How to Shrink Polyester Fabric

Use heat to shrink polyester fabric.

Polyester fabric is harder to shrink than natural fiber fabric, but synthetic fibers will shrink. The tricky part is adding enough heat to shrink a synthetic fiber without melting it. Adding heat to polyester fibers causes a reaction where elongated fibers begin to coil up and then shrink. However, excessive heat, 230 degrees Celsius or above, will melt polyester. To shrink polyester fabric without damaging it, heat the fabric to 80 degrees Celsius or higher without going over 230 degrees Celsius.

Things You'll Need

• 2 gallons water
• 12-quart or larger stock pot
• Stove
• Cooking thermometer
• Wooden spoon

Instructions

1. Fill the stockpot with water, place the polyester fabric in the pot, and place the pot on the stove.

2. Set the stove temperature to medium-low. While you want the water to simmer, avoid the high temperature setting, because excessive heat can burn the fabric near the bottom of the stockpot.

3. Check the water temperature when steam begins to rise from the pot. When the water rises above 80 degrees Celsius, touch the fabric gently with the wooden spoon to check for a rubbery texture.

4. Turn the stove off, remove the pot from the burner, and wait until the water cools to room temperature.

5. Drain the excess water off of the fabric, and either air dry the fabric or run it through the clothes dryer.

Tips & Warnings

• A larger stockpot may be needed for large pieces of polyester fabric.

• Polyester is resistant to shrinking and stretching when normal laundering conditions are used.

• Do not lift or stretch the fabric when the water is above 80 degrees Celsius, because the fabric will not go back into shape if you stretch it when it is in this rubbery stage. However, the fabric will not shrink unless it reaches a rubbery stage.

References

• Mad Sci Network: Narayan Variankaval--How Would You Shrink Polyester Fabric?
• Explorit Science Center: Science Facts About Temperature
• Fiber Source: Polyester Fiber