In short
Fabric shrinkage is residual stress from knitting, dyeing and finishing that is released when the fabric is washed and dried. It is measured with ISO 5077 or AATCC TM135. No standard sets a pass mark, so buyers agree the limit, wash method, drying and cycles in writing, and mills meet it with relaxation drying, compaction or crosslinking.
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Fabric shrinkage is the loss of length or width a fabric or garment shows after washing and drying. Most of it is residual shrinkage: stress put into the fabric during knitting, dyeing and finishing that is released the first few times the garment gets wet. It is measured with ISO 5077, or with AATCC TM135 for fabrics and AATCC TM150 for garments, and there is no single legal limit. The buyer and supplier agree the figure, the wash method and the drying method in writing, and the mill uses relaxation drying, compaction or chemical finishing to hit it.
What causes fabric shrinkage?
Cotton Incorporated’s technical guide to shrinkage splits the problem in two. Construction shrinkage comes from how the fabric was built: yarn, stitch length, machine gauge and density. Processing shrinkage is added or removed by every later step, from dyeing to cutting. Both show up in the same number on a test report, which is why a fabric that tested well on the greige roll can fail as a finished garment.
Cotton is especially prone because the fibre swells when wet. In a knit, swelling makes each loop try to return to its lowest-energy shape, which is rounder and shorter. When the fabric dries without tension, the loop stays short and the garment is smaller. Cotton Incorporated found that most of this drying shrinkage happens once moisture falls below about 20%, and that one wash-and-dry cycle may remove around 90% of the total shrinkage available. That is why a single home wash is enough to disappoint a customer.
Synthetic fibres behave differently. They do not swell and deswell the way cotton does, and thermoplastic fibres such as polyester can be heat-set to a stable size. Cellulosic fibres cannot be heat-set, so cotton, viscose and their blends rely on mechanical or chemical stabilisation instead.
Types of shrinkage in fabric
Buyers and mills use several names for overlapping effects. The table below sorts them by cause, because the cause decides the fix.
| Type | What happens | Most affected | Usual control |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relaxation (elastic) shrinkage | Tension from knitting, take-down and fabric transport is released as soon as the fabric is wet and free to move | Knits, especially single jersey and rib | Low-tension wet processing, relaxation drying |
| Drying or consolidation shrinkage | Fibres swell, then deswell under tumbling, pulling loops rounder and shorter | Cotton and other cellulosic knits | Relaxation dryers, compaction, crosslinking finishes |
| Processing shrinkage | Wet processing stretches length and pulls in width, sometimes beyond the fabric’s elastic limit | Any fabric pulled through jets, pads or extractors | Process monitoring, overfeed, spreading before drying |
| Thermal shrinkage | Heat releases stress in thermoplastic fibres | Polyester, nylon, elastane blends | Heat-setting on the stenter |
Cotton Incorporated uses “consolidation” for the relaxation-drying and compaction processes that remove shrinkage in the mill, and many buyers use it for what happens in the customer’s tumble dryer. The physics is the same. What matters is that the mill removes it before cutting, so the customer does not remove it later.
Why do knits shrink more than wovens?
A knitted loop can change shape in every direction, so knits react to small forces. Cotton Incorporated states that woven fabrics are much more stable than knits, though buyers usually demand much lower shrinkage from wovens, so processing still matters.
The guide’s interlock example shows how far a knit moves through a dyehouse. A 100% cotton interlock started with residual shrinkage of 19.0% in length and 15.0% in width after five home launderings. Pad extraction stretched it enough to raise length shrinkage to 20.0%. Relaxation drying brought it to 9.0 by 7.0%, and compaction to 5.0 by 8.0%. The same fabric, in other words, can be a failure or a pass depending on how it was finished. The guide also notes that length stretch of 10% or more in extraction is commonplace.
How is fabric shrinkage tested?
Two families of methods dominate. Both mark a specimen, condition it, wash and dry it, recondition it and measure again. The result is the change as a percentage of the original dimension, with a minus sign for shrinkage and a plus sign for growth.
