How to Wash a Hoodie Without Shrinking It

You find the perfect hoodie, wash it once, and suddenly it sits shorter and tighter than before. It happens to a lot of people and it is one of the most common letdowns with cotton. The good news: with a few habits you can avoid it almost entirely.

Why cotton shrinks

Cotton is a natural fibre. When yarn and fabric are made, the fibres get stretched. When heat, water and movement come together, they pull back in. That is exactly what shrinking is.

It happens most on the first wash. After that a hoodie stays largely stable, as long as you treat it right.

The two biggest mistakes

Washing too hot. The warmer the water, the more the fibres contract. The hoodie does not get any cleaner, it only loses shape and colour.

The tumble dryer. Heat and constant tumbling are the worst combination for cotton. The fabric shrinks and can also warp unevenly.

How to wash it right

Turn it inside out and tie the drawcord. That protects the colour and the print, and the cord does not slip into the channel.

Cold or 30 degrees at most. For dark and coloured pieces that is plenty.

Colour or delicate detergent, no fabric softener. Heavy-duty detergent contains bleach and pulls colour out of the fabric. Softener coats the fibres and makes them dull over time.

Similar colours, no zips. Especially for the first few washes. Zips and velcro in the same drum pull threads.

Dry it flat, in the air. On a drying rack and not in full sun, which fades it. On a hanger, the weight of the wet fabric stretches the shoulders.

If you iron: never directly on prints or lettering, always from the inside. And when in doubt, the label always wins, it is made for that exact piece.

Already shrunk?

You cannot fully undo it, but it is worth a try: soak the hoodie for about half an hour in lukewarm water with a little hair conditioner. That softens the fibres for a while. Then gently press the water out without wringing, lay the hoodie flat and carefully ease it back into shape. It is no guarantee, but the result is often clearly better.

How we do it at Outlawz Studio

Our Walk with God Hoodie and the Violet joggers are 100% cotton in Ultra Violet with a washed effect. The slight tightening of cotton on the first wash is already built into the cut. Wash cold, skip the dryer, and the fit you bought is the fit you keep.

More questions about care? We answer them in our FAQ.

Read next: Boxy Fit Hoodie: Which Size Should I Get?