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Uh oh! Looks like the water temperature might have been a bit too hot for the washing machine.
iStockphoto/ThinkstockImportant Points to Remember
- Clothes don’t necessarily shrink when washed in warm water, but natural fibers like cotton, wool, and linen have a higher chance of shrinking due to their tendency to revert to their original form when wet.
- The structure of the fabric plays a role in its shrinkage risk: Loosely woven fabrics are more likely to contract in warm water, while more stable materials like silk and polyester tend to resist shrinking.
- Preshrunk garments have been specially treated to minimize shrinkage, offering better resistance to the effects of warm water washing.
Laundry guidelines are fairly simple. Dark clothes go in cold water to avoid fading, lighter ones usually get a warm wash, and whites and towels are washed in hot water. However, fabric type can throw these rules out the window. Wool and linen will shrink in warm water regardless of their color. But then, warm water does help remove stains, doesn’t it? The stain might vanish, but that sweater could end up too short! So now you’re left wondering — do clothes always shrink when washed in warm water?
To understand why your sweater shrank, it’s important to first explore why fabrics shrink in general. Fabrics are made from materials that are woven together by a machine. The type of material and how it’s woven creates different fabrics. For instance, cotton forms the base of both gingham and denim, two fabrics that are quite distinct. Denim is heavier because it's made with a twill weave, making it more durable, while gingham uses a plain weave, resulting in a lighter, more breathable fabric. These differences stem from how the fibers are woven together and how tightly they're woven.
Natural fibers have a bit of stretch, so when woven loosely, they tend to have more flexibility. Manufacturers can save on fabric costs by stretching these fibers, which allows them to use less material. However, when these fibers get wet, they tend to revert to their natural state. The looser the weave, the more likely it is to tighten up when it absorbs water. Adding water, warmth, and agitation to the mix accelerates shrinkage. Generally, natural fibers such as cotton, wool, and linen are more prone to shrinking in warm or hot water compared to stable fibers like silk and polyester. An exception to this is preshrunk garments, which undergo a special compression process to prevent significant shrinkage during washing.