- ISO 5077 determines dimensional change of fabrics, garments or other textile articles in washing and drying. It takes its wash and dry procedure from ISO 6330, its marking and measuring from ISO 3759 and its conditioning atmosphere from ISO 139. Results are reported to the nearest 0.5%, separately for length and width.
- ISO 6330 is the laundering procedure itself. The 2021 edition has 16 washing procedures for the front-loading Type A machine, 12 for the top-loading agitator Type B and 7 for the top-loading pulsator Type C, plus six drying procedures from line drying to tumble drying.
- AATCC TM135 is the American method for fabrics, published by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. AATCC describes it as covering four washing temperatures, three agitation cycles and four drying procedures, and the current edition is dated 2025.
Cotton Incorporated recommends washing and tumble drying at least five cycles for complete and reliable results. A one-cycle result is a useful early warning, not a final answer.
The formula is simple enough to check a lab report yourself: dimensional change % = (measurement after − measurement before) ÷ measurement before × 100. A 50.0 cm marked distance that measures 48.5 cm after washing has changed by −3.0%.
Fabric test or garment test: which method to name
A shrinkage limit should say whether it applies to the fabric or to the finished garment, because the American methods are split along that line. AATCC TM135 covers fabrics. Its garment counterpart, AATCC TM150, determines the length and width change of garments after home laundering. Like TM135, it provides four washing temperatures, three agitation cycles and four drying procedures, and its current edition is also dated 2025. AATCC notes that TM150 may not be applicable to garments made of certain stretch fabrics, so check with the lab before naming it for a style with stretch.
The ISO route does not split. ISO 5077 covers fabrics, garments and other textile articles in one short method, and the 2007 edition is still current: ISO last reviewed and confirmed it in 2022. It leaves the choice of ISO 6330 wash and dry procedure to agreement between the parties. For a garment, its test report must give the make and size tested and the change at each described measuring position, not one length and one width figure. ISO 3759, the standard for preparing, marking and measuring fabric specimens and garments, was also confirmed in 2022, and AATCC lists both TM135 and TM150 as related to it.
ISO 6330 is not a shrinkage test in its own right. It specifies the domestic washing and drying procedures, reference detergents and ballasts that ISO 5077 and other textile tests call on. ISO states that each washing procedure represents a single domestic wash, and that the machine type, detergent and tumble dryer used can affect results. A report that cites only “ISO 6330” is therefore incomplete: ask for the washing procedure, the drying procedure and the number of cycles, and compare lots only when all three match.
| What is tested | AATCC method | ISO method |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric, before cutting | TM135 | ISO 5077, with an agreed ISO 6330 wash and dry procedure |
| Finished garment, from the pre-production sample or bulk | TM150 | ISO 5077, with an agreed ISO 6330 wash and dry procedure, measured at named positions |
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What shrinkage limit is acceptable?
No international standard sets a pass mark. ISO 5077, AATCC TM135 and AATCC TM150 tell you how to measure, and the test report ISO 5077 asks for gives the change, with no pass or fail of its own. The limit lives in the buyer’s own quality standard or purchase contract. Cotton Incorporated warns that some buyer specifications cannot be met by any supplier with the construction chosen, so the limit and the fabric have to be agreed together.
What a realistic figure looks like depends on fibre, knit and finish. The guide’s results for a 28-cut single jersey in 30/1 combed ring-spun cotton, after five home launderings with tumble drying, give a sense of scale:
| Finishing route (same greige fabric) | Length shrinkage | Width shrinkage |
|---|---|---|
| Greige, as knitted | 12.1% | 15.9% |
| Dyed and relaxation dried, softener only | 7.3% | 3.5% |
| Crosslinked | 5.0% | 5.0% |
| Compacted | 4.5% | 6.0% |
Source: Cotton Incorporated, ISP 1009. These are results for one fabric, not targets. When you set your own limit, write down four things beside the number: the test method, the wash procedure and temperature, the drying method, and the number of cycles. A limit without those is not enforceable.
