Stretching and bagging
Also: bagging · misshapen · stretched out
Stretching is the permanent loss of a garment's original shape, where knit collars, cuffs, waistbands, and knees bag out and no longer recover. Caused by wear, hanging, or blown-out elastic, it leaves the piece misshapen and loose, and it weighs on structural integrity and how the item reads cosmetically.
How to detect it
- Check knit collars and cuffs for a wavy, loose edge that won't snap back
- Look for bagged knees, elbows, and seats that hold a stretched shape
- Pull a waistband and release it — worn elastic stays slack
Grade impact
Stretching sits across Structural Integrity (25%) and Cosmetic Appearance (20%). A slightly relaxed cuff stays near Very Good (7); a permanently bagged collar, knees, or waistband that changes the silhouette drops the item toward Good (6) or Fair (5).
Fixability
Sometimes partly recoverable. Steaming and reshaping tightens mildly stretched knits, and a tailor can take in a bagged waist; badly stretched ribbing and elbows usually stay misshapen for good.
How to disclose it
Describe where it's lost shape ('collar stretched and no longer sits flat'). Stretching is subtle in flat-lay photos, so mention it and show the garment on a form if you can.
Stretching — frequently asked
- Will a stretched-out collar go back to normal?
- Only partly. Steaming and reshaping can tighten a mildly relaxed knit collar, but ribbing that has permanently lost its recovery stays wavy and loose. Grade and disclose a badly stretched collar as a lasting shape flaw rather than assuming it will fix.
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