Your membership has expired

The payment for your account couldn't be processed or you've canceled your account with us.

Re-activate

Save products you love, products you own and much more!

Save products icon

Other Membership Benefits:

Savings icon Exclusive Deals for Members Best time to buy icon Best Time to Buy Products Recall tracker icon Recall & Safety Alerts TV screen optimizer icon TV Screen Optimizer and more
    outside the labs

    Best Fabric Shavers for Making Your Old Sweaters New Again

    These handy little gadgets can transform your knits

    When you shop through retailer links on our site, we may earn affiliate commissions. 100% of the fees we collect are used to support our nonprofit mission. Learn more.

    Person using Steamery fabric shaver on sweater, Super Lint, Mainstays, Conair, and Philips fabric shavers
    You might not need to replace your favorite knits if you have a good fabric shaver.
    Photos: Manufacturers

    As the temperature starts to dip and you begin pulling fall clothes out of storage, you may find yourself doing a double-take as you unpack one piece of flawed fashion after another. When did your favorite sweater become more shabby than chic? How did all those fabric balls multiply like rabbits, creating lumps and bumps across every ribbed waistband? But these unsightly results of repeated friction don’t have to be deal breakers that doom your separates to the trash bin.

    In this article Arrow link

    We tested each fabric shaver on sweaters, upholstery, polyester tops, and more.

    More on Clothing

    If you find your once-stylish wardrobe is looking a little worse for wear, there’s a sustainable solution that doesn’t involve shopping for new clothes. 

    Fabric shavers can help you restore worn-out pieces to their former glory by buzzing off tiny balls of fuzz and trimming patches that have become frayed or shaggy. They can also spruce up household items such as throw blankets and couch cushions that have seen better days.

    You can use these tools to make over yard sale or flea market finds that have temporarily lost their luster. Fabric shavers can also refresh used items you intend to trade or sell at resale stores like Buffalo Exchange, Crossroads, and 2nd Street USA. The better their condition, the more attractive they’ll be to the stores’ buyers.

    Become a member to read the full article and get access to digital ratings.

    We investigate, research, and test so you can choose with confidence.


    headshot of Leigh Ann Jackson

    Leigh-Ann Jackson

    Leigh-Ann Jackson is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles who has covered arts and entertainment, style, consumer goods, and pop culture for 25 years. Her work has appeared in print and online at publications such as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Buy Side, Texas Monthly, Bon Appétit, the Hollywood Reporter, and the Austin American-Statesman.