-way stretch with excellent shape retention Fabric wicks moisture quickly so that you feel dry 24/7
Does it Pill?	I’ve worn my Everlux pants 5 times already and it has not pilled. I have a feeling it might eventually do though. The fabric is VERY similar to Ultracor fabrics, which have pilled within 10 wears.
Products Made With This Fabric	In Movement Tight, Crop, and Short
How to Prevent Pilling	Leggings have not pilled.

#2 Luon

Description	Soft brushed fabric that offers a hugging sensation. Luon Options: SERIOUSLY LIGHT™ LUON: A barely-there version of Luon® fabric. The fabric is lightweight and perfect for hot climates and workouts. LIGHT LUON®: Light Luon is a lightweight version of our signature Luon fabric. It’s perfect for wearing on its own or when layering. LUON®: Luon fabric is breathable and cottony soft. This performance fabric is four-way stretch and is ideal for yoga, barre, and any studio activity. FULL-ON® LUON: A tight-knit version of our Luon fabric. Full-On Luon is a performance fabric that provides support and coverage with a cottony-soft feel.
Fabric Feel	The fabric feels brushed and super soft. The fabric will off a lot of stretch and sometimes even stretch out.
Does it Pill?	Luon will eventually pill over time even if you do not have chub rub. Pilling can occur when the fabric rubs against itself or on skin. Pilling will occur mostly on the surface of the fabric and gusset of pants made with Luon.
Products Made With This Fabric	Wunder Under Pant/Crop (WUP/WUC) Cool Racerback (CRB) Power Y Tank Define Jacket Stride Jacket
How to Prevent Pilling	You can make an effort to wear these leggings to low to medium-impact sports to prevent pilling. Extended use and washing will cause pilling. Wear multiple times before washing your Luon. If pilling has occurred, use a rechargeable electric fabric shaver to remove the pilling.

#3 Luxtreme

Description	Luxtreme is lululemon’s performance fabric. It is compressive durable and slick to the touch. Luxtreme Options: LIGHT LUXTREME® LUXTREME® FULL-ON LUXTREME®
Fabric Feel	The fabric feels slick yet soft. The fabric will offer a lot of stretch but not as much as other fabrics. The fabric is very durable and will not pill easily.
Does it Pill?	Luxtreme will eventually pill over time. Depending on the print, pilling may occur more slowly.
Products Made With This Fabric	All The Right Places (ATRP) Pant and Crop Free to Be Bras Wunder Under Crop/Pant On The Fly Pant, Crop, and Short
How to Prevent Pilling	You can make an effort to wear these leggings to low to medium-impact sports to prevent pilling. Extended use and washing will cause pilling. Wear multiple times before washing your Luon. If pilling has occurred, use a rechargeable electric fabric shaver to remove the pilling.

#4 Nulu

Description	Naked feel sensation fabric that does not compromise on performance.
Fabric Feel	The fabric feels brushed and buttery soft. The fabric is super lightweight and meant for low to medium-impact sports. Get your true size in Nulu.
Does it Pill?	Nulu DOES PILL
Products Made With This Fabric	Align I/II Pant and Crop
How to Prevent Pilling	You can make an effort to wear these leggings to low to medium-impact sports to prevent pilling. Extended use and washing will cause pilling. Wear multiple times before washing your Nulu. If pilling has occurred, use a rechargeable electric fabric shaver to remove the pilling.

#5 Nulux

Description	Nulux was modeled after their Nulu naked feel sensation fabric. lululemon wanted to make a similar version for high impact sports. They did the job VERY well.
Fabric Feel	Fabric feels silky soft and stretches more than other lululemon fabric. People have sized down in Nulux products. I order my Nulu in my true size.
Does it Pill?	Nulux does NOT PILL. I’ve worn my Nulux more than 10 times and I’ve yet to experience pilling.
Products Made With This Fabric	Fast & Free Tight Wunder Under Pant/Crop (this was not successful as the fabric was too stretchy and people had issues with the pants falling down).
How to Prevent Pilling	Does not pill.