How mills control shrinkage before cutting
Cotton Incorporated lists five conditions for low shrinkage in cotton knits: a sound fabric specification, low tension in dyeing and extraction, relaxation drying, compaction or crosslinking, and low-tension packing for the cutting room. In practice a buyer can influence each of them.
- Construction. A shorter stitch length gives less length shrinkage but more width shrinkage and a heavier fabric. Changing GSM without changing the knit setup changes shrinkage too, which is one reason the fabric and GSM guide treats weight as part of a specification, not a free variable.
- Relaxation drying. Conveyor, drum or tumble dryers use overfeed and mechanical action to let the fabric shrink in the mill.
- Compaction. Heated rolls or belts push the loops shorter. It reduces length shrinkage but adds bulk, and over-compaction can leave ridges on the surface.
- Crosslinking. Resin finishes alter how cotton swells. The guide notes they lower shrinkage but cost strength and wear life.
- Pre-shrinking. Buyers often use this word for all of the above. Ask which process was used, because the durability of each is different.
When fabric is sourced for you, for example through our fabric and trim sourcing service, ask for the mill’s shrinkage report per dye lot, not per quality.
How is shrinkage compensated in the pattern?
For garments that are washed or dyed after sewing, the fabric will shrink on purpose, so the pattern is cut larger. The usual arithmetic is: pattern measurement = finished measurement ÷ (1 − shrinkage as a decimal). As an illustration only, a body length of 70 cm with 4% length shrinkage needs a pattern length of about 72.9 cm. Width is calculated separately, because it rarely shrinks by the same amount.
Compensation only works when shrinkage is consistent. If one lot shrinks 3% and the next 7%, no pattern fits both, and the factory will need a test and a pattern check per lot. That is the practical reason garment dyeing and washing needs tighter fabric control than piece-dyed production, not looser.
For piece-dyed garments sold unwashed, the aim is the opposite: remove as much shrinkage as possible in the mill, then cut to the finished size. Put the agreed shrinkage allowance in the tech pack so the pattern maker and the fabric supplier work to the same figure.
Where garments pick up extra shrinkage
Cutting and sewing can undo good finishing. Cotton Incorporated points out that laying fabric on the cutting table and handling panels can increase shrinkage, and that garments combining different constructions can have some panels shrink while others grow. A cotton tee with a 1x1 rib collar is a common case: the body and the rib need their own results.
The care label matters as well. If it says line dry, mostly elastic shrinkage will show. If it allows tumble drying, all the residual shrinkage will be realised. Test to the care instruction you intend to print, and never print a gentler instruction just to pass a test.
What a careful buyer does
- Agree the limit, method, wash procedure, drying and cycles before bulk fabric is booked.
- Ask for a shrinkage report on every fabric lot before cutting.
- Test finished garments at the pre-production sample and again from bulk, measuring the same points as the size chart.
- Keep rib, body and contrast panels as separate results.
- Make shrinkage a line on the final inspection report, alongside measurements.
Our quality control process includes inline checks and a final AQL inspection, and we send you the report; ask for the fabric test results with it. If you are planning cotton jersey basics, the t-shirt manufacturing page lists typical fabrics and finishes. To agree a shrinkage specification for your own style, send us your tech pack and we will reply within one working day.
Questions buyers ask.
How do you control shrinkage in fabric?
Control starts with the fabric specification. Stitch length, yarn count and machine gauge decide how much the fabric wants to shrink before it is ever dyed. After knitting, the mill keeps tension low in dyeing and extraction, then removes shrinkage with relaxation drying, compaction or a crosslinking finish. Each has a cost: compaction adds bulk, and crosslinking reduces strength and wear life, according to Cotton Incorporated’s shrinkage guide. The cutting room should receive fabric plaited without tension and allowed to rest before spreading. For the buyer, control means paperwork: an agreed limit with its test method, wash procedure, drying method and number of cycles, and a test report for each fabric lot before cutting. Without lot-level results, a good first shipment says little about the second, because every dye lot goes through the finishing range separately.
What is the difference between ISO 5077 and AATCC 135?
