毛衣起球怎麼辦 勿要用手指揪拽毛球大綱
Hoping to add some polished knitwear to her wardrobe, Denise Anker spent several hundred dollars last fall on two Vince brand sweaters.
爲了給自己衣櫥裏添置一些平滑光潔的針織衫，德妮絲・安克爾(Denise Anker)在去年秋天花了好幾百美元買了兩件Vince品牌的毛衣。One, made entirely of cashmere, has held up well and Ms. Anker wears it regularly. The other, a wool-cashmere blend charcoal-gray cardigan -- and at $395 the more expensive of the two -- has shown troubling signs of a vexing winter wardrobe problem: pilling.
其中一件是純羊絨質地的，一直保養得很好，安克爾也經常穿它。另一件則爲羊毛、羊絨混織的炭灰色開襟衫，售價395美元（摺合人民幣2,392元），在這兩件中也更貴──但它已顯露出令人不安的種種跡象：起球──這是冬季衣櫥中一個讓人惱火的問題。'After two wearings, it became a ragged mess,' says Ms. Anker, a 55-year-old resident of Big Oak Flat, Calif. Now she wears it only for casual occasions. It's the 'I want to roll around on the floor with my dogs' sweater, she says.
現年55歲、住在加利福尼亞州大橡樹平地(Big Oak Flat, Calif.)的安克爾說：“穿了兩年之後，它就變得破爛不堪、一團糟了。”現在，安克爾只在休閒場合才穿穿它。她還說，這件衣服成了那種“我想和我的狗在地上打滾兒”時穿的毛衣。
The pesky yarn clumps known as pills can form on garments of all materials and prices, from a high-end cashmere sweater to a bargain-priced acrylic blend. Pilling tends to get worse with more wear, which is why it always seems to occur on your favorite wool turtleneck and not the ones at the back of the closet.
從高檔羊絨毛衣到廉價亞克力混紡品，所有材質和各檔價位的衣服都會生出令人討厭的紗團兒──也被稱作起球。衣服穿的次數越多，起球就會越厲害，這也就是爲什麼你最鍾愛的羊毛套頭衫總是起球，而被扔在衣櫥後面的衣服卻不會變成這樣的原因。Pills form when yarn fibers in a garment break or become loose, or when the ends are exposed, and then tangle together. Sweaters commonly get pills because of their visible yarn, but nearly any knit or woven garment has the potential, says Sean Cormier, assistant professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, who spent almost two decades in quality assurance at the former Liz Claiborne Inc.
紐約時裝技術學院(Fashion Institute of Technology in New York)的助理教授肖恩・科米爾(Sean Cormier)說，當一件衣服的紗纖維斷了或變得鬆脫時，或當纖維頭端露出於織物的表面時，它們就會互相纏結在一起。毛衣常常會起球，則是因爲它們的紗線顯露可見，但幾乎任何一種針織或機織衣物都有起球的可能性。科米爾還曾在之前的麗詩加邦公司(Liz Claiborne Inc.)質量保證部門工作過近二十多年。The unfortunate truth is that it's very difficult when looking at a garment in a store to predict whether it will pill. Pilling is what's known as a 'latent defect,' a problem that appears only after the product is in use. 'You don't see it until you wear it,' Mr. Cormier says.
不幸的事實是，當你在商店裏打量一件衣服時，很難預測以後它會不會起球。起球一向以“潛在缺陷”而廣爲人知，這種問題只有當產品在使用時纔會顯現。科米爾說：“直到你把衣服穿在身上的時候，你纔會看到這些毛球。”Because friction begins or accelerates pilling, garment areas that are prone to rubbing, such as the side of the torso and the inside of the forearms, are likely to pill first, says Cathryn Lee, category manager of apparel care, at the Woolmark Co., which represents Australian wool growers. Men and women who carry shoulder bags will notice pilling on the shoulders. Seat belts may cause pilling across the chest.
羊毛標誌公司(Woolmark Co.)是諸多澳大利亞羊毛生產商的代表，該公司服裝護理部品類經理凱瑟琳・李(Cathryn Lee)說，這是因爲摩擦會導致衣物起球或加速這一過程，衣服上那些容易受到揉擦的部位，比如說上身旁側及前臂內側，都可能會最先起球。那些使用肩包的男性和女性還會注意到衣物的雙肩上正在起球。而座椅安全帶則可能會導致衣物胸前部位起球。The material used in a particular garment may provide hints as to whether it will pill. Merino wool tends to be strong and when used in a tightly wound sweater would be less likely to pill than fuzzy, fine-gauge cashmere, says Gwen Whiting, co-founder of the Laundress, a New York fabric-care company. But nearly every garment, regardless of make or brand, is a candidate.
