Why polo shirts pill faster than everything else in your closet

Pull an old polo out of the drawer and it's usually the first thing in your wardrobe to look worn out, ahead of t-shirts bought the same year. There's a specific reason for that.

The knit itself is the problem

Polos are made from pique or interlock knits, which have more surface texture than the flat jersey knit used for most t-shirts. More surface texture means more loose fibre ends exposed to friction, and friction is what causes pilling.

Where the friction actually comes from

A bag strap crossing the chest, a seatbelt, a laptop bag against the shoulder — polos take more direct rubbing over the course of a normal day than a t-shirt worn the same way. It's less about the shirt being lower quality and more about where it sits and what rubs against it.

Fibre length changes the outcome

Short-fibre cotton has more loose ends to begin with, so it pills fast regardless of care. Long-staple cotton, like Supima, has fewer loose ends in the yarn from the start — there's simply less raw material available to twist into little fuzz balls.

What actually slows it down

• Wash inside out, every time — friction inside the machine happens on the inside of the fabric instead of the visible surface.
• Skip fabric softener — it coats fibres and can accelerate pilling over time.
• Air dry instead of tumble dry — heat and machine friction together are the worst combination for a knit's surface.

→ Shop the No Fade Black Polo — ₹690 · 220 GSM Supima Cotton