Caring for Your Clothes: The Why Behind the Instructions

Because you deserve to understand what you're doing and why

The Wandering Weave

Every piece of clothing comes with care instructions. Most of us don't like to admit it but the reality is we glance at them once and then do whatever we were going to do anyway. I know I do! I'm busy, the laundry pile is eternal and no one really ever explained to me why those instructions say what they say.

Typical brands give you care labels and leave it at that. They tell you what to do without ever explaining why. When you don't understand the why, you can't make informed decisions about when the rules matter and when you can bend them. I'm going to explain exactly what happens to fabric during washing and drying, why I recommend what I recommend on my tags, and how to make choices that work for your actual life. The world won't end if you use the dryer but understanding what the dryer does helps you decide when it's worth it and when it's not.

The Care Instructions

Machine wash cold, gentle cycle

Tumble dry low or lay flat to dry

Do not iron

"Machine Wash Cold"

Cotton fibers are made primarily of cellulose held together by hydrogen bonds. This gives cotton its stable shape. When water and heat are introduced, these hydrogen bonds can transform, causing the fabric to either relax or contract. The cleaning agents in detergent help release dirt but they also break down the bonds that hold fibers in their original shape. 

When you wash a cotton garment the fibers absorb water and swell. Cotton is excellent at absorbing moisture (this is the reason it's breathable and comfortable) because cellulose is hydrophilic. That is a fancy way of saying "water-loving". The water molecules wedge between the chains and puff up the fibers. When swollen fibers are exposed to heat, they release moisture and contract. As the fabric dries, it doesn't always return to its original dimensions, especially if it was agitated while wet.  

Hot water speeds up this process significantly. Cold water reduces the energy available for fiber contraction. The temperature variance between hot and cold washing can result in 2-4% additional shrinkage with hot water. That might not sound like much, but over dozens of washes, it adds up. Cold water still cleans effectively but gives fibers less reason to tighten.

What if you use warm or hot water? Your clothes won't disintegrate but you're accelerating wear and shrinkage. If you're in a hurry or dealing with a particularly dirty load, warm water occasionally won't ruin anything. Just know what you're trading off.

Why Gentle Cycle?

The gentle cycle reduces agitation, the tumbling and spinning, that cleans clothes but also stresses fibers. This matters more than many people realize.

Mechanical agitation adds stress to the fibers. The tumbling action of the washing machine stretches and pulls them. More aggressive cycles mean more stress on the fabric. Research on fabric wear has found that mechanical action is actually a bigger factor in shrinkage than temperature alone. Studies comparing washing cycles found that the agitation, not the heat, was the primary culprit for dimensional changes in fabric.

Knit fabrics (like our interlock and rib knit constructions) are particularly susceptible to mechanical stress because their looped structure has more give than woven fabrics. That flexibility is what makes it comfortable, but it also means it can stretch or distort under heavy agitation.

What if you use a regular cycle? Don't worry it is not catastrophic, but you're adding unnecessary wear. If your machine doesn't have a gentle cycle, a shorter wash time achieves a similar effect.

"Tumble Dry Low or Line Dry"

I am not going to mince words, most parents use the dryer. I know this. In fact, I DO this. Line drying is ideal for fabric longevity, but it's not always practical and sometimes even impossible when one more complicated thing will not fit into the already overtaxing mental load of parenting.

What the Dryer Does to Fabric

That fluffy stuff you clean out of the lint trap? Those are tiny pieces of your clothes. Every dryer load produces lint because the mechanical tumbling and heat cause microscopic tears in fabric fibers. Tumble drying releases millions of of tiny fiber fragments (microfibers) per load. A study published in Reviewed examined cotton towels through multiple wash/dry cycles and found that high-heat drying resulted in nearly 50% loss of tensile strength after 20 cycles. Low-heat drying cut that damage roughly in half. The mechanical tumbling combined with high temperatures is particularly hard on fabric.

Remember how heat causes cotton fibers to contract? This doesn't just happen in the wash. The dryer continues the process. Pre-shrunk cotton (which mine is) has already gone through initial shrinkage, but repeated high-heat drying can cause additional shrinkage of 1-2% over time.

