The
Warp and Weft of Shrinkage
Have you ever wondered
why a garment that's a few sizes too big for
you can't be shrunk to fit -- but your jeans
and sleeves keep creeping up your legs and arms?
Shrinkage generally occurs in the length, not
the width, of a garment because of the way the
fabric itself is woven.
Fabric is created when
fibers are woven together. Some fibers
run lengthwise of the fabric, others run crosswise.
Those that run lengthwise are called the Warp
fibers, and are generally under high tension
during the weaving process. The crosswise
fibers are called Weft (as in, running "weft"
to right -- to help you remember.) These
fibers are not under the same degree of tension
as those running lengthwise.
Once the fabric is
removed from the loom or weaving machine, the
longer, lengthwise fibers begin to return to
their pre-tension condition. When washed
and then dried at high temperature, this procedure
is accelerated -- resulting in legs of pants
that get shorter, and arms of shirts that ride
up. This is called Relaxation Shrink --
since the warp fibers are gradually relaxing
back to their unstretched state.
A
Wooly Story
Hair fibers, like sheep's
wool, are different from fibers like cotton.
Wool fibers are curly, like human hair can be.
They have scales on them, much like a fish,
and it is these scales that actually cause the
shrinking. When wool fibers move past
each other -- as they do when agitated in a
washing machine -- the little scales on the
fibers catch on each other, compacting the fabric
as a result. Once this occurs, there is
no remedy to make the fibers go back to their
uncompacted state. The fabric is just
smaller than when you started. Sometimes
that means the garment no longer fits, or that
the lining is now out of proportion to the exterior
fabric.
So if wool is so touchy,
why do we use it at all? Because it's
a fantastic durable fabric. Those little
kinky fibers also trap air between them, making
wool cozy and warm because of the insulating
effect this has. Wool can be creased and
recreased, and still look great. It can
be stretched (like at the knees or elbows or
seat of your suit) and still come back to its
original shape. It can absorb as much
as 30% of its total weight in moisture and still
not feel damp -- try that with an acrylic!
It's also a hardy fabric, resisting dirt, flame
and wear better than other fabrics.
Tough
as... Silk?
We tend to think of
silk as a delicate fabric, but in reality the
fibers are incredibly strong. In fact,
a steel filament that is the same diameter as
a silk fiber is not nearly as strong as the
silk! Even though silk is not a hair fiber,
it is made by animals -- silkworms, who spin
it into cocoons. Silk fibers are made
by unwinding those cocoons, and the Chinese
have been doing that since the 27th Century
B.C. During the time of the Roman Empire,
silk prices were easy to determine: it
was worth its weight in gold.
Silk does not shrink
much at all, because of the natural sizing that
is part of the silk extruded by the worms.
Sometimes shrinking silk is a good thing!
Loosely woven silk, like crepe de chine, can
be improved by washing because it tightens up
the weave again. Silk fibers dye well
because of their high absorbency, and so can
be produced in a wide array of wonderful shimmering
colors.
Better
than Nature?
Manmade synthetic fibers
are created from chemicals, and their fibers
are often stronger than natural fibers.
However, because of their make-up, they don't
breathe very well, and trap moisture and heat.
They'll also melt if ironed with an iron that
is too hot -- we've all done that! However,
synthetic fibers don't shrink, and are appealing
for that reason. They can also be made
in a variety of colors and made to look like
silk or other natural fibers.
How
much is too much?
Industry standards
for shrinkage of a garment is about 2% -- usually
something you won't even notice. But garments
will go on shrinking over the life of their
usefulness. A shirt, for instance, is
expected to last about 2 years, or 35-50 washings.
If you keep it longer than that, and wash it
more than that, the shrinkage will continue
but the shirt will be beyond its expected life.
Sometimes it's not
the garment that shrinks at all, it's the interfacing
inside the collar or cuffs or front button placket.
If the interfacing quality is not matched to
that of the fabric at the time of manufacture,
this can cause trouble when the garment is cleaned.
Heading
it off at the pass...
You can avoid many
of the problems that arise from garment shrinkage
by following a few simple rules:
- Be realistic, and
expect some shrinkage. Buy clothing
that has a tiny bit of extra space to
allow for it. (Or invest in a good dieting
program!)
- Buy quality garments
whenever possible, to minimize difficulties.
- Follow care label
instructions. If it says "wash in cold
water" then do it -- Hot water should be 120-150
degrees; Warm water is 90-110 degrees; cold
water is about 85 degrees.
- If the label says
"dryclean only" there is usually a reason
-- either the dyes are unstable in any other
process, or the fibers may shrink beyond wearability
if washed, or there is trim that could be
damaged in regular washing. Let us take
care of it.
- Enjoy your clothes!
Like everything else in life, they are not
going to last forever. Replace garments
as needed, and take delight in looking your
best.
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