There’s nothing worse than buying a new shirt you adore only to find it fits just a little too baggy. Luckily, this doesn’t automatically mean you have to get rid of it.
Learning how to shrink a shirt empowers you to wear the clothes you love, even if they’re not the right size for you. Read on and discover the best ways to downsize your clothes and find the perfect fit.
Intentionally shrinking garments helps you get the best fit for your body type—and if you’ve recently gone down a size or two, it’s also a sustainable way to prolong the life of your clothes and keep them out of landfills.
Check out the best ways to shrink a shirt and build a wardrobe that fits you.
Pro tip: Be sure to treat any stains before you start—all these methods use high heat, which sets stains in place!
Let’s start with the most popular method and learn how to shrink a shirt in a dryer. This approach is best for hardier fabrics like cotton and denim—delicate silk blouses can’t take high heat and may come apart.
Here’s how to shrink clothes with a washing machine and dryer:
Now that you’ve successfully shrunk your shirt, avoid drying it in high heat settings in the future—you don’t want it to get any smaller.
Pro tip: Remember to take care of your clothes! Multiple washer/dryer cycles can wear down clothing, but you can add a cup of vinegar to maintain their color and softness.
Immersing your clothes in boiling water has a similar effect to throwing them in a washing machine but uses far less water—a big win for the environment.
Here’s how to shrink clothes with a pot of boiling water:
This method is gentle enough for leather jackets and cashmere sweaters, but you’ll need to use warm water instead of boiling. Submerge the garment in a bowl of warm water, let it soak for a few minutes, and press out the water. Then, let it air-dry.
A garment steamer is the best option for delicate materials like silk, linen, and wool. It also lets you focus on shrinking specific areas. For example, you might stretch out the belly of a beloved shirt during pregnancy (which is why we advise grabbing affordable pregnancy clothes instead of wearing your favorites).
Here’s how to shrink clothes with a garment steamer:
This method is gentle and requires no direct contact, so it’s a great way to start if you aren’t sure what’s safe for your shirt.
We encourage you to bring the ultimate thrifted treasure home, even if you need to make a few alterations, like cleaning a pair of white sneakers or replacing a jacket button. Knowing how to shrink a t-shirt is handy, but if it sounds too risky, get the best size from the start on ThredUp.
Browse our massive collection and find any style or color in your size. Use our “Set your size” feature and shop only for items that fit you—from tops to shoes.
To get even more detailed, try our Improved Search feature. Simply type in descriptive phrases like “jeans for curvy bodies,” and then use our size filters to narrow the results and find the perfect item for your body type.
Not flexing—Time Magazine recognized our AI search as one of the best inventions of 2024!
Yes! Learning how to shrink cotton shirts is easier than most other fabrics. Many synthetic materials, such as polyester and nylon, guard against shrinkage, and delicate fabrics like silk require special techniques.
It may not be a good idea to shrink oversized shirts. Intentional shrinking methods usually downsize an item subtly, and oversized shirts are typically two sizes larger than your usual fit. A slight shrink may not make it small enough, but it will reduce your ability to style it oversized.
Sure you can! It’s a bit trickier than shrinking, but it’s not impossible. Here’s how to do it:
Remember that this helps stretch the shirt out, but it isn’t guaranteed to go back to how it was, so try not to over-shrink the item the first time around.