My kameez shrank in the wash: can it be fixed?

Why it shrank

Cotton and viscose yarns are stretched during spinning, weaving and finishing. Water, heat and movement let them relax back, and the fabric pulls in, usually more along the length than across it. That is why a shrunk kameez often looks shorter and tighter in the sleeves before it feels narrower. Viscose is especially prone to this because it is weak and swells when wet. Our viscose and rayon guide explains its quirks.

The relax and stretch method

Follow the care label, and keep everything gentle; wet fibres tear more easily than dry ones.

• Fill a basin with lukewarm water and stir in a spoonful or two of hair conditioner or a gentle baby shampoo until dissolved.
• Soak the kameez for about half an hour, pressing it under now and then.
• Lift it out and squeeze the water out without wringing. Do not rinse it fully; a little conditioner left in keeps the fibres supple.
• Lay it on a large towel, roll it up and press to remove more water.
• Unroll it onto a dry towel and stretch it gently, a section at a time: pull the length from shoulder to hem, then the sleeves, then across the body. Hold each stretch for a few seconds.
• Leave it flat to dry, returning every so often to stretch again. Some people pin the edges to a towel or weigh them down with books.
• When it is almost dry, press it with steam on the reverse, easing the length as you go.

What will and will not come back

Be realistic before you start. A cotton or lawn kameez that has lost a little length often regains most of it, and a crisp cambric loosens up nicely. Viscose can recover but may stretch unevenly if pulled too hard, so ease it rather than tug.

Some damage is permanent. Pieces dried hot in a tumble dryer, wool or wool blends that have felted, and polyester that has been heat-set rarely change. A kameez whose lining shrank more than the outer fabric will pucker however you stretch it, because the two layers now differ in size. Embroidery or lace can also pull the fabric around it tight. Our lawn guide explains why fine cottons shrink in their first wash.

When the seam allowance is the answer

If the kameez is still too tight across the body or the sleeves, the extra width has to come from inside the seams. A tailor near you can check how much allowance is there and let out the side seams or sleeves; our article on letting out a kameez explains what to look for. We make new outfits rather than altering existing ones, so this is a job for a nearby tailor.

For a new outfit, you can avoid the problem from the start. Whether fabric is washed before cutting is worth discussing when you ask for a quote, whether you choose fabric and stitching or send your own, and our pre-washing guide explains the choice.