Do Silk Shirts Shrink? Tips to Prevent and Manage Shrinkage

A lot of people enjoy how silk shirts look and feel. However, a common concern is whether silk shirts will shrink when washed or dried improperly.

As I’ve learned firsthand, silk is a delicate fabric that requires special care to preserve the size and quality of the garment.

In this article, I’ll share what I’ve learned about caring for silk shirts.

I’ll cover whether silk actually shrinks, what causes shrinkage, proper washing and drying methods, how to reverse shrinkage, and preventative tips for maintaining your silk shirts.

My goal is to help you keep your silk shirts fitting perfectly for many years to come!

Here’s what I’ll be covering:

• Does silk shrink?
• Common causes of silk shirt shrinkage
• Proper washing instructions
• Drying and storage tips
• How to unshrink a silk shirt
• Preventative care for silk shirts

So let’s get started!

Do Silk Shirts Actually Shrink?

Silk is a natural protein fiber produced by silkworms. The inherent properties of silk make it prone to shrinkage when exposed to heat or agitation.

Factors that contribute to silk shirt shrinkage include:

• Heat from washing or drying
• Agitation from washing machines
• Exposure to sunlight
• Improper storage

So the short answer is yes – silk shirts can and do shrink if not cared for properly. The key is following the right care methods to keep shrinkage at bay.

Pro Tip: Look for “washable silk” or “machine washable silk” when shopping. These silk shirts have been pre-treated to make them more shrink resistant.

Common Causes of Silk Shirt Shrinkage

Now that we know silk shirts are prone to shrinkage, what causes it? Here are the main culprits:

Exposure to High Heat

Exposing silk shirts to high heat is the fastest way to make them shrink. For example:

• Putting silk in the clothes dryer – high heat and tumbling will significantly shrink a silk shirt.
• Washing in hot water above 30°C/85°F – the heat causes silk fibers to tighten.

Agitation in Washing Machines

The motion inside washing machines can cause silk fibers to snag and distort. With frequent washing, shirts will slowly shrink smaller and smaller.

For example:

• Machine washing in warm or hot water leads to more agitation and shrinkage.
• Overcrowding the washing machine stretches fabrics and strains seams.

Environmental Factors

Believe it or not, environmental elements can also contribute to silk shrinkage over time. For example:

• Sunlight – UV exposure weakens silk fibers causing them to tighten.
• Humidity – Moisture causes swelling and distortion in silk.
• Pollution – Environmental contaminants can degrade silk fabric.

Improper Storage

How you store silk shirts between wears also determines if they’ll shrink. For example:

• Hanging silk shirts can stretch the fabric over time, especially when wet.
• Storing silk in direct sunlight leads to fading, yellowing, and shrinkage.

Now that you know what causes silk shirt shrinkage, let’s go over how to properly care for them.

How to Wash Silk Shirts

Washing silk shirts by hand is ideal to prevent shrinkage, but you can machine wash them if you’re very careful. Here are some best practices to wash silk:

Hand Washing Silk Shirts

• Use cool or lukewarm water
• Use a mild detergent for delicates or silk
• Gently swish, don’t wring, rub or twist
• Roll in a towel to remove moisture, don’t wring
• Lay flat on a towel to air dry, smoothing wrinkles

Machine Washing Silk Shirts

• Use the delicate cycle with cold water
• Wash similar colors together
• Use a mesh garment bag
• Turn the shirt inside out first
• Use minimal, gentle detergent
• Line dry or dry flat – no dryers!

Recommended Silk Shirt Detergents

• Heritage Park Laundry Detergent (link to Amazon)
• The Laundress Silk Shampoo
• Soak Wash
• Eucalan Delicate Wash

Drying and Storing Silk Shirts

Drying and storage is just as crucial as washing to prevent silk shirt shrinkage. Here are some tips:

Drying Silk Shirts

Air Drying

• Lay flat on a drying rack or towel
• Smooth out wrinkles
• Dry out of direct sunlight
• No clothes dryers!