Both measure how much a fabric changes size after laundering, and both work the same way: mark, condition, measure, wash, dry, recondition, measure again. ISO 5077 is the international method and does not contain a wash cycle of its own. It calls on ISO 6330 for the washing and drying procedure, ISO 3759 for marking and measuring, and ISO 139 for the conditioning atmosphere, and it reports results to the nearest 0.5%. AATCC TM135 is published by the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists and is the American counterpart for fabrics. It sets out four washing temperatures, three agitation cycles and four drying procedures. The two methods use different machines and settings, so their results are not directly interchangeable. Pick the one your market and customers expect, name the exact procedure, and keep it the same for every lot.
What is an acceptable shrinkage percentage for cotton knit garments?
No international standard sets one: the acceptable percentage is whatever the buyer’s standard or contract says, and ISO 5077, AATCC TM135 and TM150 only say how to measure it. Zero is not realistic for cotton, which swells when wet and cannot be heat-set like polyester. For scale, Cotton Incorporated tested one 30/1 combed ring-spun single jersey after five home launderings with tumble drying: 12.1% length shrinkage as knitted, against 7.3% when dyed and relaxation dried, 5.0% when crosslinked and 4.5% when compacted. Those are results for one fabric, not targets, and wovens are usually held to much lower limits than knits. Cotton Incorporated warns that some buyer specifications cannot be met with the construction chosen, so agree the fabric and the limit together. A limit is enforceable only with four things written beside the number: the test method, the wash procedure and temperature, the drying method and the number of cycles. Ask for a report on every fabric lot.
How do you calculate fabric shrinkage percentage from a wash test?
Dimensional change in percent is the measurement after washing minus the measurement before, divided by the measurement before, multiplied by 100. A 50.0 cm marked distance that measures 48.5 cm after washing has changed by minus 3.0%. A minus sign means shrinkage and a plus sign means growth. Length and width are worked out and reported separately, and ISO 5077 reports results to the nearest 0.5%. For a garment, the ISO 5077 test report must give the make and size tested and the change at each described measuring position, not one length and one width figure. Knowing the formula lets you check a lab report yourself before you accept a fabric lot.
How much extra should a pattern be cut to allow for fabric shrinkage?
Divide the finished measurement by one minus the shrinkage as a decimal: pattern measurement equals finished measurement divided by (1 minus shrinkage). As an illustration, a 70 cm body length with 4% length shrinkage needs a pattern length of about 72.9 cm. Width is calculated separately, because it rarely shrinks by the same amount as length. This compensation is used for garments washed or dyed after sewing, and it only works when shrinkage is consistent: if one lot shrinks 3% and the next 7%, no pattern fits both, so the factory needs a test and a pattern check per lot. For piece-dyed garments sold unwashed, the aim is to remove shrinkage in the mill and cut to the finished size. Put the agreed allowance in the tech pack.
Why do knitted fabrics shrink more than woven fabrics?
Knits shrink more because a knitted loop can change shape in every direction, so the fabric reacts to small forces, while woven fabrics are much more stable, according to Cotton Incorporated. Cotton makes it worse: the fibre swells when wet, each loop tries to return to a rounder, shorter shape, and if the fabric dries without tension the loop stays short. Wet processing also stretches knits, and Cotton Incorporated notes that length stretch of 10% or more in extraction is commonplace. In its example, a 100% cotton interlock with 19.0% residual length shrinkage after five home launderings came down to 9.0% after relaxation drying and 5.0% after compaction. Buyers usually demand much lower shrinkage from wovens, so processing matters for both.
How many wash cycles should a fabric shrinkage test use?
Cotton Incorporated recommends washing and tumble drying for at least five cycles for complete and reliable shrinkage results. A one-cycle result is a useful early warning, not a final answer, even though one wash-and-dry cycle may remove around 90% of the total shrinkage available, which is why a single home wash is enough to disappoint a customer. The number of cycles is one of four things to write beside any shrinkage limit, with the test method, the wash procedure and temperature, and the drying method. ISO states that each ISO 6330 washing procedure represents a single domestic wash, so a report should name the washing procedure, the drying procedure and the cycle count, and lots should be compared only when all three match.