#6 Silverescent®

Description	Silverescent® is soft knit fabric with a mesh quality that does not stink due to X-STATIC technology.
Fabric Feel	Comes in 2-way and 4-way stretch. Feels lightweight yet durable and thin. To me, swift reminds me of raincoat material without the impermeable qualities.
Does it Pill?	Silverescent® fabric DOES pill where it rubs against fabric or skin. I’ve seen pilling underneath my armpits mostly with Silverescent fabric.
Products Made With This Fabric	Swiftly Short and Long Sleeve Swiftly Racerback Tank Top
How to Prevent Pilling	Wear a vest or jacket over your Silverescent to prevent pilling. Sizing up may prevent it as well.

#7 Swift

Description	Soft brushed fabric that offers a lightweight hugging sensation. Swift Options: SWIFT: Strong and light two-way stretch woven fabric designed to withstand everything. SWIFT ULTRA: Woven for strength and no-bulk performance. This four-way stretch fabric moves with us yet does not cling. SWIFT ULTRA LIGHT: Lightweight, four-way stretch version of our Swift fabric is woven to provide no-bulk coverage and airflow. It’s almost like being naked.
Fabric Feel	Comes in 2-way and 4-way stretch. Feels lightweight yet durable and thin. To me, swift reminds me of raincoat material without the impermeable qualities.
Does it Pill?	Swift fabric DOES NOT PILL.
Products Made With This Fabric	Speed Shorts Dance Studio Pants (DSP)
How to Prevent Pilling	Not Applicable

Other lululemon Fabrics that DO PILL

1. Herringbone: Pills like crazy! I’ve had my herringbones for 3 years and they pill as soon as I start to walk around in them. It’s very easy to remove the pilling with an electric shaver and the leggings are supposedly made out of Luon. They are also thick enough that shaving and pilling does not thin out the fabric.
2. Pique: This fabric is similar to herringbone but a little thinner. The fabric has a more compressive fit than herringbone and it does not pill as much. Pilling can also be removed with an electric shaver.

How to Remove Pilling from Leggings

#1 Using an Electric Fabric Shaver

This is our preferred method of removing pilling from my activewear. We use a corded electric shaver so that we do not have to buy batteries.

If you want something without a cord, we recommend the Magictec rechargeable fabric shaver. It’s compact, USB rechargeable and is highly rated on Amazon.

Related: Best Fabric Shavers to Get Rid of Pilling

When using an electric fabric shaver, keep the pressure of the shaver against the fabric light so that it does not create a hole in the fabric.

It should take less than a minute to make your leggings feel new again (see below image).

#2 Using a Disposable Razor

I haven’t tried this method, but it apparently works. Keep a disposable razor on hand designated to remove pilling when it occurs.

I would keep it in an area with all my sewing and knitting tools. Also consider using it on other garments that pill, such as sweaters and shirts.

I hope this guide was helpful in shining some light on which lululemon fabrics are prone to pilling and what you can do about it. 

Have questions? DM me for answers.

Shop lululemon Favorites

If you liked this post, you might like these too:

• The Dreaded Chub Rub and How to Prevent Chafing
• How to Accurately Describe the Condition of Your lululemon Item
• Best lululemon Legging, Pant, and Tight Styles
• lululemon Glossary of Acronyms and Terms You Should Know
• lululemon Sizing Guide

Want to know more about lululemon?

We have an entire resource page dedicated to everything lululemon related. Please check it out!

If there are any other topics you’d like us to shed some light on, please let us know!

Thank you for visiting today! If you found this encouraging or informative, please connect with us on Instagram or TikTok.

Sign up for our monthly newsletter for updates and more. We promise we won't spam you! Feel free to unsubscribe anytime.

If you're a brand and want to work with us, please visit this page to get in touch.