What fabrics shrink. Cotton fabric with elastane: a combination of naturalness with functionality How much cotton fabric shrinks

Whether the fabric (viscose) shrinks during washing or not, you need to know even before washing, as there is a risk of completely ruining the thing. 100% viscose or mixed with other materials can be washed at a temperature not exceeding 30 degrees. Soak the product in a basin for half an hour, and then wash it carefully, without squeezing and avoiding friction. Wring out clothes by wrapping the dripped dress in a towel without using force. Iron inside out through a damp cotton handkerchief.

Any clothes have their own washing requirements, and failure to comply with them leads to shrinkage or stretching of the fabric. This is especially true for viscose. This material is pleasant to the touch, has a high throughput and looks good on the body, so it has earned a lot of positive feedback. If you have such items in your wardrobe, learn how to wash viscose so that it does not shrink and retain its shape.

Why does viscose warp

It is problematic to buy a thing that has a 100% viscose composition, since most manufacturers dilute the material with synthetics and linen, polyester and cooler, staple and cotton, acrylic and nylon, polyamide, wool, and elastane in order to save money. It is this factor that provokes the deformation of the material during washing, since with some additives, one care condition is necessary, and with others, almost the opposite.

Viscose is a capricious fabric

Additional factors that spoil viscose:

Viscose material, cotton or, can not only shrink, but also roll into spools.
Wrong selection of water temperature added to the viscose structure. This causes the material to stretch.
Also, this factor can ruin even “clean” viscose. Then the fabric will lose its shape, warp or stretch. This always happens if knitted things are washed in inappropriate conditions.
Hot drying is unacceptable for viscose. The consequences are similar to washing at the wrong temperature.

Stroking the viscose fabric with a hot iron, strongly twisting or squeezing the material at high speeds (in the washing machine), you risk irrevocably ruining the thing.

To minimize the risk of damage, (tag). It describes in detail the composition and features of care. Be sure to stick to them, otherwise the dress will not last long.

How to prepare clothes for washing

Once you know if viscose shrinks in the wash, it's important to understand how to prevent shrinkage. To do this, it is necessary to carry out the correct preparation, evaluating the composition of the material indicated on the tag, and set the water temperature.

Then we do the following:

If you are washing coats or trousers, check pockets for change and other small items.
Fasten buttons, zippers.
Unscrew the product.

At a temperature of 40–45 degrees, it is difficult to predict whether viscose will shrink when washed, so do not take risks. Use a temperature setting that does not exceed 30°C.

When wet, the fabric is subject to deformation, so wash viscose separately from other things (to avoid friction), turn off the spin cycle.

Note ! Do not put in the drum under any circumstances. They will become a source of puffs and stretching of the fabric, which cannot be removed!

If there are pronounced stains on the dress, gently wash them by hand with laundry soap.

The subtleties of hand washing

It is better to wash viscose so that it does not shrink by hand. This is a gentle method (compared to processing in a machine), but you need to carry out the procedure carefully, otherwise the thing will become unsuitable for further use.

We wash things manually correctly:

We make sure that the water does not exceed 30 ° C, and pour it into the basin.
Add liquid or dry powder. It is better to give preference to the first type, since it dissolves well in water of any temperature, which eliminates the possibility of stains.
We dissolve the cleaning agent, put the thing in the water to sour for 30 minutes.
We wash, avoiding friction, stretching and squeezing the fabric.
Rinse in clean water.
We drain the water from the basin and leave the dress to lie in an empty container. Periodically we take out the product and eliminate the liquid that has drained from it. You can leave the thing for 30 minutes in an empty bath.
Having got rid of excess water, we put the thing on a towel laid out on the surface of the table, and fold the dress (together with the towel) into a roll.
Gently wring out, avoiding twisting.
We unfold the towel, shake the thing and proceed to drying.

By following these elementary rules, you don’t even have to think about whether viscose shrinks after washing or not. This processing method is suitable for pure material or containing impurities, as well as for other delicate fabrics.

How to wash in the machine

The machine roughly affects the contents of the drum, so you need to know how to wash viscose so as not to damage its structure.

Prepare, load the laundry into and then into the drum.
Add to the delicates tray.
Install the "Delicate Wash" program.
See how many degrees are set in the program (usually no more than 30°C).
Turn off spin and auto dry.
Press the start button.

