Clothes that have shrunk
Short answer: If your clothes have got smaller, it is almost always due to heat from a tumble dryer or too high a washing temperature. The fabric can be stretched a little while damp, but it rarely returns fully to its original size.
Heat is the cause
At 40 degrees, bamboo viscose hardly shrinks at all. It is heat that makes the fibres contract, and the tumble dryer is the main culprit. A high washing temperature does the same. A single wrong programme can be enough to make a t-shirt a size smaller.
Stretch it while damp
Dampen the fabric with lukewarm water and gently pull it in length and width. Then lay it flat to dry and ease it into shape a few times along the way. It gives something back, but go carefully so the seams are not pulled crooked.
Not all of it
Do not expect to get the full size back. The damage is partly permanent, because the fibres have changed. If a top has become slightly shorter, it can often still be worn, but if it has become tight across the chest, it is harder.
Prevent it
Wash at 40 degrees, use a moderate spin and let the clothes air dry. Those three rules make the biggest difference. Avoid the tumble dryer entirely, or use low heat only. Read more in why viscose shrinks and how to avoid it.
The first wash
The first wash matters most, because new fabric reacts most to heat. Wash correctly from the start and read the label before the garment goes into the machine. The remaining rules are in the washing guide.
Drying
Hang the clothes up or lay them flat, so they dry in their proper shape. Shake them out first and straighten the seams. A radiator also gives off heat, so do not dry clothes directly on it. Air around the clothes is both gentle and enough.
See the range
T-shirts are where shrinking shows most clearly, because they are washed often and sometimes end up in the dryer by mistake. Wash them at 40 degrees and hang them up, and they keep their size. See the basics in bamboo t-shirt for women.
See also
Bamboo clothing does not shrink on its own when washed correctly. The same few rules apply every time: low temperature, moderate spin and no hot drying. More on the topic in does bamboo clothing shrink in the wash.
Which items are hit hardest
T-shirts shrink most in length and bedding most in width, where the cover suddenly sits tight around the duvet. Large items like bedding are hard to stretch back, so prevention matters most here. See bamboo bedding.
When it has happened
If a garment has shrunk, try stretching it while damp and see how much comes back. If it cannot be worn as before, it may still work as clothing for home or for sleeping, where the fit matters less. And keep the rules in mind for next time.
Frequently asked questions
Can shrunk clothes be fixed?
Partly, by stretching them gently while damp and letting them dry flat. Do not expect the full original size back, though, because the fibres themselves have changed.
Does bamboo clothing shrink at 40 degrees?
Hardly at all. It is heat from the tumble dryer and high washing temperatures that make bamboo viscose shrink. Washing at 40 degrees and air drying keep the size.
When do clothes shrink the most?
In the first wash, because new fabric reacts most to heat. So wash correctly from the start, use a moderate spin and let the clothes dry in the air rather than in the dryer.
You can find the full range at Bamboo-Clothing.com.
