Most shirts will shrink from 1/4 to 1/2 inch in the neck after a few washings. If you are getting them MTM the person doing the measurements should be aware of this.

 

Shirt shrinkage is negligible.

All of my dress shirts are English and purchased from the noted jermyn street shirt makers. The fabrics range from 100s 2 ply to 140 Sea Island cotton and 180 cotton woven in Italy. Some collars are fused, some are not. After multiple washings, I have not noticed any shrinkage. Since I like to wear a fairly tight collar, I am certain that I would notice any shrinkage. I wash all my shirts in cold water on the gentle cycle, then place them in the dryer on air fluff for 20 minutes. I hang dry on thicker plastic hangers, then do my own ironing. A lot of work? Maybe at first if you are not a good ironer, but your shirts will not shrink and they will look marvelous.

 

No, we can enforce distortion tolerances at the mill for an upcharge. We can also send goods out to be shrunk; but, that is much more expensive than enforcing the tolerance at the mill.

An MTM shirt is still a factory-made shirt. The pattern made for you will fit in key areas. But, if made properly, has distortion grading applied. By that, I mean, if I know the goods have tested to shrink 3% X 3% (warp & fill, respectively) then the pattern I cut for you will be graded by 3% X 3% so the finished shirt will shrink to fit you by the 3rd wash.

Do not tinker with measurements - you're defeating the system!

Sadly, the few CAD programs I've seen that are specifically geared to the MTM sector are missing the feature to apply distortion grading (silly, huh!). I keep trying to get a job with these folks so I can tell 'em what we really do in the pattern room - but, to no avail!

As for your maintenance and upkeep: Alex has written on the procedure of stretching the interlining while ironing. If you send your shirts out to be laundered, ask for "hand finishing" services. Most laundries will provide this service, if: a) they have the skill, and b) for a modest upcharge.

 

I remember someone in a previous post saying that shirtings are tested extensively for shrinkage resistance and pre-shrunk at the factory level. Does that mean you should expect little to no shrinkage from your mtm shirts if you wash them in your washing machine at home? I also remember reading somewhere something about fused collar shirts being more prone to shrinkage, and that unlike the rest of the shirt which settles after a few washes, they can continue to shrink, is this true? Also I recall reading somewhere that British fabrics are typically not pre-shrunk whereas Italian fabrics are, is this true? Does Thomas Mason pre-shrink?

This may all be a bunch of BS, but I'd like to know one way or another.

Cotton shrinks.

Basically I'm looking for the best way to keep my mtm shirts fitting the way they do when I buy them.

Cotton shrinks. Assuming you are using good cloth, they should be 1% larger than you want before you wash them.

 

Cotton shrinks. Cotton shrinks. Assuming you are using good cloth, they should be 1% larger than you want before you wash them.

Well, there's the rub, eh mate! I would assume 4% on any shirt costing less than $60 retail, 3% on any shirt costing less than $125 retail, and 2% on the rest of retail stocked shirts.

It's really no problem if you factor the shrinkage of (generally, always exceptions, etc.) cheap, mid-grade, and high-end cottons. 4%-3%-2% respectively, whether RTW, MTM, or bespoke. So you do the math. On a 34" sleave, 4% shrinkage is over an inch. 3% shrinkage is an inch, and 2% shrinkage is .7". If Mr. Kabbaz is using fabrics that alone cost upward of $50 per yard or $200 per ave. shirt, which I believe from his posts he routinely does, then I would believe they do only shrink 1%, or one third of one inch on that 34" sleeve.

Just determine your quality of fabric, do the math, and buy accordingly.