Shrunken clothing is in most cases what you don’t want, but when you accidentally have your clothes oversized it can have bought it deliberately shrink are precisely the solution. This is how you according to experts can tackle the best.
A piece of clothing deliberately makes a size smaller – that’s how you do it
If you are Clothing wants to shrink Is the first thing that comes to mind perhaps the opposite of what is on the washing label, but unfortunately it is not that simple. Sammy Wang, Was expert and Senior Scientist Van Downy shares with this with Byrdie: ‘There are so many types of clothing and so many external factors that influence. That cannot be predicted how a garment shall shrink And what other changes can occur. “
Logically, one material shrinks faster than the other. ‘Cellulose-like material such as cotton and district will shrink faster. By washing with the washing machine and then drying with a high temperature So you can achieve all the desired effect. Synthetic materials such as polyester, nylon, spandex and elastane shrink less quickly, so although you can try it with the washing machine and dryer, that will not always produce the desired effect, “says Wang.
She also says that the way a piece of clothing works plays a role. ‘Knitted materials Such as T-shirts and sweaters will shrink more because there is more space between the fibers, but they are also more elastic, which means they can fall into their old shape faster. Woven materials Like trousers will shrink less quickly because they are already very tightly woven, but therefore they will not fall back in their old form. ‘
Then of course we also have woolthat often shrinks without the intention. Wang says: ‘Wool that can only be cleaned by a dry cleaner should not be washed because it can then shrink excessively. Wool requires heat, moisture and friction to shrink. All these elements are discussed when using a washing machine and a dryer. So you will have a smaller piece of clothing, but it could just be extremely smaller than before unbearable. ”
Precautionary measures
Before you start, it is good to know that the guidelines For the deliberately shrinking of clothing, guidelines are only – in the end you never know for sure how it will work out. Wang points out that because of these variables you never know exactly what you get – the dimensions From a garment can change up to 10%. She also points out that manufacturers often let the clothing shrink themselves so that this does not happen when the garment is in the hands of the consumer. By then deliberately shrinking, you could do the clothes damage Without achieving the desired effect.
Of course you cannot determine how a piece of clothing shrinks – you may want a sweater a lot shorter, but the sweater shrinks over the width.
This is how you shrink your clothes at home
Now that you know the above, the following is what you can do to one Cleaning garment at home.
- Make use of heat. This is possible via the washing machine and the dryer, says Frej Lewenhaupt, textile expert and co-founder and CEO of Steamery. “Yet I generally do not recommend shrinking your clothing because it costs a lot of energy and can be harmful, so that your garments lose color and shine in addition to shape,” said Lewenhaupt against Byrdie.
- View it material. Not everything shrinks in the washing machine and dryer, so Wang recommends experimenting with the material. ‘Natural materials such as cotton shrink the best because these materials are more’ water-loving ‘so that they absorb and expand water, which contributes to shrinking. Try to let your polyester shrink in the washing machine, then there is little chance that this will succeed if there are also not natural fibers in the garment.
- Was the garment as if it were very dirty is. Such a washing program provides more movement and friction, which is beneficial if you want a piece of clothing deliberately shrinking. “Hot water is not always necessary considering water saturation and friction ensuring cotton shrinking during a washing program,” says Wang. So you can try to wash your clothes at the normal temperature and only scale up the intensity. Wang shares that you can repeat this process to achieve the desired result.
- Let your clothes soak in boiling water. A trick that is already embraced by many tap users. Immerse the garment in the boiling hot water, let it stand for twenty to thirty minutes and then squeeze the water out with a grab. Then throw the item of clothing in the dryer and also go for it High-heat.
You understand – you never know how a piece of clothing reacts and so all this is at your own risk. Did you accidentally go too far? This is how you can do a item of clothing ‘clamp. ‘
