Vacuum bags and what they do to fabric

Short answer: Vacuum bags save space but press the air out of the fibres. For bamboo viscose that is fine for a few months, not for years.

What happens inside the bag

When the air is sucked out, the fibres get pressed together and stay in whatever position they happened to be in when the bag closed. Creases set in, and a knitted fabric can lose some of its fullness over time. The longer the bag stays closed, the more permanent the change in the fabric becomes.

When they make sense

For moving house, for travel and for storing through a single season, vacuum bags are practical because they save a lot of space in the short term. For storage over several years, a fabric box is the better choice, because the textile can breathe rather than sitting compressed for a long stretch. See bamboo clothing for women.

Moisture is the biggest risk

If the clothes are not completely dry when you suck the air out, a musty smell can appear after only a few weeks in the bag. The bag traps moisture with no way to escape, which makes the problem worse than it would be in an ordinary box. See bamboo bedding and bamboo clothing for men.

Which fabrics handle it best

Woven fabrics like denim and linen handle vacuum packing better than knitted fabrics, because the threads sit tighter and do not loosen as easily. Bamboo viscose is soft and light, and it tolerates a shorter stay in a vacuum bag, but should not sit compressed for a long time.

How to pack it properly

Fold the clothes neatly before putting them in the bag, so fewer creases form, and avoid stuffing the bag so full that the fabric gets pressed harder than necessary. Suck the air out slowly rather than quickly, which gives a more even result and less strain on the fibres.

Compare it with other methods

A fabric box takes up more space than a vacuum bag but treats the fabric more gently over time, because air can circulate freely around the clothes. Choose the method based on how long the clothes will be stored, rather than on how much space you have in the closet right now.

When to switch methods

If the clothes need to sit for more than a season or two, it is time to move them from the vacuum bag into an ordinary fabric box instead. Moving them over takes only a few minutes and meaningfully extends how long both shape and colour last.

How to get the creases out again

If clothes have sat vacuum packed for a while, an ordinary wash or a dryer on low heat often smooths them out again just fine. For fabric that cannot go in a machine, hanging it in a bathroom filled with steam from the shower for ten minutes helps too.

Frequently asked questions

Do the creases come out again

Yes, usually after a wash or a steaming close to the fabric. After several years in a vacuum bag, though, some of it can remain permanently.

What should never go in a vacuum bag

Anything with filling and anything that is not completely dry. Filled items lose their shape permanently, and damp clothes easily develop a smell inside the bag.