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New Pants -- How Much Are They Going To Shrink?

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SirSuturesALot

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I'm a belt size 32, but I usually try and buy pants between 32 and 34 because pants at 32 sometimes shrink after washing/drying to an uncomfortable tightness.

I just purchased some new pants in varying sizes, and I'm hoping my fellow members can help identify which ones are likely to shrink, and if so, by how much around the waist?

The materials are as follows:
1. Brioni cotton (khakis)
2. Ralph Lauren Purple Label linen
3. Oxxford twill cotton

A number of these were purchased in size 32, which is why I also listed the brands -- some brands seem to construct their pants so that they are the intended size after washing, while other brands do not do this.

Also, for those of you who clean your pants at home, after washing them in cold water, do you let them drip dry, or throw them in the dryer?

Thanks in advance!
 
#2 ·
The pants you listed are almost certainly dry clean only meaning the waist band liner and other parts of the trouser aren't constructed to be put in the washer. Pants intended to be washed and dryed will shrink in length, but they shrink very little in the waist. If the pants you bought are washable, put them through a few wash-dry cycles before alteration, and then never put them in hot water or the dryer again.
 
#3 ·
I agree with Taxler. don't wash those pants. RLPL linen should not be washed. Oxxford cottons should not be washed. they will look terrible after they are washed. I have never had a problem washing jeans. Use cold wash only and if you think they will shrink, hang dry. Usually the length is what may shrink an eighth to quarter inch.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
Thanks for the replies.

Dry cleaning here is $6 per pant (with tax). That can quickly add up. How many times do you gentlemen wear your pants on average before sending them to the dry cleaners?

Does dry cleaning result in shrinkage, length-wise or waist-wise?

Also, out of curiosity... are these pants meant to be dry cleaned simply because the construction is more delicate?
 
#5 ·
This is a good question. I have been told dry cleaning should not shrink the inseam, but I swear after a year or so, many of my pants seem almost too short. Now maybe it has to do with the closer I get to 40, the higher I wear them, but I am still slightly suspicious.
 
#6 ·
SirSuturesALot:

Dry cleaning, despite the name (which just means that no water is used), is a wet process. Dry cleaning will shrink garments, but not as much as a laundry process (mainly due to the drying!).

Most quality garment makers engineer their clothes depending on the fabric for shrinkage to the correct size. The usual with most cotton is 2% shrinkage.
 
#7 ·
I notice that cotton and linen will shrink a little more than wool.

I usually wear my cotton and linen pants 2-3 wearings before dry cleaning depending on the look of the pants. I always iron my pants before wearings.
 
#8 ·
Andy, you mention 2%, which at first glance does not seem like much. However, upon thinking about that a little more, I realize a size 30 inseam, together with an 11" upper pant, would shrink .8", almost a full inch!

And the way I'm fussy with the break on my pants, .8" is the difference between "just right", and "damn, gotta let these cuffs out, looks like I'm ready for high tide here".
 
#10 ·
Send them to the dry cleaner when they need to be cleaned. One hard wearing and they are ready or 3 to 4 light wearings before it would be necessary. This really depends on the environment you are in and your activities.

Fabric shrinks for 3 reasons. Moisture, agitation and heat. Conventional laundering and drying will produce shrinkage the quickest. However, just the agitation and heat of drying in dry cleaning can cause shrinkage over time. If fabrics are properly pre-shrunk then there won't be much shrinkage. If not, the shrinkage can be significant. For a standard gabardine weave the shrinkage is uniform so it will be most evident in the longest dimension, the inseam. However, waist bands have a liner material that can shrink even more than the pant material. For these reasons, it is generally best to purchase pants a little on the large size and have the final alterations done after a few cleanings.
 
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ChuckH
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