Washing clothes in the machine is much easier than by hand, but do not forget that viscose shrinks after washing, so be sure to turn off unnecessary functions and the temperature is correct. After turning off the machine, do the spin cycle, as with a hand wash, then the fabric will not stretch.

Note! Hard water has a negative effect on viscose. To restore optimal pH, dissolve a little soda ash in water or use a powder that contains softeners.

What to do if the viscose stretched or sat down

If you did not know whether viscose shrinks after hand or machine washing or not, and washed the product incorrectly, try to correct the situation.

Put on a wet product and walk in it until the fabric is completely dry. The material must take the shape of the body.
Set the iron to the “silk” program, turn on the steam generator and iron the damp item. To lengthen the sleeves, gently pull them up.
Wet the viscose liberally and hang it to drip on a hanger.

The latter option for correcting shrinkage is less popular, because when stretching clothes on a trempel, it can change shape.

Rules for drying viscose clothes

It is strictly forbidden to hang viscose products on a clothesline, as the fabric will deform or stretch. You can dry such products by laying them out on a towel or any other fabric that absorbs moisture well (on a table in a horizontal position).

Important! Hanging viscose on a trempel is allowed only after the fabric has completely dried.

How to iron viscose

Every ironing is a test for viscose, especially when mixed with other materials.

In extreme cases, ironing, adhering to the following algorithm:

Set the iron to silk mode.
Turn the product inside out.
Spray the fabric with a spray bottle until damp.

So that the thing does not deteriorate, it is better to iron it through a damp cotton cloth. If it is dry, then move on to another area so that the material does not overheat.

Knowing in advance whether viscose shrinks after washing, you will prevent damage to it, therefore, when buying any delicate products, study the tag first. If it is missing, the purchase should be abandoned, otherwise incorrect processing will lead to irreversible consequences.

How to wash viscose in the machine is shown in the video:

Larisa, October 9, 2018.

Cotton clothing has been around for thousands of years. This material was valued in ancient India and Egypt; a couple of centuries ago, both peasants and aristocrats wore such clothes. This fabric has not lost its popularity even now, but the young housewife is always interested in the question of whether cotton shrinks after washing. We will now talk about the properties of this amazing material and how to handle it.

Features of cotton fabric

Cotton has a lot of advantages. Clothes made of chintz, satin, coarse calico, cotton jersey have a lot of useful properties:

hygienic;
absorbs moisture well;
does not cause allergies;
pleasant to the touch;
beautiful;
is inexpensive.

Why is that? Let's look at a few things:

Hygiene is due to the fact that products made from this fabric are easy to process. In many cases high temperatures can be used where no bacteria will survive. Cotton perfectly absorbs moisture, so summer clothes and underwear are sewn from such fabrics.
This is a material made from natural fibers, so it does not cause irritation, allergies, or skin diseases, of course, if things are properly cared for and not allowed to get too dirty.

Important! During the time that cotton fabrics have existed, they have been made with many designs, so you can easily find bright beautiful products on sale. At the same time, the price range is quite wide, so you can buy very beautiful dresses and T-shirts at the lowest price.

Flaws

Perfect materials do not exist, each has its drawbacks. Cotton also has them:

cotton fabrics are very wrinkled;
white things often turn yellow;
manufacturers do not always use persistent dyes, so things often shed and fade;
with improper washing, cotton shrinks after washing, sometimes even strongly.

First wash

How to wash cotton so that things serve for a long time, retain their size and appearance? A lot depends on the first wash. Even if you usually wash in an automatic machine, cottons should be washed by hand the first time, especially if there are no synthetic fibers in the fabric at all.

Add some powder for natural fabrics (preferably with enzymes). Ours will help you choose a quality one.
Soak the product for fifteen minutes.
Rinse thoroughly and dry item.

Important! It is better to carry out the first wash immediately after you bought the product - then you can do without powder at all.

Choosing a washing powder

It is not difficult. Many detergents are suitable for washing cotton products - both those intended for products made from natural fabrics and universal ones.

But there are nuances:

Pay attention to what materials the product is intended for - for white, black or colored.
Also, make sure that you always have bleach and fabric softener on hand - of course, such that you can wash cotton items.

Important! Do not use chlorine-based bleaches for washing cotton items - they destroy both fabric and dyes. Oxygen bleaching is preferred.

