Q&A for How to Shrink Cotton Fabrics

Clothes dryers shrink cotton through the use of heat. Hanging cotton fabric outside to shrink it will not be successful, because the temperature is not high enough to cause shrinkage.

Why do you think it is different? "Baumwolle" is simply the German word for cotton. There is no difference in the origin of the material.

Yes and no. All laundry damages the fiber. All wearing damages the fiber. Bug, the process of shrinking itself won't damage the fiber more than putting it through a normal laundry load three or four times. Be careful about any hot-fix embellishments (like any stones or studs that are glued on), because those can fall off when you shrink, even on expensive jeans.

Same way with cotton, but the graphics will begin to crack, so it's recommended not to if you are concerned with the quality of the graphics.

Yes and no, if it's a cotton/polyester blend, the cotton fibers will still shrink, but the polyester won't. When trying to shrink blended fabric, it is advised to do so with caution, so as not to risk warping the fabric. if the jacket has a polyester lining, note that the lining won't shrink, and you risk it becoming bigger than the jacket itself and peeking out from the edges and sleeves.

Yes, but the zipper will not shrink with the rest of the fabric. It won't lie flat anymore, and will ripple instead. The zipper will not break, though.

If you wash your clothes in a washing machine, they are ready to put in the dryer right after a wash - the washer generally removes most excess water at the end of the cycle. If you hand wash, you should wring out the clothes or gently soak up the excess water with a towel. The clothing should shrink regardless. You can look up your dryer model online if you want to be aware of any potential hazards.

Probably, however, it won't fade more than it would fade in two or three normal washes. If you've got 100% cotton garments, you can get a box of black RIT dye from the laundry department of most stores and follow the instructions to bring the dark color back.

Yes. Any clothing article that is composed of 100% cotton will work with the methods shown above.

It won't shrink in the same way cotton does. It doesn't shrink as much, and it doesn't shrink evenly, so you get a fabric with a similar size, but a different texture. Rayon loses over half its durability when it's wet. Do NOT try to shrink it using your washer or your dryer or by boiling it in a rolling boil. If you want to try, soak it in water that's just off the boil, and then iron with a press cloth. Think of wet rayon as having the strength of dry tissue paper.

It’s okay to let them cool first. Both hot washing and hot drying cause shrinkage.

Even new clothes machine washed in cold water will have small amounts of shrinkage if not already pre-shrunk. The hotter the water, and the more agitation, the more the amount of shrinkage.

As long as the fabric is between 85%-100% cotton the results should be the same as if you where shrinking a shirt.

Trying to do that on cashmere will damage it. Given how expensive true cashmere is, you are better off taking it to a tailor to have them alter your garment.

If you have an iron applying the heat to it, that should help shrink it down. Try doing this while the fabric for the mask is still damp. It also depends how much of it you need shrunk. The smaller the fabric, the less shrinkage that occurs.

If its 100% a synthetic (poly, rayon, etc.), thn your chances of shrinking are slim. Those fabrics are designed to stay as they are since they are mainly of a plastic origin. If it is a cotton blend, then you can throw it in the dryer. For example, fabrics that are 95% cotton and 5% elastine (like most jeans nowadays) will still shrink, but something that is 75% poly and 25% cotton will not have much change. Either way whatever your fabric composition is, just try putting it in the dryer after washing it with hot water.