The crossed out tumble dryer

Short answer: A crossed-out square with a circle means the fabric must not be tumble dried. It is almost always about shrinkage and about elastane that cannot take heat. Air drying is the right method for clothes with the symbol.

What the symbol means

The square with a circle inside means tumble drying, and when it is crossed out, the clothes must stay out of the dryer. That is a clear instruction from the maker, not advice you can take or leave. The symbol is on the label because the item is meant to be air dried. Read the label before you put clothes in the dryer.

What happens if you do it anyway

The fabric shrinks more than in the wash, and the shrinkage cannot be fully reversed. It hits dense knits hardest, such as a bamboo sweatshirt for men, where fit matters a lot. The damage happens the first time the clothes go in the dryer and cannot be undone. So it is best to follow the symbol from the start.

Why the ban is there

The maker has measured how much the item changes in machine drying and found the change unacceptable. This applies to several models in the men's clothing range. The ban is therefore not general caution, but based on how that particular item behaves. Take it seriously, even if the clothes look sturdy.

Elastane cannot take heat

Elastane loses its spring when it gets hot, and the damage cannot be repaired afterwards. Waistbands and edges go slack, and the clothes lose their shape. A wash will not fix that. If the clothes have elastic, heat is the worst enemy, which is why the symbol is on the label even though the fabric otherwise handles an ordinary wash.

Spin, shake and hang up

Spin at eight hundred revolutions, shake the laundry and hang it with space around it. Shaking removes most creases and gives the air room to move between the layers. Use hangers for larger items and hang heavy knits over a line or lay them flat. The laundry then dries evenly without losing its shape.

One night is enough

One night is enough for most of the most popular items for men. Hang the laundry in the evening and leave it until it is completely dry. If it hangs somewhere with good air, it dries calmly. If you are in a hurry, use a drying rack in a room where air can move freely around the clothes.

A dryer without heat

Some dryers have a programme without heat, and that is usually safe. Check the manual for your machine and see whether the programme truly uses no heat. If you are unsure, let the clothes hang to dry instead. Choose this programme only when you are certain, since hanging is always the safest choice.

When the shrinkage has happened

Shrinkage can be partly reversed with moisture and flat drying, but rarely fully. Dampen the clothes lightly, gently pull them into shape and let them lie flat until dry. That may give back some of the fit, but not all of it. So it is better to avoid the dryer from the start than to repair the damage later.

Frequently asked questions

Can you tumble dry on a cold programme

Some dryers have a programme without heat, and that is usually safe. Check the manual for your machine, though, and hang the clothes up if you are unsure what the programme does.

How much does clothing shrink in a dryer

Typically two to five percent more than when air dried. That can be enough to change the fit clearly, especially on dense knits where the fabric sits close.

Can shrinkage be reversed

Partly, with moisture and flat drying, but rarely fully. It is best to follow the symbol and air dry from the first wash, so you do not have to fix anything afterwards.