Preparing for washing

Since cotton shrinks quite often during washing, some simple rules must be followed. Cotton fabrics can be washed:

manually;
in car.

Regardless of which method you choose, the products you need:

sort;
get out of the pockets everything that is there;
turn inside out;
fasten if there are buttons or zippers.

Laundry sorting

It is necessary to disassemble dirty things very carefully:

separate white products from colored ones;
sort according to the degree of contamination;
arrange in different piles of things from thin and thick fabrics.

What features should be taken into account:

Wash sheets, pillowcases and duvet covers separately from T-shirts, socks and other small items.
It is always better to wash white and colored linen separately, regardless of what materials it is made of. A thin strip on a synthetic sock, which seems to be resistant, can stain the entire contents of the washing machine in the most incredible colors. This is especially true for cotton fabrics - dyes can be very unstable.
It is also better to always clean your pockets, because an accidentally remaining bill or candy wrapper can ruin a thing forever. By turning the product inside out, you provide colored products with a gentle treatment. As for fasteners, a zipper left open may never close again.

Removing stains

Before washing cotton, it is necessary to remove too obvious stains from it as much as possible.

Very dirty socks and T-shirts

Sand, clay, cocoa, fruit juice - you never know what can be on cotton things? Unfortunately, street dirt also leaves stains that are not immediately washed off. Therefore, before placing a T-shirt or socks in the washing machine, try to remove excess contaminants. For this you need:

turpentine;
ammonia;
hydrogen peroxide;
laundry soap;
washing powder.

Option 1

In a bucket of warm water (10 l), dissolve 5 tbsp. l. washing powder and 5 tbsp. l. turpentine. Soak the product for a couple of hours, then rinse. The spots should be gone.

Option 2

In 10 liters of water (cold or room temperature), dissolve 2 tbsp. l hydrogen peroxide and 1 tbsp. l ammonia. This solution is also designed to soak for a couple of hours.

Important! It is more suitable for white products than for colored ones.

Option 3

Things can simply be soaked for a day in warm water with powder. The water temperature should not exceed 40°C.

Option 4

Laundry soap is used for this ancient method. The operation is carried out before soaking the entire product. The method is laborious, but effective:

Wet the stain.
Thickly smear it with laundry soap.
Rub it.
Rinse off the soap.
If necessary, repeat the procedure.

In addition, stains can be removed with refined gasoline, glycerin (after diluting it with water), as well as special stain removers. After removing the “specific” contaminants, the products are washed in the same way as usual.

Important! The main advantage of all these methods is that cotton does not shrink after such processing.

Removing yellow spots

Sometimes white cotton products turn yellow simply from old age. You can return them to their former beauty, but for this you need:

hydrogen peroxide;
ammonia;
water.

In a bucket of water, dissolve 1 tbsp. l. peroxide and the same amount of ammonia. The product is soaked for half an hour after normal washing.

Hand wash: how to wash cotton so that it does not shrink?

The first enemy of cotton fibers is heat. Of course, cotton sheets and waffle towels, as well as baby diapers, are sometimes boiled down. But this can only be done with linen that has served for some time or if shrinkage does not play a big role. If you want to keep an attractive appearance of clothes, you should not boil them. Just the opposite - you need to use cold or slightly warm water.

Thin fabrics - special attention

Fine fabrics can be washed with a regular detergent or with salt or boric acid.

Option 1:

Pour cold water into a bowl.
Dissolve 2-3 tablespoons of enzyme laundry detergent.
Soak the product for 15 minutes.
Rinse thoroughly under running water.

Important! When squeezing, cotton products should not be twisted strongly - bruises or creases may form, which then will be very difficult to smooth out.

Option 2

Dissolve 2 tablespoons of edible salt (not iodized) in 10 liters of warm water. Soak products for 2 hours, and then rinse. You can also use sea salt.

Option 3

Dissolve 3 tablespoons of boric acid in 10 liters of water and hold the product in this solution for two hours.

Important! This method is good for white items that have turned gray from time to time or poor-quality previous washing.

We wash clothes with embroidery

Such cotton products require especially careful handling, especially if you do not know what threads the embroidery was made with.

Wash cotton with embroidery only by hand:

Dissolve in 0.5 liters of water 1 tbsp. l salt.
Soak the item.
Wait 20 minutes.
Wash the item by hand with a detergent for natural fabrics.
Rinse the product.
Wrap it in a thick absorbent cloth.
Wait for the fabric to absorb excess water.
Hang the product on a coat hanger and dry it outdoors.

