Shrinkage
Also: shrunk garment · size loss
Shrinkage is the permanent reduction in a garment's dimensions after hot washing or drying, most severe in untreated cotton, wool, and rayon. It shows as short sleeves, a cropped body, or tight fit versus the labeled size, and while not damage exactly, it misrepresents size and affects fit-driven grading.
How to detect it
- Measure the garment flat and compare to the brand's size chart
- Check for a body length or sleeve that reads short for the tag size
- Look for a puckered, distorted print where the fabric shrank around it
Grade impact
Shrinkage is judged against the garment's fit and sizing accuracy rather than surface wear. A slightly shrunk piece with honest measurements can still grade Very Good (7); a badly shrunk item that no longer matches its label reads down toward Good (6) with a strong sizing note.
Fixability
Occasionally partly reversible. Soaking wool in hair conditioner and gently stretching can recover some size; cotton and synthetics rarely bounce back. Most shrinkage is treated as permanent and handled by re-measuring.
How to disclose it
Sell by measurement, not tag ('labeled L but shrunk to fit like M — see measurements'). Shrinkage that isn't disclosed produces a fit complaint even when the item is otherwise flawless.
Shrinkage — frequently asked
- Should I list a shrunk item by its tag size?
- No. List it by actual flat measurements and note that it has shrunk from the labeled size. Tag size is meaningless once a cotton or wool piece has shrunk, and selling on the tag alone reliably produces a fit-based return.
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