Whether you’re a fashion designer, an avid seamstress, or just curious about the properties of fabrics, it’s essential to know how different fabrics might react when washed and dried.
Everything You Need to Know About Lyocell Fabric Shrinkage
In this blog post, we look at one fabric in particular – lyocell – and discuss whether or not it shrinks upon washing and drying.
What is Lyocell?
Lyocell is a type of rayon fabric made from wood cellulose. It was first developed in the 1970s and has become increasingly popular due to its numerous advantages over other fabrics, such as being lightweight yet strong, highly absorbent, breathable, hypoallergenic, and resistant to creasing.
Because of these qualities, lyocell is often used in clothing such as T-shirts, blouses, skirts, and dresses.
Does Lyocell Shrink?
The answer here is yes and no; it depends on how you care for your lyocell garments. If you wash them with hot water or dry them on high heat settings, they may shrink slightly.
However, if you follow the instructions on the garment’s label (which will usually advise you to use cold water and low heat settings when washing and drying), the fabric should not shrink too much.
What Can I Do To Prevent Shrinkage?
The best way to prevent shrinkage of lyocell garments is by following the instructions on the label carefully. This means using cold water when washing your clothes (or warm water if necessary) and low heat settings (or air drying instead).
It also helps to turn your clothes inside out before washing them, as this will help protect their colors from fading too quickly.
Finally, be sure not to overload your washing machine, as this can cause unnecessary strain on your clothes, leading to more shrinkage.
How Can I Fix Shrunken Clothes?
If you have accidentally shrunk your lyocell garment, then there are a few things that you can do to fix it. Firstly, try stretching the fabric back into shape while it’s still wet (you can do this either by hand or with a stretching tool).
Secondly, try steaming the garment with an iron set on a low setting; this will help relax any tight fibers caused by the shrinking process.
And thirdly, try soaking your garment in warm water for several hours before rinsing it out; this should help restore some of its original size and shape.
In conclusion, lyocell fabric can shrink if washed with hot water or dried at high temperatures, but taking extra care when cleaning your garments should help reduce any potential shrinking issues. Knowing how to prevent and fix shrinkage issues should ensure that all of your favorite lyocell garments remain looking great for years to come!
For more information about caring for lyocell garments, be sure to check out our blog posts here at Metric Marketing!
