Yes, a 70% cotton 30% polyester blend can shrink when washed and dried, but typically less than pure cotton fabric. Here’s why:
Cotton Shrinkage
- Cotton fibers shrink when exposed to high heat during washing or drying due to the fibers losing tension[1]. So cotton content in fabric contributes to potential shrinkage.
Polyester Resistance
- Polyester is a synthetic fiber that is designed to resist shrinking. The higher the polyester content, the less shrinkage occurs[1][2].
So a 70/30 cotton/polyester blend has potential to shrink due to the natural cotton fibers, but the 30% polyester content will limit the amount of shrinkage.
How Much Will It Shrink?
You can expect a 70/30 cotton/polyester blend to shrink 3-5% on average[3]:
- The cotton portion (70%) would shrink about 5% if it was 100% cotton[3].
- But the 30% polyester blend lowers the overall shrinkage rate.
The exact shrinkage depends on the fabric quality and washing methods.
Preventing Shrinkage
To prevent a 70/30 blend from shrinking:
- Wash in cold or warm water, not hot[4][5].
- Tumble dry on low heat or hang dry[4][5].
- Avoid high heat from ironing as well[6].
This minimizes shrinkage from the cotton fibers while maintaining the shape.
I hope this gives you a better understanding of how much a 70% cotton 30% polyester fabric can be expected to shrink! Let me know if you need any clarification or have additional questions.
Citations:
[1] https://youtube.com/watch?v=GcYpLIPqRhI&t=0
[2] https://fashionwanderer.com/how-to-shrink-50-cotton-50-polyester-shirt/
[3] https://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/household-hints-tips/cleaning-organizing/how-to-shrink-clothes.htm
[4] https://classroom.synonym.com/shrink-cotton-polyester-sweatshirt-7893.html
[5] https://www.magicofclothes.com/60-cotton-40-polyester-shrink/
[6] https://www.wikihow.com/Shrink-Polyester
[7] https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/comments/2rd7gd/how_can_you_tell_how_much_a_new_item_of_clothing/
[8] https://www.askandyaboutclothes.com/threads/poly-cotton-blend-shrinkage.212610/
[9] https://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php/457102-is-there-anyway-to-shrink-a-50-polyester-50-cotton-shirt
[10] https://www.ageberry.com/do-cotton-polyester-fabrics-shrink/
[11] https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/laundry/prevent-cotton-shrinking
[12] https://www.ehow.com/how_5827729_shrink-polyester-cotton-blend-t_shirt.html
[13] https://youtube.com/watch?v=2eefTIOy14w
[14] https://icefabrics.com/blogs/news/does-cotton-fabric-shrink
[15] https://www.today.com/style/how-shrink-clothes-shrink-cotton-jeans-polyester-more-t144393
[16] https://inthewash.co.uk/clothing-care/how-to-shrink-polyester-clothes/
[17] https://quiltnco.com/do-50-cotton-50-polyester-shrink/