How to Minimize Dryer Damage

If you're going to use the dryer—and I understand why you might because it is something that I do—here's how to reduce the impact:

• Use low heat. This is the single most effective thing you can do. Low heat significantly reduces both shrinkage and fiber damage compared to high heat.
• Don't over dry. Over-drying is one of the biggest sources of unnecessary wear. If clothes are already dry and continue tumbling in heat, you're just adding stress with no benefit. Remove items when they're barely damp and let them finish air-drying if possible.
• Don't overload. Overstuffed dryers mean clothes tumble against each other more aggressively and take longer to dry, extending heat exposure.
• Consider air-drying sometimes. Even if you can't air-dry every load, doing it occasionally, especially for pieces you want to last the longest, extends garment life significantly. 

Using the dryer trades garment longevity for convenience. That's not a moral failing it is a practical choice. It is a trade-off that I personally make to save my sanity and time when I need to. The question is whether you're making that choice consciously. Clothes dried exclusively on low heat or air-dried will last noticeably longer than clothes consistently dried on high heat.

"But It's Pre-Shrunk!": Why Cotton Still Shrinks

This is one of the most common frustrations with cotton clothing. You bought pre-shrunk cotton, why does it still shrink?

How Cotton Fabric Is Made

When cotton is spun into yarn and woven or knit into fabric, each step introduces tension. The fibers are pulled, stretched, and twisted during manufacturing. This tension is essentially "locked in" by the hydrogen bonds in the cellulose structure. Think of it like a stretched rubber band held in place. The fabric wants to return to a more relaxed state, but it can't until water and heat disrupt those hydrogen bonds. Then the tension releases, and the fabric contracts. This is why untreated cotton can shrink dramatically (up to 20%) on its first wash. All that manufacturing tension finally gets released.

What "Pre-Shrunk" Actually Means

Pre-shrinking is exactly what it sounds like: shrinking the fabric before it's cut and sewn into garments, so the major shrinkage happens before you buy it.

There are two main approaches:

• Mechanical pre-shrinking (what I use): The fabric is washed and dried before garment construction. This releases most of the manufacturing tension through the same process your home washing would use. It's simple, effective, and doesn't involve chemical treatments.
• Chemical pre-shrinking (sanforization): The fabric is treated with chemicals and mechanical compression to lock fibers in a more relaxed state. This can produce extremely consistent results but involves additional chemical processing.

I use mechanical pre-shrinking because it aligns with my approach to minimal chemical processing. The trade-off is that it's slightly less precise than chemical methods. Pre-shrinking handles the initial bulk of shrinkage, that the big release of manufacturing tension. But unfortunately it doesn't make cotton immune to shrinkage forever. There are a couple of reasons why.

• The fiber structure itself responds to heat and moisture. Even after pre-shrinking, cotton fibers still swell when wet and contract when heated. This is a fundamental property of cellulose. It's not something you can pre-treat away entirely.
• With every wash/dry cycle a little more tension is released. Pre-shrinking releases most of the built-in stress, but not 100%. Over many cycles, especially with hot water and high-heat drying, small amounts of additional contraction can occur.
• Knit fabrics have more potential for dimensional change. The looped structure of knit fabrics has more flexibility than woven fabrics. This is what makes them stretchy and comfortable, but it also means they can shrink more readily.

Pre-shrunk cotton typically shrinks an additional 1-3% over its lifetime with home laundering. Most of this happens in the first few washes. Following care instructions (cold water, low heat or air dry) minimizes this. 

 

"Do Not Iron": I Mean It

This one is straightforward: my fabrics don't need ironing AND ironing can damage them.

TENCEL™ Modal and knit cotton fabrics naturally resist wrinkling. If you remove them promptly from the dryer (or lay them flat to dry), they should be smooth enough to wear without pressing.

High heat from an iron can damage TENCEL™ Modal fibers. These fibers are sensitive to high direct heat and can become shiny, stiff, or discolored. Heat can also scorch organic cotton. While cotton tolerates ironing better than TENCEL™ Modal, high heat can still cause yellowing or scorching, especially on lighter colors. Knit constructions like interlock and rib have intentional dimension and texture. Heavy pressing can crush this, flattening the natural texture of knit fabrics.

If you absolutely must reduce wrinkles: Use a steamer at a distance, or put the garment in the dryer on low with a damp towel for a few minutes. This relaxes wrinkles without direct high heat contact.