一件衣物以後會不會起球，它所使用的材質可能會提供一些線索。紐約織品衣物護理公司Laundress的聯合創始人格溫・懷廷(Gwen Whiting)說，美利奴羊毛(Merino wool)一般比較結實，當用這種材質來編織一件緊實的毛衣時，與毛茸茸的細針織羊絨衫相比，前者就不太會起球。但幾乎每一件衣物，不管它是什麼材質、來自哪個品牌，都有可能會起球。With natural raw materials like cashmere, the length of the fiber is particularly important. Longer fibers can be wound into tighter yarn, making it less likely the ends will come loose, says Karl Spilhaus, president of the Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute.
羊絨與駝絨生產商協會(Cashmere and Camel Hair Manufacturers Institute)會長卡爾・斯皮赫斯(Karl Spilhaus)說，像羊絨這樣的天然原材質，纖維的長度就格外重要。長一些的纖維能紡成更緊實的紗線，令其頭端更不易鬆脫。'Pilling is going to happen with any woven garment but there is a direct link to the length of the yarn thread used,' Thomas Ott, senior vice president for men's apparel at Saks Fifth Avenue, says. 'The longer the thread, the longer it takes to pill.'
薩克斯第五大道精品百貨店(Saks Fifth Avenue)男裝部高級副總裁托馬斯・奧特(Thomas Ott)說：“任何機織服裝都會起球，但這與所用紗線的長度有着直接的關係。紗線越長，衣物也能穿更久才起球。”Today's extremely price-competitive climate is pushing many manufacturers toward shorter, less expensive fibers, Mr. Spilhaus says.
斯皮赫斯說，如今，價格競爭極其激烈，這種風氣正促使許多生產商轉而使用更短、沒那麼貴的纖維。The finish of a garment also affects the likelihood of pilling. A cashmere sweater used to require several home washings before it 'bloomed' -- the industry term for the soft, full feeling of a broken-in sweater.
衣物的最後加工步驟也會影響起球的可能性。過去，一件羊絨毛衣需要買回家洗幾次以後纔會變得“容光煥發”──行業術語，指一件毛衣上身久了之後變得柔軟貼身的感覺。Retailers and shoppers are looking for sweaters with a 'hand feel' of extreme, immediate softness. Mr. Spilhaus says manufacturers wash garments repeatedly to get the exterior that soft. The washing, along with shorter fibers, brings the ends to the surface more quickly, making pills more likely to happen sooner.
零售商與購物者都在找尋那些“手感”極其柔軟、上身之後立馬就軟貼貼的毛衣。斯皮赫斯說，爲了讓衣物外觀變得那樣柔軟，生產商們都在反覆清洗衣物。如此這般的清洗，再加上使用越來越短的纖維，這些因素致使纖維頭端更快地露出於織物表面，也使衣物更易快速起球。Retailers, regardless of price point, say they take steps to prevent pilling. Uniqlo, which sells moderately priced sportswear, says it uses a pill-reducing treatment on its worsted merino-wool sweaters. Luxury knitwear maker Brunello Cucinelli sends employees along with importers to meet with Mongolian shepherds when selecting cashmere for its annual production.
撇開價格點不談，零售商說，他們正在採取措施、以防衣物起球。出售中檔價位運動裝的優衣庫(Uniqlo)稱，它在自家精紡的美利奴羊毛毛衣上就用了一種去毛球法。而一到了爲每年生產商品採集羊絨時，奢華針織品製造商布魯奈羅・庫奇內利 (Brunello Cucinelli)就會將員工與進口商一道派去會見蒙古牧羊人。Some retailers require suppliers to test sweaters for pilling, says FIT's Mr. Cormier. Certain stores require use of the Martindale Pilling Tester, a large, two-tiered oscillating machine that rubs two swatches of the same material against each another in circular and linear motions. Another option, often used for sturdier fabrics such as upholstery, is the Random Tumble Pilling Tester, a blender-like machine with prongs that rapidly spin three swatches in a cork-lined cylinder.
紐約時裝技術學院的科米爾說，一些零售商要求供應商對毛衣進行檢測，看看是否起球。某些商店要求使用馬丁代爾耐磨儀(Martindale Pilling Tester)，這是一種巨大的、兩層振擺式機器，它讓同一材質的兩片樣板布以環形和線性運動方式進行相互摩擦。另一個選擇是隨機翻滾式毛球測試儀(Random Tumble Pilling Tester)，這是一種帶有尖叉、類似攪拌機的儀器，常用來檢測厚實的面料，如家居裝飾織物。該機器能讓三塊樣板布在一個帶軟木塞蓋兒的圓筒內快速旋轉。After testing, the samples are held at a 45-degree angle and compared under specified lighting with pilling images, and they are graded on a scale of 1 (total pilling) to 5 (no pilling whatsoever). Most retailers require a 4, which Mr. Cormier describes as 'some pill balls beginning to form.'
檢測以後，人們會將這些樣品以45度角的姿勢舉起並在特定的光線下對這些起球的圖像進行比較，而且還要給它們評分：從一分（完全起球）到五分（無論怎樣都不會起球）。大多數零售商要求衣物須獲得四分，科米爾將這種情況稱爲“有一些毛球開始形成。”Once you buy the sweater, what can you do to prevent pilling? One option is to wear it sparingly -- because the more a garment is worn, the more likely it is to pill, says Lorraine Muir, director of textile testing at the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute. The Woolmark Co. suggests letting clothing 'rest' at least 24 hours before wearing again so the fibers recover from stretching during use.
