Ring-spun cotton is made by twisting and thinning the fibers, which creates a softer, stronger yarn. That softness is great against your skin, but it also means the fibers are more exposed. Every time your collar rubs against your neck, your jaw, or the collar of a jacket, those tiny fibers get tugged and roll into little balls. That's pilling.

It's not a defect. It's physics. The collar is the highest-friction zone on a tee, so it's the first place you'll notice it.