It’s frustrating when you buy a new pair of jeans, only to discover they’ve shrunk and no longer fit just a few months later. Jeans, like all garments, are susceptible to shrinking. This typically occurs when they are washed and dried several times, at which point the fabric contracts and the jeans become smaller. In some cases, the jeans may still fit, only with a tighter waistline. In other cases, they’ll shrink to the point where you can longer squeeze into them. So, why does this phenomenon happen and how can you prevent it?
Heat and Shrinkage
The reason why jeans shrink — well, the most common reason — is because they are exposed to heat. And when fabric is exposed to heat, it constricts; thus, shrinking the fabric. If you paid attention to high school physics, you may recall that heat causes things to expand, after which the fabric contracts and shrinks.
More specifically, however, the individual fibers within a pair of denim jeans are constructed of compounds known as long molecular chains, which are bound together by hydrogen bonds. Washing and drying the jeans results in the hydrogen bonds becoming pulled and stressed. And when this occurs, the jeans are likely to shrink. Of course, shrinking is more common in some jeans than others, so it’s important to choose the right type (we’ll get to that later). In any case, there are certain steps you can take to protect your jeans from shrinking, and we’re going to explain how in today’s blog post.
Check the Fabric
When choosing a pair of jeans, read the tag to see what exactly it is made of. Even if the jeans look like traditional denim, they could feature a combination of other fabrics and materials, some of which are more susceptible to shrinking. Polyester, for instance, has a tendency to shrink when washed and dried multiple times. This doesn’t necessarily mean that your denim/polyester jeans will automatically shrink two-to-three sizes after being washed, but you can expect them to shrink more than a pair of traditional 100% denim.
Some people prefer the soft, stretchy feel of polyester/denim jeans — and that’s okay. Polyester is often added to denim jeans to make them more elastic, which is essentially how stretch jeans are made. If you plan on buying a pair, however, you should use caution to minimize shrinking and help retain the jeans original shape and size. Remember, once the jeans have shrunk, it’s next-to-impossible to reverse. This is why you should focus on protecting your jeans from shrinking in the first place. And if you’re heart is set on a pair of stretch jeans, read the care label for specific instructions by the manufacturer on how to clean and care for the fabric.
Wash Inside Out
You might be surprised to learn that you can minimize shrinking by turning your jeans inside out when washing them. It’s usually the outside of the jeans that are most susceptible to shrinking, simply because this is the delicate side of the fabric. By taking a few minutes to turn your jeans inside out before washing them, you’ll protect the outside from shrinking. This alone isn’t going to stop 100% of all shrinking, but it’s one more step towards preserving the original shape and size of your jeans. Furthermore, it only takes 30-60 seconds to turn your jeans inside out, so this isn’t a time-consuming or tedious process. Make it a point to turn your jeans inside out when washing them and you’ll experience fewer problems in regards to shrinking.
Choose High-Quality Denim Jeans
It’s also worth noting that choosing jeans made of high-quality denim will lower the risk of shrinking. Just because two pairs of jeans “look” similar doesn’t necessarily mean they are the same. Different manufacturers use different qualities of denim, along with different levels of craftsmanship, when making their jeans. So, one pair of jeans might feature a high-quality denim fabric with equally high-quality craftsmanship, whereas a second pair of jeans may feature a low-quality denim fabric with pool craftsmanship. If you order your jeans here at MakeYourOwnJeans, however, you can rest assured knowing you are getting only the finest quality jeans at unbeatable prices. This takes the burden of crossing your fingers and hoping you find a pair of high-quality jeans off your shoulders. As long as you choose the right specifications when ordering, you’ll receive the perfect pair of high-quality jeans — jeans that are naturally resistant to shrinking.
Need another reason to shop here at MakeYourJeans? Not only do we offer the highest quality denim jeans and accessories, but we also feature custom sizing. When you shop at a traditional retailer or brick-and-mortar store, you’ll probably by limited to choosing jeans in their “basic” sizes. Unfortunately, it’s pretty rare for a shopper to find the perfect pair of jeans that fits just right when shopping at these stores. Thankfully, ordering your jeans here at MakeYourJeans means you can specify your own body measurements. Using these measurements, we’ll customize your jeans so they fit just right. And when jeans fit just right, they are less susceptible to shrinking — it’s just that simple.
Dry Only Once
One all-too-common mistake that consumers make when caring for their jeans is drying them two or more times. Perhaps you forgot about your jeans being in the dryer, so you’re forced to dry them a second or even third time just to remove the wrinkles. This is bound to happen sooner or later — I think we’ve all been in this scenario before.
Drying your jeans multiple consecutive times may sound harmless enough, but it contributes to shrinking. An even better is approach is to line-dry your jeans, which further protects them from shrinking. Simply hang your jeans on a line, wait for them to dry, and you’re good to go!
