Shrinking Clothes

[Bo Hart]

I just got an awesome new sweatshirt for Christmas. It fits perfectly. However, it's 60% cotton so it's going to shrink (right?). I don't know if I should keep it and hope the shrinking is modest, or if I should return it for a size larger and risk having something that's way too big.

Earlier this year I dropped like $75 on long-sleeve shirts and a sweatshirt. They were all larges. After one wash, they were all too small. This is from the MLB.com team shop, though... in the past, their sizing has seemed larger than most other places, and so I asked for a large instead of an extra-large.

[sighyoung]

What temperature did you wash those sweatshirts in? If you're concerned, wash them in cold water.

[Bo Hart]

So would the fact that it's 40% polyester + cold washing + air drying ensure minimal / no shrinking? Or is it still a crapshoot?

[clevername]

can't help much. It seems to be a crapshoot to me, too. I'm always stuck between getting a large or an extra large hoping it will shrink to a large after washing.

I had the same experience with some mlb.com stuff a few months ago. Got larges, washed, now too small to public exposure.

[sighyoung]

So would the fact that it's 40% polyester + cold washing + air drying ensure minimal / no shrinking? Or is it still a crapshoot?

Crapshoot, yes, but that's what I'd suggest. Also, air drying helps prevent baking in any sweat or antiperspirant stains. (I'm entirely serious about this.)

[Bo Hart]

I had the same experience with some mlb.com stuff a few months ago. Got larges, washed, now too small to public exposure.

What materials were they made of? Can you please look?

Anecdotal experiences from someone who had ordered from MLB.com in the past was definitely something I was hoping for...

[ThatGuy]

I have a feeling we ended up with the same sweatshirt.

[cardsfansince82]

Anecdotal experiences from someone who had ordered from MLB.com in the past was definitely something I was hoping for...

Saying it's from MLB.com doesn't help much. What brand the shirt is...Nike, Majestic, etc. might help. Either way, 80/20 cotton is probably even more common than 60/40. I'd say if it fits you good right now you should go with that. I pretty much always use cold water when washing unless it is a load of whites or towels and never have any problems. If it's a non-neutral color or you are just overly worried then wash it by itself. Air drying is a little over the top for a sweatshirt. I'd dry it on a lower setting so when you take it out it's 80% dry and hang it up immediately.

[cardsfansince82]

Oh and this thread caused me to go look at the mlb shop for the first time in several months.

I would be all over this if I didn't already have entirely too much Cardinals stuff:

[docellis]

ha ha kyle is getting fat