topic Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP! in Fashion

Length shrinking tees - HELP!

tulips — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:17:32 GMT

Plz help me figure out why this is happening. Every year I need to purchase all new tee shirts because they keep getting shorter & shorter & shorter as I launder them. I've tried so many brands from Chicos, Coldwater Creek, D&C, Liz, Macy's, etc.

And every year I find that my tops shrink in length & really look awful. I usually remove them from the washer & drape them over a drying rack, thinking they won't shrink in the dryer, but it's a no go.

Does anyone have any solutions to my frustrating problem? Are there certain brands that you like & that keep their shape?

TIA!

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

catlover — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:21:29 GMT

I have the same problem-I don't want to handwash everything.

Are you using cold water in the washer?

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

champagnepoodle — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:23:20 GMT

Get some skinny tees. Never shrink

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

Tyak — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 16:35:22 GMT

My tops are mostly from Chico's and I never have a problem with them shrinking in any way. I machine wash in cold water and put them in the dryer, no heat, for a couple of minutes to get rid of wrinkles and then I hang to dry. They come out perfect every time. All of my tops are either 100% cotton or cotton/spandex mix.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

Kathlen — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:04:15 GMT

On 4/5/2014 Tulips4U said:
Plz help me figure out why this is happening. Every year I need to purchase all new tee shirts because they keep getting shorter & shorter & shorter as I launder them. I've tried so many brands from Chicos, Coldwater Creek, D&C, Liz, Macy's, etc.

How are you storing them? Folding? If folding, maybe you are stretching them sideways when folding.

I tees I wear to the gym, I fold in half lengthwise and then roll - no sideways stretching. Others, I just put on a hanger.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

banjo — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:41:44 GMT

I wash all my tees in cold water and then hang to dry. I've never had any of them shrink. I have one of those Hangaway poles and they work great.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

skuggles — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 17:45:28 GMT

And here I thought it was just me. I don't have the desire to hang all my tee shirts to dry. It would take days.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

depglass — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 19:18:28 GMT

My only tip is to avoid 100% cotton and go with a poly-span blend. Unfortunately most of that fabric is not very substantial.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

peachesncream — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 20:37:46 GMT

Well, cotton can shrink. Some cotton shirts shrink more than others. But my cotton tops only shrink the first time they're washed (if at all). I buy mine from LL Bean. I don't put my nice tops in the dryer, regardless of fabric.

I prefer blends for my tees and tops: cotton/poly, cotton/modal, cotton/spandex, rayon/linen or even 100% polyester. Those keep their shape and color better IMO.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

GCR18 — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 21:10:36 GMT

On 4/5/2014 banjo said:
I wash all my tees in cold water and then hang to dry. I've never had any of them shrink. I have one of those Hangaway poles and they work great.

This is exactly what I do, but I have the length shrinking problem.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

glmama — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 21:14:19 GMT

I am with you on this. I am on the eternal search for longer tees, it seems, every year. Either they shrink up, or in my case, are not meant for a larger bod.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

tulips — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 22:58:16 GMT

It's good to know that I'm not the sole person in the universe with this problem! I do wash tees in cold water, dryer for a few minutes & then on the rack or on a hanger. Thanks for the suggestion of various fabrics. I may try LLBean. It's just so frustrating. I'm considering ordering tunic lengths & then when they creep up, they may turn out to be a good length! Oh how I wish I still could wear skinny tees, but sadly, those days are long gone.

Keep the ideas coming!

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

Kachina624 — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 23:10:16 GMT

My solution would be to buy Denim &Co. I haven't had a shrinkage problem with them.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

boonies — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 23:13:33 GMT

I finally gave up fighting this battle and started only buying tees in Tall. I'm 5'3" so when the inevitable shrinking happens, the length is where I wanted it to be in the first place. Seems silly but I'm not going to baby along a t-shirt in my laundry. I don't have time for that.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

luvdoodles — Sat, 05 Apr 2014 23:43:03 GMT

I have had good luck with Lands End long sleeve tee's over the winter. I am going to try some of their short sleeve tee's this summer. No shrinking anywhere. I wash and dry them in the dryer. They have sales quite often.

Re: Length shrinking tees - HELP!

jonbon — Sun, 06 Apr 2014 00:28:32 GMT

On 4/5/2014 luvpoos said:
I have had good luck with Lands End long sleeve tee's over the winter. I am going to try some of their short sleeve tee's this summer. No shrinking anywhere. I wash and dry them in the dryer. They have sales quite often.

I have had good luck with the fitted tees from LE (cotton/modal/spandex) and with the relaxed supima tees (all cotton). I haven't had such great luck with the shaped 1x1 rib tees (again, 100% cotton) -- they always get shorter and wider, no matter how much care I take with them. I will say, though, that I am sometimes able to reshape problematic cotton shirts a bit while they're damp by stretching them lengthwise as far as I can and letting them hang dry the rest of the way.