Can cotton fabrics be boiled?

It is possible and even necessary to boil cotton products, but not all. Do not boil:

new things that have not yet been washed:
products from colored and printed fabrics.

Aluminum utensils should not be used for boiling - white things will turn gray. An enameled tank is most suitable, into which water is poured and bleach is poured, laundry is loaded, brought to a boil and boiled for an hour.

Important! The contents of the tank must be stirred periodically.

How to wash cotton in a washing machine?

Washing cotton in the washing machine is easy and pleasant, if only you choose the right mode. Any temperature is acceptable, it all depends on several circumstances:

white things or colored;
thin fabric or thick.

Regarding temperature:

From too high a temperature, the dyes are destroyed, respectively - colored things fade. Therefore, the temperature should not exceed 40°C.
White clothes can also be washed at the maximum temperature - 95 ° C is suitable for them, but it is still better to set the thermostat to 90 ° C.

Important! Do not wash cotton items together with synthetic items, even if the same cycle is suitable for both.

Choose a program:

To begin with, the laundry needs to be soaked. To do this, there is a special pre-wash or soak mode in the automatic machine. In this case, the detergent must be placed in two compartments of the tray - A (1, I) and B (2, II). The first is for prewash, the second is for the main wash.
For the main wash, there is a special program “Cotton”. It is best to choose it, although it is considered slow. Some high quality machines have several programs for each type of fabric. You have already sorted the laundry, so it will not be difficult for you to choose the right one - for example, “Colored cotton” or “White cotton”.

However, other options are also possible. If the thing is thin, made of colored fabric, not very dirty and you do not want it to shrink in size, it is best to select the delicate wash setting by setting the thermostat to 30 ° C. After washing, the product must be stretched and dried in a horizontal position. In the same way, items knitted from cotton yarn are also washed.

Important! Make sure that the product retains its shape.

Does cotton stretch?

But what if, despite all the tricks, the product still sat down? Can it be stretched? In some cases, this can be done. To do this, you need an iron with a steamer:

Lay the item on a horizontal surface.
Cover it with wet gauze.
Iron with an iron, stretching the edges.

There are other ways to deal with trouble, you need:

hydrogen peroxide;
vinegar 3%.

Option 1:

Dilute in a bucket of water 2 tbsp. l. peroxides.
Soak the item.
Wait 2 hours.
Rinse and dry in a horizontal position.

Option 2:

Spread the product on the table.
Smooth out any wrinkles.
Soak a sponge in 3% vinegar.
Moisten the item.
Wash in the usual way.

Reduce T-shirt

Shrinkage isn't always bad. Sometimes the product needs to be reduced in size, and cotton is just perfect for this:

Electric heaters are also not the best helpers in this case.

Important! It is best to dry cotton products in the open air, but not in the sun, from which the white fabric turns yellow, and the color fades. In this case, it is necessary to use clothespins very carefully, from which strong creases and bruises can remain. Better use hangers.

How to iron cotton?

Cotton can be ironed at high temperatures - it does not melt or stick. For this fabric, set the thermostat to maximum. The most important thing is to make sure that the fabric lies flat, because folds on cotton form in the most unexpected places, and it is rather difficult to smooth them out later.

Important! You can steam such products, as much as possible, and iron them wet, but this should be done carefully, otherwise scorch marks may appear.

How to care for cotton products?

Cotton, of course, is not the most wear-resistant material, but it can still serve for a long time with proper care:

Be sure to check the label before washing for the first time.
Do not allow dirt to eat in - wash things immediately.
Do not line dry cottons - if there is no other way, dry to a damp state, and then complete the process with an iron.
Do not let it dry out - in any case, you need to iron the fabric when it is damp.

Important! The same rules must be observed if you have a dress or T-shirt made of mixed materials with the addition of synthetic fibers. Synthetics are added to keep things in shape better. In this case, clothes and linen can be dried on a rope using clothespins, but you should choose the temperature more carefully - it may happen that the maximum temperature is not suitable.
Now you know whether cotton shrinks after washing, how to avoid it, how to wash such things by hand and in a washing machine. We hope that with the help of our advice you will not have any difficulties in caring for such comfortable and pleasant things.

