 | Craig D. Miller oversees the daily operation of Miller Dry Cleaner's six Wichita locations. Miller's has been family owned and operated for 27 years. Leading the second generation of Miller ownership, Craig has been involved in the family business for 15 years, since the age of 14. Craig is a Friends University grad, and is married to Shellie, a schoolteacher. Craig can be reached at (316) 942-5180. |
Dry Cleaning
2004-06-01 12:23:00
Can ‘pre-shrunk’ still shrink?
ANSWER: Yes, your shirt can and probably will shrink, for a couple of reasons. It can shrink if it was improperly pre-shrunk in the first place during manufacturing. Fabrics are woven under tension. If the fabric is not adequately preshrunk before the shirt is constructed, the agitation of any laundering process can relax the fabric resulting in shrinkage. If shrinkage does not occur until the shirt has been laundered several times, it may be due to the removal of finishing agents such as sizing, starches, and stain repellents that held the fabric in place.Not only do shirts shrink, but most other items do too. Shrinkage is so common in fabrics that the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) has established standards for the amount of acceptable shrinkage in all items.Typically shirt manufacturers allow for 2-3% shrinkage even on properly stabilized fabrics. This means a shirt with a 15-inch neck and a 33-inch sleeve length could shrink approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch in the neck and 1/2 to 1-inch in the sleeve. On fabrics that are improperly stabilized, shrinkage is higher, resulting in a shirt that is too small. Rule of thumb: Plan for shrinkage; buy bigger collars and longer sleeve lengths at the store!
