Fabrics that shrink easily include cotton, wool, silk, linen, and hemp. Fabrics made from natural fibers are more prone to shrinkage than clothes made from synthetic fibers, such as nylon and polyester. However, spandex will shrink in the dryer.
Clothes dryers can cause wear and strain on clothing when it's tossed and tumbled in high heat. Or if it's exposed to the heat for extended periods of time. Line drying is, obviously, more gentle since there is no tossing or tumbling of clothes. It's just the heat from the sun and the natural breeze.
The study confirmed some common knowledge. Drying shrinks clothing twice as much as washing, and tumble-drying shrinks twice as much as air-drying.
If you need to use a dryer, select a low or no heat cycle and use dryer balls to keep your jeans tumbling. The best way to dry jeans is by hanging them up to air dry: Remove the jeans while they're still slightly damp, then stretch the seams and hang them up to finish drying.
Synthetics. Polyester, nylon, spandex, acrylic, and acetate won't shrink and will resist water-based stains.
Cotton, linen and denim are hardier natural fabrics that will fare better in the dryer. Does polyester shrink in the dryer? Usually not — synthetics like polyester, nylon and acrylic are generally safe to tumble dry, although at high heat they will also be in danger of shrinking.
Different materials react in different ways to heat, but most fabric textiles shrink when exposed to high temperatures. As the dryer tosses around a load of clothes in a hot, enclosed area, it forces the fibers to gradually constrict; thus, resulting in shrunken garments.
Avoid washing sweaters with heavy or bulky items, like jeans, towels, and sweatshirts. After washing, don't put it in the dryer, even on the lightest settings. Instead, hang it flat to air dry. Taking these precautions when machine washing can help your sweater keep its shape and last longer.
Cons of Clothes Dryers
Clothes dryers also put a lot of wear and tear on your clothes, as mentioned above. With some models, you might see your clothes start to fade or degenerate. With some fabrics, you should never use a dryer. Make sure when you read the label that tumble dry is an option.
What does “do not tumble dry” mean? Certain garments shouldn't go in the dryer at all. Subjected to high temperatures, silk may shrink, wool and knitwear may pill and undergarments may shrink or lose their shape. Learn more about how to prevent pilling on your clothes.
You should avoid placing soaking wet clothes in most dryers. If you pack your dryer with soaked clothes, you run several risks. First, the clothes might not get fully dry, causing a musty smell. Second, you might damage the bearings on your dryer.
In Short: Leggings in the Dryer is a No-No
If you're curious, here's a list of common items that you should avoid putting in the dryer: Anything with spandex, including leggings, yoga pants, sports bra etc. This includes all activewear or athletic apparel.
If you need or want to use the dryer, avoid high heat or overdrying the shirts. Many dress shirts will call for a delicate or low temp cycle but, as usual, refer to your garment's care tag first. Use the dryer to remove most of the moisture from the shirts and then allow them to air dry.
Can You Unshrink Clothes? It is possible to unshrink most clothes and garments. In most scenarios, all you need is a container full of warm water with a capful of liquid detergent. Next, make sure to add in your clothes and stir them into the solution until they are completely soaked.
How to dry cotton fabrics? You can dry most cotton items in the tumble dryer on a warm temperature setting. Check the garment's care label to make sure you don't shrink the garment.
Spandex: Spandex does not react well to heat, and therefore putting full spandex clothing, such as a bathing suit or leggings, into the dryer will caused the fabric fibres to weaken and break. Clothing that contains a small amount of spandex material, such as jeans, could be okay to put in the dryer.
Cotton-polyester blends (65/35 and 50/50)
Cotton-polyester blends are versatile and are used to make everything from bedding to shirts. Because polyester doesn't shrink or change shape like cotton does, this blend is easier to wash and dry.
Whether your clothing is crafted from 100% cotton or a premium cotton blend, you should know that any clothing that contains cotton can shrink when subjected to high heat. To prevent shrinking, you should use appropriate protocols, i.e., cold water, delicate wash cycles, and low dryer settings.
100% Polyester
Low moisture absorbency allows the fabric to dry quickly, also known as “moisture-wicking”. This material always keeps its shape, so there's almost zero shrinking or stretching, regardless of what kind of extreme wash and dry cycle you put it through.
Yes jeans will shrink in the dryer if they are dried using the high heat settings. Denim is made from 100% cotton fiber with a twill weave, which means your jeans will shrink if they are tumble dried on high heat (learn how hot does a dryer get.)
“It's always in your best interest to wash clothing before wearing,” he says. Nilsson agrees, saying washing new clothes “reduces the content of chemicals,” especially residual chemicals that may be left over from the manufacturing process.
When it comes to drying jeans, be sure to turn your pair inside out and tumble dry them on a delicate cycle and low heat setting, unless the care label directs otherwise. Toss in a few dryer balls to help keep them tumbling so they'll dry more evenly.