Fabric shrinkage: Prevention is easier than fixing

When buying a new dress, trousers, sweater or tracksuit, a person expects that the thing will serve him for as long as possible without losing its appearance. And what a disappointment one has to experience when, after the first washing or ironing, the product is deformed, sharply decreasing in size. Fabric shrinkage is a rather significant and unpleasant defect, which is quite possible to prevent.

Shrinkage is a change in the size of the fabric under the influence of moisture. The product may shrink not only in direct contact with water or steam, but also under the influence of precipitation or high humidity. True, in these cases, the process is not so fast and the clothes do not have time to strongly deform.

Fabrics can “shrink” at different stages of production: when cutting, sewing, or even during storage if it is not done properly. As a rule, in these cases, the amount of deformation is provided for and taken into account when sewing products.

The shrinkage that occurs during the operation of clothing becomes a much greater nuisance, since it is not possible to cope with it in all cases. The reasons for changing the dimensions of products after wet-heat treatment are as follows:

Appearance of reversible elastic deformation. In the process of textile production, the threads of the fabrics are repeatedly stretched, as a result of which they are, as the sewers say, “in tension”. At the stages of dyeing, to ensure maximum impregnation, the materials are stretched on special braces, and the so-called elastic deformation appears in the product.

During the first wet-heat treatment, the strained fibers are weakened, and the fabric shrinks. Moreover, in most cases, the product decreases more in size not along the weft, but along the main threads.

Thread swelling. Saturated with moisture during washing, soaking or steaming, fabric fibers also get rid of tension. At the same time, they not only shorten, but also bend, as a result of which the clothes take on bizarre shapes. This process is especially strong in knitted fabrics.

Shrinkage is a very unpleasant phenomenon that requires unnecessary costs from manufacturers. When cutting materials, craftsmen are forced to make allowances, which increases the consumption of fabric and does not always lead to the desired results.

The degree of shrinkage distinguishes not only different fabrics, but also the same fabric in various parts of clothing, depending on their size, the shape of the patterns and the number of stitching. So, small details with frequent seams, for example, sleeves, collars or pockets, “sit down” more strongly than large panels.

It happens that when sewing mixed fabrics that are not subject to size changes, cotton threads are used. As a result, after washing, the product gathers ugly at the seams and loses its attractive appearance.

Shrinkage of various fabrics

The amount of shrinkage of textile materials depends on several factors, including their composition. Fibers that can absorb the maximum amount of water and change their size when wet have the greatest shrinkage. These fabrics include cotton and linen materials, as well as viscose.

The swelling of the fibers increases with their strong twisting, which is very typical for woolen and some silk fabrics. In this case, not only the diameter of the yarn changes greatly, but also the structure of the fabric itself.

There is a system of standards that provide for the shrinkage of various materials in percentage terms. Here are the values for the most common fabrics:

Cotton: plaid, velveteen - 5-6%;
Satin, chintz, poplin, percale - 3-5%;
Linen - 6-7%;
Semi-woolen - 3-4%;
Woolen - 6-7%;
Silk smooth - 4-5%;
Staple and viscose - 3-4%.

Interesting fact! When synthetic fibers are added to natural ones, their shrinkage ability is reduced. But one should not think that synthetics are completely immune to this flaw. Even nylon products shrink up to 1.5% after washing, and semi-nylon products - up to 2.5%. Many cushioning materials suffer from the same drawback, for example, dublerin and interlining.

Antishrink Treatment Methods

Shrinkage and deformation of fabrics are tried to be prevented or at least reduced at the stages preceding the tailoring. There are special methods for this:

mechanical. An elastic band is laid on the fabric, which is pressed tightly. In this form, the material is rolled through hot rolls. As a result, tension is removed from the tape, and the canvas is forced to shrink;
chemical. Its essence lies in the preliminary impregnation of the fibers with a formaldehyde solution, which reduces their swelling when exposed to moisture, and hence the deformation;
tracking. This method is most often used for knitted materials. Rolls of fabrics are laid out on shelves in a room with a given humidity and left for a long time. After the shrinkage process is completed, the fabrics are put into production.

The most effective methods of anti-shrinkage treatment include heating with dry steam and decanting. Let's learn more about this method.

Decating fabrics

This is an artificial shrinkage of the canvases, carried out with the help of their wet-thermal treatment. Decat all fabrics, which contain more than half of the natural fibers.