一旦你買了毛衣，要怎樣做才能防止起球呢？乾洗和水洗協會(Drycleaning & Laundry Institute)紡織品測試主管洛蘭・繆爾(Lorraine Muir)說，其中一個選擇就是少穿、穿它的時候要愛惜點兒──因爲一件衣服你穿得越多，它就越容易起球。羊毛標誌公司建議，讓衣物在下次被穿之前至少“休息”上24小時，這樣的話，纖維才能從穿戴過程的拉伸狀態中恢復過來。Gale Senseny, sales manager of Sweater Stone Inc., makers of a pill-removing device in Issaquah, Wash., has a once-a-year trick to help prevent pilling on the sweaters that fill her wardrobe. She conditions them with lanolin, an oil that comes from sheep and is removed in the fiber-cleansing process. Ms. Senseny breaks down a small bit of lanolin in a dish of hot water and then fills a sink with tepid water. She pours the lanolin in, followed by a just-washed sweater. She rinses the garment and lays it out on a towel to dry.
毛衣石公司(Sweater Stone Inc.)是一家位於華盛頓州伊薩誇市(Issaquah, Wash.)的去除毛球設備生產商，該公司銷售經理蓋爾・森絲尼(Gale Senseny)每年都會用一個小訣竅來防止自己衣櫥裏的毛衣起球。她會用羊毛脂來修復保養毛衣，羊毛脂是羊身上分泌出來的一種油脂，在纖維清洗過程中被去除。森絲尼先將一小塊羊毛脂放入一盤熱水中進行分解，接着用溫水將水槽填滿。她把羊毛脂水倒進去，再將一件剛剛洗 的毛衣也扔進去。對衣物進行清洗後，她會將毛衣展開平鋪在一條毛巾上晾乾。The process helps smooth the scales on the yarn's fiber, making them less rough and less likely to tangle with one another to form a pill. 'It's just like putting conditioner in your hair,' Ms. Senseny says.
這個過程有助於撫平紗線的纖維上魚鱗狀的次節，使它們變得沒那麼粗糙，也更不易彼此纏繞從而形成毛球。森絲尼說：“這就像把護髮素塗抹在你的頭髮上。”To remove pills, Ms. Senseny, not surprisingly, uses her company's Sweater Stone. The pumice stone resembles a bar of soap. When glided over a garment it removes the pills, but it won't alter what Ms. Senseny calls the sweater's 'halo' or 'unique surface.' An electronic pill remover, she says, can damage the halo of mohair and cashmere. 'It's like shaving a beard,' she says.
情理之中的是，爲了去除毛球，森絲妮還使用了自己公司的毛衣石。這種浮石就像一塊肥皂。當其滑過衣物表面時，就會帶走毛球，但又不會改變被森絲妮稱爲毛衣“光暈”或“獨特表面”的特質。她稱，電動毛球修剪器會毀了馬海毛織物和羊絨衫的光澤。她說：“那就跟刮鬍子一樣。”There are comb-like tools for removing pills, such as the palm-sized D-Fuzz-It Sweater and Fabric Comb. The Gleener has three different edges -- for big, bulky clumps, for medium-size fuzz balls and for delicate pills. President Kim Cole developed it with new synthetic fibers in mind. 'They are inherently strong, so the pilling is actually strong' and harder to remove, she said.
還有一些梳子形狀的去毛球工具，比如說手掌大小的D-Fuzz-It毛衣與纖維梳子(D-Fuzz-It Sweater and Fabric Comb)。而Gleener則有三個不同的刀口──專門針對那些大塊厚重的紗團、中等大小的毛球還有微小的毛粒。在研發這款產品時，總裁金姆・科爾(Kim Cole)考慮到了新出的合成纖維類衣物。她說：“它們本來就厚實，所以生出的毛球真的也很強固”，而且更難去除。The Internet is littered with do-it-yourself ways to remove pills that involve disposable razors or sandpaper. The Laundress's Ms. Whiting doesn't recommend any of these because of the potential for further damage, including snagging, harming the yarn or making a hole.
網絡上到處都充斥着自己動手用一次性剃鬚刀或砂紙去除毛球的方法。Laundress的聯合創始人懷廷卻不推薦其中的任何一種方法，因爲它們可能會進一步損毀衣物，包括使衣服剮破抽絲，傷損紗線或是弄出一個洞。For anyone tempted to pull pills off with your fingers, Ms. Whiting says don't. 'You are yanking the yarn it is attached to,' she says. 'You could end up making it worse.'
對於那些試着用手指揪拽毛球的人，懷汀建議不要這樣做。“你那是在使勁拉扯毛球依附的紗線，”她說：“你可能會把毛衣毀得更厲害。”