Stain Removal

Kids and stains are inseparable. I strive to make clothes that allow kids to be kids, beautiful messes and all but we don't want the contribute to fast fashion and the throw away clothing problem. Here's a few ways to handle stains without resorting to harsh chemicals.

• The Golden Rule: Act Fast. Fresh stains are a million times easier to remove than set stains. If you can treat a stain before it dries, you've won half the battle. Keep a simple stain treatment accessible (not buried in a closet) so you actually use it.

• Cold water rinse (immediately): For fresh stains, running cold water through the BACK of the fabric can flush out a surprising amount before it sets. Hot water can actually set protein-based stains (food, blood, formula) by cooking the proteins into the fiber.
• Baking soda paste: Mix three parts baking soda with one part water to create a paste. Apply to the stain, let sit for 30 minutes, then wash as usual. Baking soda is alkaline and helps break down many organic stains without harsh chemicals. This works especially well on food stains, formula, and spit-up.
• Dish soap: A drop of plain dish soap (no added moisturizers or antibacterial agents) rubbed gently into a stain can help lift grease and food. Rinse thoroughly before washing.
• Hydrogen peroxide (for white/light fabrics): 3% hydrogen peroxide (the standard drugstore kind) can help with stubborn stains on light-colored items. Apply, let sit 10-15 minutes, rinse. Test on an inconspicuous area first. It can lighten some dyes so use at your own risk and test first.
• Sunshine: This sounds old-fashioned, but UV light is genuinely effective at fading many organic stains. After treating and washing, lay the still-damp item in direct sunlight. This method works particularly well on yellowing and formula stains. Again be aware this can also lighten some dyes, it is the sun after all, and sun bleaching is a real thing.

What to Avoid

• Chlorine bleach: This can weaken organic fibers and cause yellowing over time. If you need bleaching power, oxygen-based (color-safe) bleach is gentler.
• Hot water on protein stains: Formula, milk, food, blood—these are protein-based. Hot water cooks proteins and sets them permanently.
• Rubbing aggressively: This can push the stain deeper into fibers and damage the fabric. Blot and dab, don't scrub.

 

What About Detergent

We recommend using gentle, eco-friendly detergents when possible. Here's why:

• Harsh detergents can break down organic fibers faster. The same cleaning power that tackles tough stains also puts stress on fabric. For everyday loads that aren't heavily soiled, a milder detergent does the job without the extra wear. Also, the less chemicals that we come in contacct with the better off we are (including our clothes).
• Fragrance and additives can irritate sensitive skin. Kids' skin is more permeable than adults'. Residues from heavily fragranced or additive-laden detergents can cause irritation. Not to mention all the hormone disrupting and cancer causing chemicals that are often hidden in a long list we never read. Best leave those out of things that ouch our skin 24/7.
• Less is often more. Most people use too much detergent. Excess detergent doesn't rinse out completely and leaves residue that makes fabric stiff and can trap odors. Follow package directions—or use slightly less. I also will do an extra rinse cycle or a cap full of distilled white vinegar in the load instead of softener to remove excess detergent.
• Do not use softeners. Softeners coat fibers in a residue that breaks down the natural fibers over time. Also, bacteria and dirt can become trapped inside that residue leading to musty odors. 

Weaving it Together

Care instructions exist for a reason, but they're not commandments. They're recommendations based on what will make your clothes last longest and perform best. Now that you understand what's actually happening to fabric during laundering, you can make informed decisions.

Running late and need dry clothes fast? Use the dryer on low. Understand that you're trading some longevity for convenience, and that's okay.

Dealing with a heavily soiled load after a muddy playground adventure? Warm water and a regular cycle might be worth it this time.

Want a favorite piece to last as long as possible? Cold wash, gentle cycle, air dry. Every time.

The goal isn't perfection. It's understanding. When you know why something matters, you can decide when it matters to you.

Check Our Sources Yourself

• Live Science: "Why Does Cotton Shrink?" (2024) 

• Reviewed: "How Dryers Destroy Clothes" (2024) 

• PLOS ONE (2022): "The Impact of Fabric Conditioning Products and Lint Filter Pore Size on Airborne Microfiber Pollution Arising from Tumble Drying" 

• Polymer Expert: "Shrinkage of Cotton Textiles"