In order to determine at home whether the material needs to be decoated, you should iron a small area with a hot iron. If the fabric then changed its dimensions, then pre-treatment is required. Consider the methods of decating canvases of various compositions.

Cotton fabrics

These materials are enough, slightly moistening, to iron with a hot iron from the wrong side. Only first you need to make sure on a small piece that after that there will be no stains on the canvas.

Cotton should be ironed only along the shared thread. Instead of a spray bottle, you can use an iron with a steamer.

linen materials

Linen is highly susceptible to shrinkage, so the fabrics are soaked or washed in cool water and lightly wrung out. Then the fabric should be dried a little.

Wet material is ironed from the wrong side, carefully ironing out all the folds and creases. Lining linen fabrics are dried by laying them out on a horizontal surface. Ironing is not required for them.

Wool and semi-wool

These fabrics are moistened with a solution of water, salt and vinegar and wrapped in a thick towel. In this form, they should be aged for at least 10 hours. At the end of the procedure, the canvas is folded along the shared thread with the front side inward, carefully combining the edges. After that, it is ironed through cotton fabric, moving the sole of the iron in the direction of the main thread.

Natural silk

They, like woolen materials, are moistened with a solution of vinegar and slightly dried, avoiding direct sunlight. Then it is folded in half and ironed along the shared thread from the inside, using a cotton backing.

The crepe is soaked in a weak solution of gelatin (1 teaspoon per 2 liters of water), after a slight drying, smoothed in a similar way.

artificial fabrics

Viscose and other cellulosic materials can shrink significantly on the first wash. Therefore, they, like natural ones, are pre-treated.

The canvas is wrapped in a damp sheet and left for 3-4 hours, after which it is ironed from the wrong side. To prevent discoloration, make sure that the dyes are stable on a small fragment.

Synthetics

Before opening, these materials must be ironed without fail, wetting with a spray gun. Bright colored canvases are pre-checked for color fastness.

It is especially important to decatenate fabrics that contain lycra in their composition. These materials tend to shrink strongly after washing. Therefore, wet processing will make sure that the elastic webs do not lose their characteristics during operation and the product does not subsequently change shape.

It is important to know! After decating the fabrics, a few centimeters should be cut off from them at the edges. The reason is that the edges "shrink" less than the main fabric, and unwanted skew may appear in the finished product.

How to eliminate shrinkage

In order to prevent shrinkage of the finished product, you need to carefully read the composition of the fabric and the care instructions, which are placed in the form of icons on the label, before washing or ironing. If the sweater, jacket or dress is already deformed, then you can try to return them to their original dimensions. Experts recommend using the following methods:

Textiles are soaked in cool water for 1-2 hours, and then slightly squeezed and laid out on a flat surface. To prevent drying quickly, the product is covered with a terry towel. The shrunken parts are stretched and fixed with clothespins. As it dries, the clamps are rearranged, increasing the tension.
You need to mix equal amounts of water and ammonia. Leave the clothes overnight in the solution, then wring out, stretch and spread out to dry.
If the degree of shrinkage is negligible, then you can do without water. The product must be ironed through cotton fabric with a hot iron in steam mode. At the same time, deformed parts should be straightened from time to time.
Jeans that have shrunk after washing can be restored to shape by washing them in cool water and then drying them by running a hot iron along the inside in the direction of the desired stretch. When the fabric is only slightly damp, put on the trousers and sit down in them several times. After that, your favorite pants will return to their original size.

Interesting to know! There is another way to help save a run down thing. A damp and slightly dried sweater or T-shirt is put on and dried in this form. After complete drying, the clothes will return to their original shape.

It is also worth mentioning that only fabrics containing cotton or synthetic fibers can return the lost size. Unfortunately, "shrunken" sweaters and jackets made of 100% wool cannot be restored.

Rapidly developing, the modern textile industry pleases with new beautiful fabrics every year. To avoid unpleasant moments that may arise during the operation of products made from them, you should carefully study all the properties of materials.

During washing and ironing, a reversible elastic deformation of the threads occurs in the structure of the fabric, when the fabric tends to correct the tension that was originally set. There is an increase in the cross section of the threads of the canvas during swelling. This leads to the straightening of the threads of one system (weft or warp), after which the deformation of the threads of another system (warp or weft, respectively) occurs.