Storing Silk Shirts

• Fold neatly or hang if needed
• Use breathable garment bags
• Store in cool, dark places
• Avoid plastic containers or vacuumed storage bags

Pro Tip: Keep silk shirts stored until ready to wear to avoid repeated washing. Spot clean when possible between wears.

How to Unshrink a Silk Shirt

What if you accidentally shrunk your favorite silk shirt? Try these methods to stretch it back to size:

Steam Method

1. Fill sink or basin with cool water
2. Add a capful of hair conditioner
3. Submerge shrunk shirt for 20 minutes
4. Remove and gently stretch to original size
5. Roll in a towel to remove moisture
6. Lay flat to air dry, smoothing wrinkles

Ironing Method

1. Fill spray bottle with cool water
2. Lay shirt flat on ironing board
3. Lightly mist shirt to dampen fabric
4. Iron shirt using the steam setting on silk/delicate mode
5. Gently pull and shape shirt to desired size while ironing
6. Allow to fully air dry

Both methods work by using moisture and gentle stretching to relax the silk fibers back to their original length without damaging the delicate fabric.

Learning about tailoring silk shirts helped me achieve the perfect fit.

Preventative Care Tips For Silk Shirts

Caring for silk shirts doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some key preventative tips:

Washing:

• Hand wash when possible
• Use cold water in washing machine
• Limit machine washing to once every 5-6 wears
• Use a mesh garment bag for washing

Drying & Storage:

• Always air dry silk shirts flat
• Store folded or hanging in breathable garment bags
• Keep silk shirts out of direct sunlight

General Care:

• Spot clean stains when possible
• Steam or iron inside out on delicate setting
• Don’t wring, twist or scrub silk fabric
• Wash similar colors together

Following these simple silk shirt care tips will help prevent shrinkage and maintain their quality and lifespan.

Learning about how long a well-maintained silk shirt can last was reassuring.

Can you put silk shirts in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent shrinking?

Putting silk in the fridge or freezer is not recommended. The cold temperature can actually damage silk fibers. When silk gets wet, the moisture causes the fibers to swell up.

If the swollen fibers are then exposed to cold, they can become brittle and prone to breaking. This leads to weakened fibers that are more likely to shrink.

It’s best to let silk shirts air dry at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Refrain from using the refrigerator or freezer to speed up the drying process.

If my silk shirt shrank, should I resize it in hot water?

Absolutely not! Exposing silk to hot water will only cause further shrinkage. Silk fibers tighten when introduced to high heat.

If your silk shirt has already shrunk from improper washing or drying, use the steam method outlined above to gently relax and stretch the fibers.

Fill a sink with cool water and a touch of hair conditioner, then submerge the shirt to soak for 20 minutes before gently pulling to resize.

The moisture and light tension helps sleeves and hems return to their original length without risking heat damage from hot water.

Can you dry clean silk shirts that have shrunk?

Silk shirts can be dry cleaned, but it likely won’t help resize a shrunk shirt. The silk fibers have already tightened at this point.

Professional dry cleaning uses chemical solvents rather than water to clean clothes, but the process still involves some heat from pressing which can cause silk to shrink more.

Your best bet is to hand wash or delicately machine wash shrunk silk shirts to stretch them back to size using the conditioning soak and air dry method recommended above.

Dry cleaning is an option for maintenance cleaning silk shirts that haven’t shrunk yet if needed. Just request light pressing without high heat.

Conclusions

I hope this overview on silk shirt shrinkage gave you some helpful insights on caring for your silk shirts properly.

While silk is prone to shrinkage, there are many ways to minimize and manage it with gentle cleaning, air drying, and proper storage methods.

Here are the key takeaways:

• Silk shirts will shrink when exposed to heat, agitation, and sunlight
• Hand wash or machine wash delicately in cold water
• Always air dry silk shirts flat
• Store silk shirts folded or hanging in breathable garment bags
• Spot clean when possible to limit washing

With some diligent preventative care, you can keep your silk shirts fitting perfectly for many years of wear!

Now that you know how to care for silk, you can confidently wear your silk shirts without fear of shrinkage.