But is it as simple as that? One size per warm wash? “It’s basic science that the more heat you apply, the more a cotton garment will shrink.” And since the vast majority of us don't have absolute control of the temperature of our dry cleaner's or washing machine, that’s where the beauty of a pre-shrunk items comes in.
“Pre-shrunk products have gone through different processes by the manufacturer to shrink the fabric down before the final product gets to the consumer,” Vanunu says of the process used at Cotton Citizen, not to mention other popular brands such as Everlane, Lacausa, Outdoor Voices, and BackBeatRags. “Products that are not pre-shrunk tend to shrink a full size, along with 'torquing'—what happens when your T-shirts start to twist after you wash them at home.”
The moral of the story is to shrink at your own risk. “There’s a lot that can happen when you don’t control shrinkage at the manufacturing level—you can ruin the fabric, change the fit, or simply shrink it too much,” says Vanunu. And don’t forget to check the labels for which items are pre-shrunk and which are not. Especially if you tend to be lazy about separating your laundry into cold and warm piles.
Ahead, shop some of our favourite pre-shrunken styles.