Shrinkage depends on the type of fabric fibers: linen, cotton, viscose. From the degree of twisting of the threads, while more threads stretch more due to an increase in their diameter and a change in the structure of the fabric. From the wrong temperature regime when washing and ironing.

List of fabrics subject to shrinkage

Subject to shrinkage of cotton fabrics. Depending on the weave, it varies from 3% to 5%. Plaid and velveteen give the greatest shrinkage. A little less for chintz, teak, satin, calico, cambric, and other cotton fabrics. Linen and linen-containing fabrics shrink up to 6%, as well as blended fabrics. At the same time, the more cotton or linen is contained in the fabric, the greater will be the shrinkage.

After washing, the fabric with elastane shrinks, as the previously stretched elastane compresses it. The fabric can then be stretched again up to 10% of its original length.

Woolen fabrics shrink from 1.5 to 3.5%. This applies to drapes and thin woolen fabrics. According to some reports, wool is subject to shrinkage to a greater extent, up to 5-6%. This deficiency is also observed in semi-woolen fabrics.

The shrinkage of natural silk fabrics is slightly less than that of artificial silk fabrics. The greatest shrinkage is observed in silk crepe fabrics: from natural silk - up to 5%, crepe from artificial silk - up to 7%. Satin silk fabrics can lose 3.5% to 5% of their original length. Staple fabrics and viscose - up to 4%. Nylon fabrics - up to 1.5%, semi-nylon fabrics - up to 3.5%. Shrinkage is provided by gasket materials: interlining, dublirin, adhesive gasket.

Decating fabrics before cutting

Decating is a wet-heat treatment of fabrics for their shrinkage before the product is cut. Decat all fabrics, which include 50 percent or more natural fibers. These are wool, linen, cotton, hemp, silk, as well as artificial silk fabrics. If the product that is planned to be sewn will be washed, decathing is required. If you plan to dry-clean (, suits), it is enough to iron the fabric with.

Lining fabrics are soaked and dried before cutting, carefully leveling, but do not iron.

Cotton and linen fabrics are soaked, dried and ironed slightly damp. Silk is soaked and dried. Don't iron with a hot iron. Silk fabrics that may shed are moistened with a damp sheet, which is wrapped in a silk fabric before ironing. Silk plain fabrics are ironed without steam from the wrong side to avoid stains.

For woolen fabrics, moisturizing is applied from the wrong side with a sprayer. After 8-12 hours when folded, the fabric is ironed from the inside out. It is enough to iron thin woolen and semi-woolen fabrics through a damp cloth.

Some people worry about what they washed unsuccessfully thing and she sat down, others dream of the opposite. Just plant it thing easier than stretching it to the right size. It is better, of course, to purchase clothes by trying them on in advance, but even in the case of an unsuccessfully selected size, this can be corrected. If you bought small clothes, they should stretch on their own with time. But if it's a little big for you, try planting it.

You will need

-boiling water
-cold water
-centrifuge

Instruction

Sometimes due to improper care, for example, washing at high temperatures or due to the dishonesty of the manufacturer, who did not seat textile first, you get a thing that you can no longer put on yourself. Bought by size, but after washing it became small. I don’t want to throw it away - both the thing is good, and it’s a pity for the money. Try to give things the right size by stretching the fabric.

You will need

Steam iron, gauze or white cotton cloth

Instruction

You can use an iron with or without steam to stretch the fabric. To do this, place the item on a horizontal surface. In your right hand and you have an iron, with your left you hold the edge of the thing that you are going to stretch.

The iron must be pressed well against the product and at the same time pull the fabric with your left hand. As a result, it turns out that you are pulling the fabric in two directions at the same time: with your hand to the left and with the iron to the right. A hot iron steams out the fibers and fixes the stretching effect.

You can apply the same stretching method with your hand and iron, but in a vertical position. To do this, hang the thing on a coat hanger and secure it with some kind of clips so that it does not slip off when ironing. Smooth and steam until the item looks the way you want.

Start ironing with a steam iron, pulling the fabric in the right places.

Iron until the fabric is dry.

If the fabric has sat down and gone astray, you can also try to steam it with an iron. Lay a cotton sheet on a flat surface, spread the affected item on it and cover with another layer of cotton fabric. From above, move the iron, barely touching the surface (without pressing), using steam until the wool is dry.

note

Be prepared for the fact that the woolen fabric cannot be reanimated. Wool that has fallen off is very difficult to bring back to its proper form. Next time wash your woolen garments in lukewarm water and lay flat to dry.
The fabric you stretch is likely to shrink again after the first wash, so the procedure will have to be repeated.

