Does Polyester Shrink? Care tips sewists & designers need to know

Polyester does not shrink under normal circumstances – when it is washed in cold water and ironed at low heat. The fabric is made of synthetic fibers, has good dimensional stability, and resists shrinkage – in direct contrast to all other natural fibers like cotton and linen.

Shrinkage resistance of polyester fabric during normal wear and care, including washing and drying, is one of the main attractions of polyester fabric. And a reason why I mostly do not prewash polyester before sewing with it.

When it comes to sportswear, polyester’s resistance to shrinkage and good thermoregulation make it popular for athletes. For clothing manufactures this means that when adding polyester fibers, frequent washing is less likely to alter the size of the clothing they have made.

For fashion designers, polyester’s resistance to shrinking keeps graphic design elements and logos intact over time. This quality also helps in sewing linings, and structured garments.

If you’re looking for making a swimsuit that retains its shape, consider polyester fabric; it not only resists shrinking but also dry quicker. Polyester athleisure garments tend to hold their shape better than natural fibers.

When does Polyester fabric shrink?

Polyester blend fabrics like poly-cotton can shrink in the wash due to the presence of natural fibers. When polyester fibers are blended with other natural and man-made fibers which shrink, the final blended fabric will show a propensity to shrink.

Cotton-polyester, linen-polyester, and polyester-rayon are all shrinkable fabrics because the natural fibers in these fabrics will shrink.  

If you do not pre-wash these fabrics before sewing them into clothes, they will shrink on you. How much they will shrink depends on the other fibers present in the blended fabric.

If you’re in the United States, labels often indicate whether a fabric, such as polyester, is prone to shrinking – this however may be based on estimates or industry standards.

The fabric care label on a polycotton fabric shows how the garment should be cared for to maintain it without shrinkage or color loss.

This symbol above means – Machine washing at a maximum temperature of 30ºC with minimal agitation.

This symbols means Do not tumble dry.

This symbol of an iron with one dot means iron only at a low heat maximum temperature of 100ºC (230F). 

This means Do not bleach.

100% Polyester vs. Other fabrics – in shrinkage 

I buy a cotton dress and love it – it is everything I want in a dress and fits me to a ‘T’ – great. But after the first wash, I begin to wish I was thinner or that I had bought a bigger, looser size. The dress has gone one size smaller in the wash! This would be the case if the dress’s fabric was linen, wool, or silk. But if it was a polyester one, I needn’t have despaired.

There are many things to love about polyester. It is so easy to maintain clothes made of polyester. If I hang the polyester shirt as soon as it is washed, there is no need to even iron it. That makes me a convert as I dislike ironing.

And no color bleeding or fading, Nor does it tear easily, not to mention – non-attackable by insects and molds.

And then there comes the question of shrinkage! The fact that it does not shrink can be a plus or minus according to what you are looking for.

What temperature is preferred for washing polyester?

Cold water wash is preferred, but if you want to wash in warm water, a wash temperature of 40°C is preferred for polyester fabrics. Low temperatures should be used for softer polyesters (the kind that looks like silk or rayon). If your machine has a permanent press setting, this is ideal for pleated polyester garments. In LG washing machines, the name for the setting for polyester fabric is ‘Easy Care.’

Polyester microfiber clothing is always washed in cold water and with a gentle cycle. If you have polyester fleece blankets or clothing, look for a setting called ‘fuzzy.’  

How to shrink polyester?

There are some circumstances when you want the polyester fabric to shrink – like you have a dress which you like but it is a little big and you wish that it will be a size smaller to fit you rather than making any complicated sewing alterations on it ; or you have a piece of fabric that you want to shrink to fit your pattern.

It is difficult for the fabric to shrink, but you can try.

If you want to shrink polyester, you have to apply heat. By bringing the fabric into contact with hot water you may be able to shrink the fibers of polyester to a degree. 

Use the hot water setting (highest) in your washing machine with the longest wash cycle. You can then use the heat setting in the dryer to further shrink the fabric. There is no guarantee that the heat will not deform or make the fabric look worse, though. A pressing with a moderately hot iron (not too hot and also use a pressing cloth) can follow this for greater shrinkage.

(Do not try this with smooth-faced, polyester fabric clothing, like a polyester satin. You may destroy the soft feel of the fabric).

Risks in trying to actively shrink polyester fabric.

Please be aware that with high heat, Polyester will shrink but then it melts; it melts in high heat. It could melt if you accidentally set your iron heat a little higher. If you leave the polyester garment in the dryer a little longer than necessary, the wrinkles will set almost permanently.

How not to shrink Polyester?

Basically, you have to wash polyester fabrics or clothes in cold water, that is all. Wash Polyester in a normal cycle in the washing machine or by hand in cold water or mildly warm water with mild detergent, inside out.

Read the care label on your polyester garment care label and follow. For more details on fabric laundry care labels, checkout the post on the different washing care labels. Some of the most important wash care labels are as follows; your polyester garment should be checked for this label and cared for accordingly.

Dry as normal. If you can skip the dryer altogether, well and good; just hang to dry. The fabric dries fast enough, without all the wrinkles after being cooped up in the dryer.

Heat can cause shrinkage and hardness to this fabric as well as color fading. Anyways why should you use heat on polyester when cold water washing does a good job?

Temperature plays a role in fabric care; lower heat settings on a clothes dryer are advisable for polyester to minimize the risk of shrinking?.

If you are thinking of shrinking a polyester dress to your size, Please do not. The best way to reduce the size of a garment is to alter it – if you have a dress or a blouse that you want to take down a size, make darts at the right places or add a tuck or two.

So in conclusion, I would say that Polyester is a great durable, wrinkle free and non-shrinking fabric for making clothes. 

Related posts: Properties of polyester fabric; How to not shrink fabrics and clothes.