Does Elastane Shrink?
Who doesn’t love a little comfort and stretch to their clothes? I know I certainly do!
From workout leggings and yoga pants to skinny jeans and even undergarments, we’ve all become accustomed to the perfect amount of “stretch” and flexibility in our apparel.
Most clothing contains at least some amount of the synthetic fabric elastane, or spandex, to add elasticity. Of course, this amount varies based on the type of garment (think athletic apparel versus jeans).
While fabrics containing elastane are extremely easy to care for, you might be wondering “does elastane shrink?” Let me answer that for you and give you the best tips to ensure your stretchy apparel holds its original size and shape!
Does Elastane Shrink?
What is elastane?
Elastane is a synthetic material made up of synthetic fibers as opposed to natural and organic material such as cotton and wool, which are made up of natural fibers. In the United States, elastane is most commonly referred to as Spandex.
The elastane and spandex content in clothing offers the wearer added flexibility and stretch.
Manufacturers will “blend” spandex with other materials such as cotton or polyester to achieve the super durable, breathable, and quick-drying garments that we know and love – say hello to your favorite pair of yoga pants!
Elastane can be found in varying amounts in countless pieces of clothing. It is used in everything from workout attire like leggings and sports bras to socks, underwear, and even skinny jeans.
The main characteristic of elastane is its elasticity and ability to stretch and return to its original size without losing its form or shape. This makes this type of fabric the ideal material for form-fitting attire as well as waistbands.
While elastane fabrics can certainly shrink when exposed to high temperatures, the good news is that these pieces of clothing are also extremely easy to care for and tend not to wrinkle like natural fibers – and who doesn’t love that?!
Elastane Blend Fabrics
On its own, elastane is a fairly heat-resistant fiber and requires extremely high heat to begin the shrinking process. However, as mentioned above, it is most often blended with natural fabrics such as cotton or even other synthetic materials like polyester to create garments.
When asking the question “does elastane shrink?” we have to take into account the materials that it is being blended with. You can always find the blend percentages on the inner care label of your article of clothing.
These blend percentages will look something like 95% cotton/5% spandex or 91% polyester/9% elastane. These blend amounts are extremely helpful in knowing how best to care for your clothing items and prevent them from shrinking.
As a general rule of thumb, you will want to treat each item as the most sensitive fabric in the blend. Trust me – this is easier than it sounds and I’ll break it down for you with some of the most common elastane blends!
Cotton Blend
Cotton and elastane (or spandex) blends are very common. Cotton fabric keeps clothing soft and comfortable while spandex gives it that great flexible stretch. Cotton blends are found in garments such as lounge pants, socks, underwear, etc.
Cotton is an extremely heat-sensitive fabric, meaning that cotton is prone to shrinking especially at higher temperatures. Because of this, cotton often goes through an anti-shrinkage treatment prior to being used but you still need to take care when washing and drying items made up of this specific blend.
Cotton blends, particularly those made up primarily of cotton (like 98-percent cotton blends for example), should always be washed in cold water and dried at a low temperature.
Polyester Blend
Polyester-spandex blends are most commonly found in sports and athletic apparel like sports bras, workout leggings, and yoga pants. Polyester fabric is moisture-wicking and breathable making this spandex blend a great option for apparel that you’ll be moving and sweating in.
Polyester is actually more resistant to shrinking at high temperatures than spandex or elastane is, but your best bet is still to wash at lower temperatures (cool to warm water) to prevent uneven shrinkage.
Polyester spandex blends are also extremely quick drying and can be left to air dry or dried quickly at a low heat.
Nylon Blend
Like elastane and polyester, nylon is another synthetic fabric that is fairly heat resistant and not nearly as prone to shrinking as natural fabrics like cotton. Nylon is also used primarily in body-forming athletic attire, such as compression pants, due to its elasticity and durability.
Nylon and spandex blends can typically be washed and dried at a higher temperature than other blends. Though air drying is always a great option to ensure these pieces keep their original size and shape.
Tips To Keep Your Elastane Garments From Shrinking
The best way to ensure your clothes containing elastane or spandex don’t shrink and retain their elasticity is to follow a few basic tips.
With the following methods, you can ensure that your stretchy fabric always maintains its original shape and lasts you a long time!
- Follow the care instructions on each individual item. This is important as each item may contain different percentages of fabric blends.
- Wash in cold or lukewarm water with a mild detergent.
- Consider air drying any elastane clothing or at the very least dry these garment pieces on low heat.
- Treat the garment like the most delicate material in the blend found on the care label.
- If you find yourself absolutely in need of ironing a piece of garment with elastane, do so on the lowest heat setting. Because most clothing containing elastane rarely wrinkles when washed and dried appropriately, ironing is not typically necessary.
- For more delicate pieces of clothing such as a bathing suit and/or under garments, consider using a mesh garment bag and washing on the “delicates” cycle if that’s available to you.
How To Shrink Elastane
Ok, I know this blog post has been all about preventing shrinkage but it’s possible that over time your spandex clothing has lost some of its shape and stretched out a bit. I don’t know about you, but I absolutely can’t stand baggy leggings.
Thankfully there’s a simple solution. You can wash your favorite leggings (or other spandex item) in warm to hot water and dry at a higher temperature to regain the shape and elasticity.
I recommend gradually increasing the temperature to ensure you don’t shrink the item too much.
Elastane Shrinkage FAQs
Will elastane shrink in the washing machine?
Clothes containing elastane can most definitely shrink in the washing machine if not washed with the appropriate water temperature for the fabric blend. The hotter the water temperature the more possibility of your clothes shrinking, especially with high cotton blends.
Washing your clothes on a gentle cycle in cool or lukewarm water with a mild, non-chlorine bleach detergent will keep your clothes from shrinking during the wash cycle.
You may also want to consider using a garment bag while washing more delicate items to make sure they don’t stretch and are able to keep their shape.
Will elastane shrink in the dryer?
Because of the high heat of dryers, elastane fabrics are more likely to shrink in the dryer than in the washing machine. The higher the heat of the dryer, the more shrinkage you’ll experience in your garments.
Regardless of the material blend, it is best to refrain from using the highest heat settings on your dryer. To get the best longevity and appearance out of your spandex clothing, air dry or dry them on a low heat setting.
Conclusion
Although elastane is a heat-resistant fabric, it can absolutely shrink when washed and dried at high temperatures. The amount of shrinkage of elastane clothing depends largely on the fabrics it is blended with, whether natural or synthetic.
The safest way to ensure your clothing items containing elastane or spandex don’t shrink (regardless of the fabric blend) is to wash in cool water with a mild detergent and air dry your clothing or dry on a low heat setting.
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