Method: Three fabrics (single jersey) were manufactured from the following yarns:
Perino Cirrus Blend (40% NZ brushtail possum, 40% cashmere & 20% mulberry silk)
100% cashmere
100% merino.
All yarns were 2/28Nm in thickness and all three were knitted into the same fabric measurement using a 12-gauge Shima Seiki knitting machine, with the same single jersey knit structure and tension.
Resistance to pilling was determined using ISO 12945-2: 2000: Determination of fabric propensity to surface fuzzing and to pilling using the modified Martindale method.
Result: Perino Cirrus fabric was more resistant to pilling than the two other fabrics.
| Rubs | Perino Cirrus | 100% Cashmere | 100% Merino | 
|  | Grade | Grade | Grade | 
| 1000 | 4 | 1-2 | 2-3 | 
| 2000 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 
| 5000 | 2 | 1 | 1-2 | 
Grade 5 - no change  |  Grade 1 - severe change
*This research was carried out by Clothing and Textiles Centre, University of Otago, New Zealand.