icebreaker merino shrinkage?

As long as you wash in cold water, delicate, and don't dry it in a dryer, you shouldn't get any shrinkage.

Hi Jennifer

That is what I thought, but a while back I bought an icebreaker top and over time it seems to have shrunk a bit (never put it in the drier). However my stoic shirts never seemed to shrink at all

Rhz

I thought a lot of these uber expensive sport merino clothing were pre-treated to radically reduce shrinkage?

They usually do this in two ways, the fibers are put through an acid wash which takes the scales off, or less common is they put a coating (polymer type?) which fills in the space of the scales.

Either way, there is no more scale bonding which happens, which is the primary way and reason for Merino/all sheep's wool to shrink so much.

My guess, actually, is that they measure and weave the fabric to be shrunk on purpose. That's why when I roll the sleeves up on merino shirts, I end the day with really wide sleeves.

A guess.

But, essentially, I have yet to ruin any of my merino wool through shrinkage. I have owned and do own probably 15 different items counting sock pairs.

I would go with the medium if you want an athletic fit and not worry about shrinking, or go with a large for a loose fit.

I suppose that is possible… but it's not quite like pre shrinking cotton or the like! I've experimented with deliberately shrinking and felting wool and one thing i can tell you, it's at best an art and not a science.

Wool can shrink to an amazing degree. To see this, just go to some thrift stores and look for wool sweaters and long sleeved shirts. You may find, like i have, that that little itty bitty size small looking sweater or shirt is labeled not a small, no, not even a medium, but often a large or even XLarge!

In fact, occasionally i come across more true large or X large sizes, buy them anyways (i wear medium), put them through a shortish hot, very soapy wash, rub the fabric together and then put in the dryer a bit on medium heat, and voila, i get a medium size if i do it right (again, it's bit of an art and not a science).

A lot of this is due to the scales on the wool fibers. They are literally like little hooked barbs, getting those barbs tangled up and interlocked is what primarily causes the shrinking and "felting". Felting is also useful for two more things, it makes wool a lot more stronger and durable (you know the old saying, strength in numbers and unity, well it's true for wool fibers too, united they stand, divided they fall and all that ;) and it makes it a bit warmer too because it tightens up the weave some and traps more air.

But again, it's well known that a lot of the sportwear Merino based brands, will completely take off the scales on the fibers or fill them in, thus creating a more trouble free idiot proof garment. I suppose these can be shrunk a little bit still, but NOTHING compared to more natural wool. I know, more than any ever needed to know about wool.. I have a sort of mild obsession with fabrics and fibers for some reason.

I've experienced no shrinkage with my Icebreaker Merino garments. Or any other Merino I own, for that matter. But I wash on gentle and hang dry so I'm pretty careful on how I treat the material.

I own 3 icebreaker tech T lite long sleeve shirts, two icebreaker tech t lite short sleeve shirts, and one short sleeve collared shirt that I use for daily wear. I wouldn't say they shrunk much, but every one has "tightened up" a little and shortened a little bit after the first washing (cold water, woolite, hang to dry). For me, this was advantageous, as they now fit better and have a more interesting striated texture. There were no additional changes with subsequent washings.

The tech- t lite shirts are pretty thin (150 g/m2). I have not experienced the same shrinkage with heavier weight merino like my ibex indie.

It's funny you just asked because my wife just machine washed my new Tech Lite T and threw the thing in the dryer on high for a full cycle. It went from a large medium to a "slim" medium. I can still wear it though, its just more of a performance fit. I'll have to see if it will stretch back out in time.

Ryan, that means it is not the natural, or rather non treated wool. Because if you did that with the other stuff, it most likely would have shrunk a lot more. I see so many non sports wear Merino wool sweaters and shirts in good shape (but much smaller than their labeled size) at Thrift stores because apparently a lot of people don't realize the care you have to take with these natural wools.

I have a few brands of merino shirts.

My icebreaker is a little large for me. So I washed it hot and put it in the dryer with my cotton stuff. It may have shrunk a little, but not much.

I have had other merino items accidentally get washed in hot and dried in the drier and nothing has shrunk that much.

I can't say the same for other non-merino wool items I've had. So I suspect the merino stuff has all been pre-treated to not shrink.