Myth, you should buy a size up for shrinkage

Short answer: Modern fabrics are pre shrunk. If you buy a size up to be on the safe side, you end up with a garment that fits too loosely for its whole life. It is better to choose your right size and take care of the clothes in the wash.

Where the myth comes from

It used to be common for a new jumper to shrink noticeably in its first wash. So many people learned to buy a size up to leave some room. The advice lives on, even though fabrics are treated differently today. The result is that many people wear clothes that never fitted properly, because they were bought too big.

The shrinking has already happened

The fabric is treated before sewing, so most of the shrinkage happens before the garment is even made. What remains is one to two percent. That is so little you will hardly notice it in the fit. The garment therefore fits much as it did when you first tried it on. See bamboo underwear for men.

A size is much more than two percent

The jump between two sizes is typically four to six centimetres, far more than the shrinkage. Buy a size up and you get many extra centimetres that never go away. You notice it most in underwear and T-shirts, where fit matters a great deal for comfort. The fabric bunches, slides and folds. See bestsellers for men.

What clothes that are too big do

A garment that is too big stays loose for its whole life. Underwear can slip and bunch up during the day, and the waistband does not sit where it should. A T-shirt that is too wide hangs instead of falling neatly. These are small things, but you feel them every day and they do not go away.

Washing habits matter more than size

Any shrinkage that can happen depends mostly on how you wash. Wash at forty degrees and avoid the tumble dryer, and there is almost no shrinkage. High heat is what makes fibres contract. So it makes more sense to take care in the wash than to buy too big from the start. See the men's range.

If the fabric is not pre shrunk

A few fabrics are not pre shrunk. In those cases it says so in the product text, so read it before choosing a size. Here half a size extra can be reasonable, but rarely a whole one. If nothing is mentioned, you can assume the fabric is treated and that your usual size is the right one.

How to choose the right size

Start with clothes you already own that fit well. Measure them lying flat and compare with the size guide. Between two sizes it helps to think about how you want it to sit: close or looser. But do not let fear of shrinking decide, because it is much smaller than many people think.

How to avoid shrinking completely

Wash at forty degrees, avoid the tumble dryer on high heat and hang clothes to dry instead. Pull them gently into shape as you hang them so the seams lie straight. Avoid drying them on a hot radiator. With these habits your clothes keep the size you bought them in, wash after wash.

Frequently asked questions

Should you buy a size up

No. Pre shrunk fabric shrinks only one to two percent, while a size jump is four to six centimetres. The bigger size therefore stays too loose for the garment's whole life.

What if the fabric is not pre shrunk

Then it says so in the product text. In those cases half a size extra can be reasonable, but rarely a whole one, because the shrinkage is still smaller than a full size.

How do you avoid shrinking completely

Wash at forty degrees, avoid the tumble dryer on high heat and hang clothes to dry instead. Then they keep the size you bought them in.