Should a shrinkage limit be tested on the fabric or on the finished garment?
Both, and the limit should say which one it applies to, because the American methods are split along that line. AATCC TM135 tests fabrics before cutting, while AATCC TM150 measures the length and width change of finished garments after home laundering; AATCC notes that TM150 may not suit garments made of certain stretch fabrics. ISO 5077 covers fabrics, garments and other textile articles in one method, with an agreed ISO 6330 wash and dry procedure, and a garment report must give the change at each named measuring position. A careful buyer asks for a shrinkage report on every fabric lot before cutting, then tests finished garments at the pre-production sample and again from bulk, measuring the same points as the size chart.
Does tumble drying shrink cotton knit fabric more than line drying?
Yes: if the care label allows tumble drying, all the residual shrinkage will be realised, while line drying mostly shows elastic shrinkage. Cotton Incorporated found that most drying shrinkage in cotton knits happens once moisture falls below about 20%, as the swollen fibres deswell under tumbling and pull the loops rounder and shorter. That is why the drying method has to be written beside any shrinkage limit, together with the test method, the wash procedure and the number of cycles. Test to the care instruction you intend to print, and never print a gentler instruction just to pass a test. ISO 6330 includes six drying procedures, from line drying to tumble drying, so name the one that matches your label.
What are the main types of fabric shrinkage?
There are four main types, sorted by cause: relaxation shrinkage, drying or consolidation shrinkage, processing shrinkage and thermal shrinkage. Relaxation shrinkage is tension from knitting, take-down and fabric transport released when the fabric gets wet, and it hits knits such as single jersey and rib hardest. Drying or consolidation shrinkage comes from fibres swelling and then deswelling under tumbling, mainly in cotton and other cellulosic knits. Processing shrinkage is added when jets, pads or extractors stretch length and pull in width. Thermal shrinkage is heat releasing stress in polyester, nylon and elastane blends, controlled by heat-setting on the stenter. Cotton Incorporated also separates construction shrinkage, set by yarn, stitch length, gauge and density, from processing shrinkage added by later steps.
Sources
Checked . Rules and figures change, so confirm anything that affects your pricing.
- Cotton Incorporated — A Guide to Improved Shrinkage Performance of Cotton Fabrics, ISP 1009 (shrinkage types, moisture and drying data, interlock and single jersey test results, control methods, five-cycle testing) (opens in a new tab)
- ISO via iTeh Standards — ISO 5077:2007 preview, Determination of dimensional change in washing and drying (scope, use of ISO 6330, ISO 3759 and ISO 139, reporting to 0.5%) (opens in a new tab)
- ISO via iTeh Standards — ISO 6330:2021 preview, Domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing (machine types, number of procedures, drying procedures) (opens in a new tab)
- AATCC — TM135 Test Method for Dimensional Changes of Fabrics after Home Laundering (scope, temperatures, agitation cycles, drying procedures, 2025 edition) (opens in a new tab)
- BSI Knowledge — BS EN ISO 5077:2008 Textiles, determination of dimensional change in washing and drying (European adoption of ISO 5077) (opens in a new tab)
- AATCC: TM150 Test Method for Dimensional Changes of Garments after Home Laundering (TM150-2025 scope: length and width change of garments, four washing temperatures, three agitation cycles, four drying procedures, may not suit certain stretch fabrics; related to ISO 3759) (opens in a new tab)
- ISO: ISO 5077:2007 Textiles, determination of dimensional change in washing and drying (scope covers fabrics, garments or other textile articles; last reviewed and confirmed in 2022) (opens in a new tab)
- ISO: ISO 6330:2021 Textiles, domestic washing and drying procedures for textile testing (procedures, reference detergents and ballasts; each procedure is a single domestic wash; machine, detergent and dryer can affect results) (opens in a new tab)
- ISO: ISO 3759:2011 Textiles, preparation, marking and measuring of fabric specimens and garments in tests for determination of dimensional change (last reviewed and confirmed in 2022) (opens in a new tab)