The comparison of tested specimens with photographic standards is the most frequent procedure to evaluate pilling formation in fabrics, but this comprises a subjective evaluation and the standards cannot represent all kind of fabrics. For this reason and due to the importance that pilling formation has to the overall fabric quality, it becomes important the definition of an objective method to evaluate pilling formation. A quality control methodology for pilling formation is proposed, based on the analysis of optical profile of samples, this is, samples are measured for pilling by means of an optical set up mounted on a bench using a collimated light beam.