# Sweater shrinkage

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweater-shrinkage/96205>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 30, 2001, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweater-shrinkage/96205 "2001-11-30T21:48:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweater-shrinkage/96205/1 "2001-11-30T21:48:07Z")

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Unfortunately, being the domestically inept person that I am, I managed to shrink some of my sweaters. What causes sweater shrinkage? Even better, is there a good way to unshrink sweaters? (I’ve looked at several web sites, but the home remedies recommended conflict.)

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweater-shrinkage/96205/2 "2001-11-30T21:58:52Z")

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No way to unshrink it completely.

Heat and agitation (and the alkalinity of some soaps) can cause wool fibers to contract. This quality of wool is what makes [felting](http://www.google.com/search?q=about+felting&hl=en) possible.

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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:** [November 30, 2001, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweater-shrinkage/96205/3 "2001-11-30T21:58:54Z")

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[Help with shrunken wool sweaters](http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001isS)

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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:** [November 30, 2001, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweater-shrinkage/96205/4 "2001-11-30T22:01:02Z")

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well that was smooth

[Help with shrunken wool sweaters](http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=001isS)

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**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweater-shrinkage/96205/5 "2001-11-30T22:42:08Z")

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Thanks guys. Astro, I actually looked at that link but I didn’t think it applied completely to my situation. For me, the sweater is still wearable; for some reason, it shrank vertically but not horizontally (so it hits my waistline now, but used to cover more). I can stretch it down, but after a while it goes back to the original shape. On that page, they mentioned sweaters being used for “doggie sweaters” or “doll clothes” instead – but my sweater is still pretty ok, just a bit annoyingly short. Maybe that’s a different kind of fabric?

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**Author:** ![Syzygy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Syzygy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syzygy)\
**Post date:** [November 30, 2001, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sweater-shrinkage/96205/6 "2001-11-30T22:44:59Z")

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It’s just the way the thread or yarn was woven. The stitch patterns caused it to shrink more one way than the other. Thus, it’s not the type of material that’s responsible.