# Can I intentionally shrink a sweater?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-intentionally-shrink-a-sweater/294244>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 12, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-intentionally-shrink-a-sweater/294244 "2005-03-12T21:43:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-intentionally-shrink-a-sweater/294244/1 "2005-03-12T21:43:44Z")

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I like sweaters; however, I’m your stereotypical short scrawny white kid and its hard to find ones that fit nicely.

I have one particular sweater that is 60% cotton, 40% acrylic and I’m wondering if I can wash it in such a way so as to intentionally shrink it?

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**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-intentionally-shrink-a-sweater/294244/2 "2005-03-12T21:44:14Z")

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I would think hot water and a clothes dryer would do it.

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**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-intentionally-shrink-a-sweater/294244/3 "2005-03-13T00:42:18Z")

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It probably won’t shrink evenly, though. If it’s a modern store-bought sweater, it’s probably got sewn seams - these will probably shrink in some weird way relative to the rest of the sweater. Don’t they come in extra small?

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**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-intentionally-shrink-a-sweater/294244/4 "2005-03-13T00:46:27Z")

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Maybe, however this was given to me a while back and is not an extra small, and I can’t return it.

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-intentionally-shrink-a-sweater/294244/5 "2005-03-13T06:49:15Z")

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Shrinking sweaters generally messes up the “feel” of the garment. After shinking they are less stretchy/flexible and less soft.

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**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-intentionally-shrink-a-sweater/294244/6 "2005-03-13T07:07:47Z")

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> [@Trigonal Planar](#):
>
> I like sweaters; however, I’m your stereotypical short scrawny white kid and its hard to find ones that fit nicely.
> 
> I have one particular sweater that is 60% cotton, 40% acrylic and I’m wondering if I can wash it in such a way so as to intentionally shrink it?

Eh. With the acrylic, it’s unlikely imho. But give it a shot. It may not shrink in a _useable_ way though- arms more than body, etc.