This morning you've put on the black hoodie that only arrived yesterday afternoon. Outside your boarding house, your neighbour from the next room is warming up a motorbike. They glance over for a second, then say, "Whoa, dug the old hoodie out again?"
You look down and see what they see. In the morning sun, the black looks as if it's under a thin film of dust. Oddly, the cuffs and the ribbed band at the hem, which are more tightly knitted, are still a deep black.
There's nothing wrong with the black itself. What makes the hoodie look old is the surface of the fabric.
Matte Black Stays Deep, Fuzzy Black Looks Dusty
Matte black, meaning black with no shine, often gets mistaken for dull. But shine is only a matter of how smooth the fabric's surface is. The Superfine Koko shirt, for example, has a faint sheen in its folds because the fabric is smooth. A cotton hoodie has no sheen like that, and it doesn't need one.
You can see a good matte black in the black oxford shirt. The fabric has no shine whatsoever, yet the black stays deep because its surface is clean.
Dullness comes from something else: fine fibres standing up on the surface of the fabric. Each one catches a little light. Together, thousands of them lay a greyish film over the black, much like dust on the bonnet of a black car. The difference is that dust wipes off, while this fuzz comes from the yarn itself.
How to Check a Hoodie's Fabric Before You Buy
In the shop, fold a little of the fabric at the chest and look along the fold with the light behind it. A clean fabric has a crisp edge. On a fuzzy fabric, the edge is covered in fine hairs, like the ones on your arm when they're lit from behind. While you're under the same light, compare the body of the hoodie with its cuffs. If the body looks paler, the surface is most likely fuzzy.
Next, rub the inner side of a sleeve against the side of the hoodie a few times. On any hoodie, this is the first spot to go fuzzy, because your arms brush against it with every step. If the fuzz comes up straight away, everyday rubbing will only make it worse.
If you're shopping online, zoom in on the product photos at the edge of the hood and the shoulders. Fuzzy fabric looks slightly blurred along its outline. Review photos that buyers took in daylight are usually more honest than studio shots.
If Your Black Hoodie Has Already Gone Fuzzy
A lint roller or a strip of wide sticky tape will remove fuzz that has already come loose. Small pills on the sides can be tidied up with a fabric shaver. Lay the hoodie on a flat surface, move the shaver slowly, and keep it away from the seams. Some of the black will come back.
If the fuzz is back a few days later, it's coming from the yarn itself. A hoodie like that is still worth wearing. Pair it with lighter trousers, such as cream or blue denim, so the black looks deeper. Next to jet-black trousers, the greyness only stands out more.
Tomorrow morning, try that hoodie with blue jeans. Who knows, the comment from next door might change too.
Frequently Asked Questions
What about washed black hoodies, the ones made to look faded?
That's a style choice. A special wash makes the colour greyish and slightly uneven, so naturally it won't be as deep as a regular black. You can still check the surface the same way. If the edge of the fold is crisp, that grey is simply the colour.
Does a polyester hoodie stay black longer than a cotton hoodie?
Polyester usually holds its colour better through washing and sunlight. The downside is that polyester pills don't fall off easily, so they can cling to the sides of the hoodie for a long time. Cotton pills tend to come off on their own in the wash, although cotton loses its colour sooner.
Will the fuzz on a new hoodie go away after washing?
Some of the loose fibres do come out in the first wash. But if the yarn itself is fuzzy, the rubbing of everyday wear will raise fresh fuzz. Don't buy a hoodie hoping the wash will fix it.
Is a hoodie with a thick fleece lining bound to go dull on the outside quickly?
No. The fleece on the inside is there on purpose, to keep it warm and soft. How a hoodie looks comes down to its outer face, so check that side the same way.
Is a charcoal hoodie a safer choice than black?
If you don't want the hassle, yes. Fuzz and stray lint show up most on black. Charcoal hides both, and it's still easy to pair with almost any trousers.