topic Re: Isaac and 100% cotton in Fashion

Isaac and 100% cotton

songbird — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 02:25:56 GMT

Why does he offer this? More then half his tops are 100% cotton. They are not pre shrunk. They shrink up at least 1 size. I hand washed mine, (not the machine) and laid it flat. Shrunk. When cotton gets wet, it shrinks. Doesn't matter hot or cold, just wet. Yet he persisits in showing it. I only purchased one of his cotton tops and it's the last one. Cotton also stretches and wrinkles. And the color fades. I have a few cotton tops from Nordsrom, and they were pre shrunk. Did not have any trouble with them. The colors faded through.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

sunshine45 — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 02:31:47 GMT

i dont buy 100% cotton from ANY vendor anymore. whenever i read fabric content i am so disappointed when i see that it is all cotton.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

luv-the-Q — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 02:38:21 GMT

They shrink up at least 4" in length. They are perfect until you wash them.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

sandraskates — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 02:57:19 GMT

I don't buy Isaac's clothes so I'll just say this: I'm tickled when I find a top that is 100% cotton. I don't like the trend of spandex in clothing, especially tops. When you lift your arms the top goes up too. For me, spandex is for workout clothes.

I have a Quacker Factory top that is all cotton and it did not shrink at all washed in cold water and hung to dry.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

DiAnne — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 03:27:47 GMT

I love his cotton tops. I wash in cold on delicate in machine and machine dry on delicate. I usually size up on 100% cotton.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

granddi — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 04:17:23 GMT

No IM or LC 100% cotton for me either. Something just does not work if you try to size up.

But yet 100% PimaCotton from talbots or JJill don't shrink. I don't think it has to have span in it to not shrink just higher quality fabric

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

skuggles — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 04:27:03 GMT

I also found that they pill, and that is hang drying after a cold gentle wash. Too bad cuz I love the feel of his cotton t shirts with the shirt tail hem. His 24/7 pants shrunk very badly on me too following the label instructions. If you say so, you get a bunch of people who say they're great and that they hang dry them. They're definitely not preshrunk as a better garment would be. Why print the wrong instruction on the label with every new iteration over time?

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

jewel3 — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 05:13:49 GMT

It is more expensive for the fabric to be washed and dried by the mill or dying facility before going to the cutting table. It also must be blocked and steamed to have that pressed look before re-rolling it onto the fabric roll for shipment to the cutters.

Cotton is tricky because it often shrinks in width and much more in length so just sizing up is not always a good choice.

If if you have manufacturers whose cotton maintains shape better than others, you might stick with those lines as they have specific requirements for the processing of their cotton fabrics. Same for linen and similar for silk.

I have quite a few quacker all cotton tops and some Isaac tops that have shrunk minimally but I launder in cold on a hand wash cycle with a low spin and hang to dry. One false move and they would fit the 6 year old.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

chiclet — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 11:43:31 GMT

I watched the presentation of the IM cotton tops last night and wondered if they shrank. I live in the south and 100% cotton is great but the last one I bought years ago from Quacker factory got shorter each wash and wider. I don't dry in dryer but do not have room to dry tops flat. Also have to be ironed. They just seem too much work.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

cotto22 — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 12:45:28 GMT

ITA. I will sometimes browse Isaac's tops if I am looking for a particular color or style, and if the one I find is 100% cotton, I stop reading.

A few years ago, I bought a bunch of really cute 100% pima cotton tops from Kohl's that were very reasonably priced, nice fabric and they looked great on me. By the end of the summer they were crop tops and the colors had faded horribly. BTW, I do not put my tops in the dryer, just hang to dry and wash on cold delicate. A little spandex is unnoticeable, and can prevent the shrinkage, pilling and fading that are a lot of the problems that cotton has.