Young inexperienced housewives are often upset when they take out damaged things from the washing machine. Understand why underwear village after washing, you can by looking at the label of the product and finding out the composition of the fabric.

CottonCotton fabrics, which include satin, chintz, taffeta, calico, chiffon, batiste, etc., are very durable, absorb moisture well, tolerate washing and ironing. However, they always sit down. To insure against this, choose fabrics with the addition of polyester or lavsan. Things from 100% cost a little more than the size you need. And when they sit down after first , then they will fit. Be sure to follow the recommended temperature washing indicated on the label. If it has not survived, wash at 40°C, and if heavily soiled, do not exceed 60°C. Detergents use universal or soft. Wool Wool fabrics get dirty very little. Many woolen items are recommended not to be washed, but dry-cleaned. If this is not possible, wash by hand or on a gentle cycle. To prevent the fabric from shrinking, it is recommended not to use water hotter than 30-40 degrees. Rinse should be at the same temperature by adding glycerin (1 tablespoon) or water to the water. The wool product should not be soaked, twisted and dried in a suspended state. All this can cause not only shrinkage, but also severe deformation. Dry your woolen item by carefully laying it out on a flat surface with a folded sheet underneath. The addition of threads, viscose or lavsan helps to avoid problems with 100% wool. They increase the wear resistance and wrinkle resistance of woolen products, as well as reduce the likelihood of their shrinkage. Linen and other fabrics Linen is very durable, absorbs moisture well and dries quickly. Linen fabrics can withstand washing in very hot water, but may shrink slightly. If you do not want to allow this possibility, buy things with the addition of polyester or viscose. Fabrics made of silk, viscose, polyester and acrylic do not shrink when washed, however, in order for them to retain their shape and shape longer, be sure to take into account the care instructions indicated on the product label.

Sources:

viscose shrinks when washed

If the item is cut incorrectly or the washing and drying regime is violated, hidden fabric defects may appear. One of the common disadvantages of textile materials is fabric shrinkage. This is a reduction in the original dimensions of the canvas after wetting.

Types of fabrics subject to shrinkage

Most often things from natural fabrics sit down:

Cotton. Clean ones almost always shrink after washing. If a thing is made of taffeta, calico, chiffon, chintz, batiste or satin, it may decrease by one or two sizes.
Wool. Due to shrinkage, woolen products can significantly change their original shape. Moreover, due to the peculiarities of the cut and the direction of the fibers, individual parts of clothing, for example: sleeves or legs, can be deformed.
Linen. Linen fibers have high strength, but they can shrink under the influence of high temperatures or with the wrong choice of detergent.

Silk and most artificial fabrics do not shrink.

What to do so that the thing does not shrink

When choosing a fabric, pay attention to its composition. Even a small content of artificial fibers (dacron, polyester, nylon, viscose) will minimize the risk of shrinkage. It is advisable to take one size larger for pure cotton clothes, as they will definitely fit after the first wash.

Cotton "loves" warm water (preferably 40, but not higher than 60 degrees). It needs soft or universal washing powders.

Shrinkage of woolen fabrics often occurs due to improper spinning or washing in hot water. Woolen clothing should not be twisted or compressed. Dry it in a horizontal position, spread out on a white cloth. Do not hang a wool sweater on an ordinary clothesline: this will lead to deformation of the entire product.

Strictly follow the care instructions on the label. Many woolen items, especially bulky ones, can only be dry-cleaned. Manufacturers recommend hand washing in warm water with the addition of fabric softener. To soften the water, dissolve a few tablespoons of baking soda in it.

Shrinkage of fabrics can be prevented even in the process of cutting things. Each type of textile material has its own shrinkage rates (1.5 - 10%). Using these standards, you can roughly calculate how much the canvas will decrease and adjust the patterns.

An effective way to prevent shrinkage is to decaterize the fabric, or force-shrink. This method consists in processing the material before cutting. The cotton fabric is moistened and ironed from the inside along the shared thread. Woolen and silk fabrics are wrapped in a damp towel and left for 3 hours. Then ironed through an additional ironing iron. Materials with a pile or a complex texture are not subjected to decatization. The more seams on the clothes, the less shrinkage of the fabric threatens it.