How To Keep Your Shirts From Shrinking

Isn’t it frustrating when you get a great, comfy shirt that fits perfectly but once it comes time to wash it it shrinks? We hate it too! A frustrating thing about shirts is that if we don’t care for it properly, they can oftentimes shrink and then we are left frantically googling the best possible way to stretch it back out. At Asheville Print Shop & Screen Printing we don’t want you to go through the frustrations of a shirt that’s been shrunk, so we’re here to help with some of our own advice.

In order to prevent shrink one must know the types of fabrics that shrink, pre-shrunk products, fabric blends that have minimal shrink and proper washing for minimal shrinkage. Shrinking occurs to a shirt if it is not properly washed and dried. Some of our other clothing items tend to not shrink no matter what cycle and settings we put them on. However, shrinking is commonly found in plain t-shirts. So how can you avoid or prevent shrink? Let’s keep reading for a few tips on avoiding shrink.

The Best Shirts for Minimal Shrink

How much your shirt shrinks first depends on the type of fabric it is. 100% Cotton shirts will always shrink. If you want to avoid an ill-fitting shirt, sizing up would be recommended. If you are not interested in sizing up your shirts we do recommend getting a blended shirt. We carry dual-blend and tri-blend t-shirts. These t-shirts are the softest fabric and since it is blended, shrinking is minimal to none. Our very own ASP tee is one of the shirts we would recommend, it is a dual blend shirt made of ringspun cotton and polyester. Another popular choice would be the Anvil 6750. This is a tri-blend shirt consisting of a 50/25/25 blend of polyester, combed ringspun cotton, and rayon. This shirt also already comes pre-shrunk so you won’t have to worry about the fit changing after washing it. This leads to our next topic of discussion, pre-shrunk options.

Looking Out For Pre-Shrunk Options

When looking for the perfect shirt, one additional thing to consider is if it is pre-shrunk. Most brands offer pre-shrunk options of their shirts. Pre-shrunk means that the shirt has already been shrunk and will not shrink anymore when you wash it, so there are no surprises when you pull it out of the dryer. The fit of the shirt you receive is what you get so there is no reason to worry about sizes running small. Pre-shrunk is a great option to look out for especially when purchasing a 100% cotton shirt. Some popular options we carry in our shop include the Hanes SL04 and the Fruit of the Loom 3930R. Both of these shirts are in the cost-effective range since they are 100% cotton and come pre-shrunk so you won’t have to worry about shrink!

Avoiding Shrink in the Wash

Now that we’ve already given our advice on what to look out for before you get a shirt, we want to make sure that the shirts you already own are covered. This last piece of advice we want to offer are proper settings when washing your shirt. The main reason why cotton shirts shrink in the wash is because of heat. Although your other clothing withstands the heat of the water in the washer and dryer, cotton is greatly affected by heat. To avoid your shirts from shrinking, make sure to wash your shirts on a cold cycle and dry them on low. This method of washing will ensure minimal to no shrink for your shirts and will help them last longer! If you want to talk to us more about the best shirt for you order, come visit us at our print shop off Patton Avenue or give us a call at 828-738-5190.