# How do I shrink my clothes?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shrink-my-clothes/156148
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 19, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shrink-my-clothes/156148 "2003-02-19T16:28:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shrink-my-clothes/156148/1 "2003-02-19T16:28:40Z")
I’ve been losing weight, and intend to continue. I am quite overweight, and my current clothes will look ludicrous on me. I don’t have much money. Is there a reliable way to shrink clothes that have been used for a long time? New stuff (I think) can be shrunk a bit fairly easily, but these are older shirts. I love my T-shirts, and have about 15 that I would love to shrink a few sizes.
It may not be possible, I know. And I’m not sure I’m interested in sewing them…
hrh
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [February 19, 2003, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-shrink-my-clothes/156148/2 "2003-02-19T16:48:50Z")
It used to be that clothes with natural fibers would shrink if washed in water and heat-dried. Nowadays, clothes made with cotton are mostly pre-treated to avoid shrinking. I know of no other way to deliberately shrink clothes.