“Fiber memory is a real thing,” said Stacee Parker, a laundry professional with Poplin. “Think of natural fibers like wool, cotton, and linen as coiled structures that get stretched out while they’re made, but snap back to their original state once they get wet and heated,” thus resulting in shrinkage.
Poplin founder Mort Fertel, agreed that natural fibers, like wool and cashmere, are more susceptible to shrinking than, say, synthetic fibers like polyester and nylon, which have a different fiber structure and are therefore more resistant to factors like heat and agitation.
Your best defense against shrinking, according to both Fertel and Parker, is prevention. This means closely following the garment’s care label, opting for cold-water washing and air-drying, and “cutting your losses when a heavily felted or shrunk wool sweater that’s been like that for years,” Parker said.
But if the damage has already been done, keep reading to learn about Eucalan and the other products and methods that Parker and Fertel suggest to help revive your diminishing garments.
The experts consulted for this story do not necessarily endorse the products ahead unless otherwise noted.
