Added 2026-09-26 from trending overseas buyer search questions. We update this centre daily.
A shrinkage figure is meaningless unless it says which direction it measured. A fabric sample is marked before washing, laundered, then re-measured in warp (lengthwise, parallel to the selvedge) and weft (widthwise, across the cloth). The report gives two percentages — warp and weft — and they are often different. A pattern maker uses the warp number to add length to sleeves and hems, and the weft number to allow for width.
Two standards dominate. AATCC 135 is the North American method; ISO 6330 (with ISO 3759 for sample marking and ISO 5077 for calculating the change) is the international one. Both run the cloth through a household-style wash-and-tumble-dry cycle and measure the dimensional change. The parameters differ slightly:
| Parameter | AATCC 135 (US) | ISO 6330 (Intl) |
|---|---|---|
| Wash temperature | 41 ± 1 °C | 40 ± 2 °C |
| Specimen | 61 × 61 cm | 50 × 50 cm |
| Evaluated after | 3rd wash | 3rd wash |
Both commonly report after the third wash, because the first wash removes most of the 'relaxation' shrinkage and later washes show the stable residual. Always state in the contract which method applies — results from the two are not directly interchangeable.
The formula is simple: shrinkage % = (original − final) ÷ original × 100. A negative result means the cloth contracted (it shrank); a positive result means it grew slightly — common in knits where width relaxes. Both can appear on the same report.
Sanforizing is a specific, trademarked mechanical process (patented 1930): the cloth is moistened and compressed between a rubber blanket and a heated cylinder, locking its dimensions so residual shrinkage stays at or below 1%. It is third-party verified per batch and was designed for woven cotton and denim.
'Preshrunk' is a generic claim with no single standard behind it — residual shrinkage can land anywhere from 1% to 5% and is not independently verified. If dimensional stability matters to your garment, ask for the Sanforized mark or a test report, not the generic word.
For synthetic fabrics, heat-setting does the same job; for knits, a compaction finish is the equivalent route (typically tighter than generic preshrunk, but not the 1% trademark claim of true sanforizing).
These are industry reference bands, not our own guaranteed numbers — the exact target for your article is set per order.
After washing, a knit (and some wovens) can twist along its length — called spirality or skew. A skew over about 5% throws stripe and check matching off, making seams spiral. It is reported as a separate percentage; if your design is striped or checked, ask for the skew value, not just warp/weft shrinkage.
We are an integrated woven mill — yarn dyeing, weaving, dyeing, printing and finishing all on one site — so fabric finishing, the stage where dimensional stability is controlled, is done in-house, not outsourced. Which stabilisation route applies to your article (mechanical compaction, heat-setting, or other) is confirmed per order. Tell us the care cycle your garment will carry (wash temperature and dry method) and we will test to match it. Start a quote request or review the woven range.
Not necessarily. Some relaxation shrinkage is normal and predictable; the goal is consistency you can pattern for, not a number forced to zero. Over-controlling can stiffen the hand or add cost with no garment benefit. Set a realistic band and test against it.
No. Those are chemical-safety and fibre-source standards; dimensional stability is a separate physical test (AATCC 135 / ISO 6330). A fabric can be OEKO-TEX certified and still shrink. Verify shrinkage with its own test report.
Name the method (AATCC 135 or ISO 6330), the wash temperature and dry method, the number of cycles, and the acceptance band for warp, weft and (for knits) skew. Without these, a 'shrinkage' clause is unenforceable.
The target and tolerance for your specific construction are agreed and recorded per order, with the test method named on the report. Ask at enquiry and we will state it in writing — available on request rather than assumed.