Think about the last time you bought a brand new hoodie that fit perfectly, but it shrunk significantly when you washed it. Sweatshirts can often shrink to the point where they are no longer wearable. This is very frustrating, especially if you buying expensive hoodies.
Continue reading to learn why sweatshirts shrink and how to prevent shrinkage when washing and drying your clothes.
Why do hoodies shrink?
Cotton is the most popular material for hoodies because it is so soft and comfortable, but there is one major drawback: It shrinks when exposed to heat.
If you machine wash your hoodie with warm water and throw it in the dryer after, it is going to be much smaller when you take it out.
Many brands started making their hooded sweatshirts with cotton/polyester blends to address this issue. However, as long as there is cotton in the material, it will shrink in the dryer.
How to prevent shrinking when washing a hoodie
- Read the tag to make sure there are not any special washing instructions
- Turn it inside out
- Put it in the washing machine
- Add laundry detergent
- Wash with cold water (Avoid warm and hot water)
- Hang dry your hoodie. You can hang it on a towel rack, chair, or on a coat hanger. Do not put it in the dryer.
Comfortable hoodies that won’t shrink much
Champion Reverse Weave Hoodie – The reverse weave fabric will shrink because it’s 82% cotton, but it is designed to shrink horizontally, instead of vertically. This actually tends to improve the fit, giving you a more customized look.
Cozy Earth Bamboo Hoodie – This hoodie ranked number one in our most comfortable hoodie test and it is made of easy-care bamboo fabric. You can machine wash this hoodie on cold and tumble dry on delicate without any signs of shrinking.