I do like modal, but apparently that adds a lot of cost to a garment, and is not in many of Isaac's clothes.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

ajsidney12 — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 13:43:34 GMT

I am sorry this happens to you, but I have never had any issues with shrinking or stretching out or fading with IM Essentials cotton tshirts/long sleeve shirts. I wash on (cold) delicate and always hang dry all of my clothes. Some of the shirts I have are 3 yrs old and still look great.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

pattypeep — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 14:23:16 GMT

I recently purchased two of Isaac's 100% cotton tshirts. I have washed them at least two or three times each and no shrinkage at all. As with most of my clothes, I wash in cold on delicate, dry for a very short time, and then hang overnight to dry fully. I also have at least four LizClaiborne tshirts and actually dry them more since they are a thicker cotton and they did not shrink.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

Lipstickdiva — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 15:29:55 GMT

All of my t-shirts are from either Kohls or JcPenney. I love the St. John Bay long sleeve t-shirts from Penneys and I love the Croft & Barrow short-sleeve v-neck t-shirts from Kohls.

Both of these are 100% cotton and not one of them, and I own A LOT, have ever shrunk. They don't stretch out of shape, lose color, pill, etc. They are pefect. I've had a few of my Kohls v-necks for 3+ years and they are still perfectly fine.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

chrystaltree — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 15:53:29 GMT

I like 100% cotton and while I don't have any of Isaac's; I do have QF and SG and D&Co tops that are 100% cotton. I either wash them by hand in cool water or I machine wash in cold water on the gentle cycle. I either lay flat (over the back of a chair) or hang to dry. Sometimes, I do dry on the delicate cycle. I've never experieced shrinkage or anything else bad.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

cotton4me — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 18:14:47 GMT

I prefer 100% cotton items. I haven't tried any of Isaac's tops though. I buy a lot from Lands End and LL Bean, wash and dry them without any problems, no shrinkage, fading or pilling. I wear them daily and they wear like iron.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

hennypenny — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 19:04:07 GMT

I love Issac's all cotton t-shirts. I have most of his styles except for the crew neck. I have never ever had a problem with any shrinkage. I hope he continues to make them. I don't like synthetics in my T-shirts.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

rrpell — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 20:12:04 GMT

I have some IM "cotton" tops that shrink and some that don't. I think it is because the garments are made at different times with different "grades" of cotton. It would make sense to me that the cotton market is fluid. At any time, the manufacturer of clothing is looking for the best grade, the best price, the best source...of cotton. Sometimes they get what they expect and sometimes they don't. I was just reading about cotton grading and came upon an interesting origin of a phrase I use "fair to middling". It comes from the cotton grading scale where "fair" and "middling" are used to describe cotton quality.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

jonbon — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 21:36:42 GMT

I find it interesting that people have such vastly different experiences laundering the same garments! I sometimes notice this when I read reviews on other sites as well -- one person will say how much shrinkage they experienced, and in my experience the item didn't shrink at all.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

Carmie — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 03:20:12 GMT

I only buy 100% natural fiber clothing and I have many cotton tops and t's. I machine wash with Tide and hang or lay flat to dry with no shrinkage. Very few items have faded for me and some of my tops are 8-9 years old and worn often.

I do not buy IM clothing, so I can speak for his items, but I do buy Christopher & Banks essential t's in every style and sleeve length they sell. They last for years with good care.

I never wear polyester or man made material clothing. It's just woven plastic fibers. Yuck.

Re: Isaac and 100% cotton

sunshine45 — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 04:46:12 GMT

@cotto22 wrote:
ITA. I will sometimes browse Isaac's tops if I am looking for a particular color or style, and if the one I find is 100% cotton, I stop reading.
A few years ago, I bought a bunch of really cute 100% pima cotton tops from Kohl's that were very reasonably priced, nice fabric and they looked great on me. By the end of the summer they were crop tops and the colors had faded horribly. BTW, I do not put my tops in the dryer, just hang to dry and wash on cold delicate. A little spandex is unnoticeable, and can prevent the shrinkage, pilling and fading that are a lot of the problems that cotton has.
I do like modal, but apparently that adds a lot of cost to a garment, and is not in many of Isaac's clothes.

@cotto22 exactly the reasons why i stopped buying all cotton. i think cotton wears so much better when it is blended with poly or modal or spandex.

all cotton tends to shrink, fade, pill, and just look "worn" after a few washings. when it is a blend i think the garment has much better staying power.