July 01, 2020 4 min read

Will 100% Cotton Shrinks

The Cotton is a natural fiber. Cotton is widely used in the textile, upholstery, and bedding industry. The quality of this material is unbeatable. People love cotton clothes and sheets as they absorb moisture easily. They also regulate body temperature and keep you calm. Using bed sheets made of cotton is a great idea to have a good night’s sleep. Most of the bedding industries make use of this fiber extensively to manufacture goods.

"Yes, in the current situation 100% cotton will shrink, because now the environment has changed affecting the quality of the fabric, people will wash their cotton clothes carefully, use normal water, chemical-free detergent, after washing Dry the cotton clothes in the shade or in the air due to the sun."

  • This is Quite real that Cotton Fabric Shrinks after some time with regular washes.
  • 100% Cotton Fabric Shrinks Even When Dried in The Dryer and when Washed in Hot Water.

Though cotton has set a benchmark to all the other fibers, 100% Cotton is known to shrink. This is one of the main reasons that stop people from investing in items that are 100% cotton, because they have doubt of Will 100% Cotton Shrink or not. With the desire to sell the products, the manufacturers may end up blending other fibers with cotton. By doing this, the shrinkage happens in lesser amounts. Most of the bedding materials available these days avoid using 100% cotton.

Will Cotton 100% Shrink

Do Garments and Sheets Make of 100% Cotton Really Shrink?

The answer to the above question is a 'No.' The clothes with 100% cotton in them should be washed using cold water. The cotton clothes shrink drastically when they are soaked and washed using hot water.

As we all know, cotton is obtained from a plant, regarded as a vegetable-based plant. They are easy to be shrunk when exposed to hard water. Luke Warm water can reduce the shrinkage, not completely. Cotton is the 'King' of all fibers, but it can become a menace managing it at times.

Steps to take care of cotton products:-

Always read the label on the cotton products when you buy them. All the details would be mentioned, and it becomes easy for you to proceed with the purchase. It is one of the easiest fabrics when it comes to maintenance.

You can wash them like any other clothes. They can be dried easily too. Exposing it to the sun might cause the colors to fade. An air dryer is an apt way to dry cotton clothes. Soaking cotton sheets with all the other garments are not recommended.

The colors from the other clothes can be quickly absorbed by cotton material. Stains are to be removed prior to soaking the cotton sheet in water. While drying makes sure to flip the garment inside out and then dry it in the sun. Doing this will keep the colors intact. Shrinkage of cotton materials can be prevented by following the washing and drying instructions carefully.

The Cotton materials do not only shrink, and they stretch too. Cotton clothes stretch when they are dripping with water. By using water that is more than 130 degrees Fahrenheit, cotton will shrink up to 20%. It not only shrinks but can cause severe damages as well.

Things to check when you are buying cotton sheets:-

  • Read the wash care label to understand if it is 100% cotton or a blend.
  • If it is made of 100% cotton, read the instructions on washing and drying.
  • Use cold water to soak, rinse and wash.
  • When all these things are followed diligently, it becomes easier to maintain the cotton fabric. Amongst all the other ordinary fibers, cotton is an outstanding one because of its user-friendliness.

Why Does 100% Cotton Shrink?

The shrinking of cotton fabrics generally occurs in the drying process only. Drying process also has got to have a heat source sort of a gas or electric dryer. This quick drying process causes the natural fibers of the material to become crumpled together.

Perhaps the most reason why cotton shrinks is that they're made up of organic and not man-made fibers. Washing machines don't get hot enough to melt or shrink man-made fibers like polyester, rayon, et al. These fibers have high heat endurance.

Cotton on the opposite hand may be a natural fiber that doesn't getting high heat resistance. Also, cotton is usually stretched when it's made into the thread clothes makers got to produce high quality fabrics. That stretching makes cotton weak to shrinking and washing machines are more than willing to help out in that objective.

Does Cotton Fabric Shrink and When Does Cotton Stop Shrinking?

Yes, it does. But there are some possibilities to that answer. Cotton might not shrink a second instance if it has been properly pre-washed. That means you should purchase a higher size when get cotton fabrics if the manufacturer has not pre-washed the items. If you use cool water when washing cotton clothes the cotton may not shrink. Hot water is not friendly for cotton.

Fortunately, cotton isn't like wool. The ultimate material does shrink tons and almost whenever you wash it if you are doing not follow correct cleaning procedures. Cotton generally only shrinks once which is that if it hasn’t been pre-washed.

Pre-washing is important if you would like your cotton outfits to last you an extended time. Sometimes clothing manufacturers pre-wash their apparel and sometimes they are doing not. Check the label to form sure if that has been done or not. When buying fabric for stitching your clothes, always pre-wash the cotton material. If you are suspicious and separate your clothes, you should be able to avoid any shrinking problem.

You can also Check out - Does Polyester Shrink?


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