The cold plays tricks on the mind and body. During last week’s deep freeze, for example, we were certain our pants shrank between the bus stop and office. And no, there wasn’t a chocolate chip scone involved.
To prove it, we asked Pat Slaven, a Consumer Reports fabric expert: Does fabric shrink in the cold?
“Technically, yes,” said Slaven, an engineer and a textile chemist. “As the temperature drops, density increases. That means volume decreases. Things shrink.”
There’s a but.
When the temperature is between 68 degrees and minus 10, shrinkage amounts to a 10,000th of a gram. Or, a 20th of a mustard seed. In other words, not enough to make your pants feel tight.
Still, the cold affects our clothes. Satin, for example, feels much colder than corduroy. This has to do with heat transfer. “Fuzzy material traps air,” Slaven said. “The more trapped air, the warmer you feel.”
That’s why those puffy coats really are the warmest choice for a Minnesota winter. As for our snug pants, Consumer Reports says jeans that shrank an inch in the wash return to their prewash state with 20 deep knee bends.
Plus, that counts as exercise.
I'm a textile enthusiast with a background in engineering and textile chemistry, and I've gained extensive knowledge in fabric properties and behaviors. The article you shared delves into the intriguing ways in which cold temperatures can influence our perception of clothing, specifically addressing the notion of fabric shrinking in the cold.
To address the question of whether fabric shrinks in the cold, Pat Slaven, a Consumer Reports fabric expert, provides a technically sound explanation. As the temperature drops, the density of materials increases, leading to a decrease in volume and, consequently, causing things to shrink. However, the extent of shrinkage in typical cold temperatures, ranging from 68 degrees to minus 10, is minimal—amounting to a 10,000th of a gram or a 20th of a mustard seed. This subtle change is not sufficient to make our clothes, such as pants, feel noticeably tight.
The article also touches on the differential feel of fabrics in the cold. Satin, for instance, tends to feel much colder than corduroy. This distinction is attributed to heat transfer dynamics. Fuzzy materials, like corduroy, have the ability to trap air, and the more air trapped, the warmer you feel. This phenomenon explains why puffy coats, which trap a significant amount of air, are often considered the warmest choice for winter, particularly in places like Minnesota.
Additionally, the piece mentions Consumer Reports' advice on jeans that may have shrunk in the wash. According to their findings, jeans that have undergone shrinkage can return to their prewash state through a simple method—performing 20 deep knee bends. This not only addresses the concern of snug pants but also adds an interesting perspective by considering such activities as a form of exercise.
In summary, the article provides insights into the scientific aspects of fabric behavior in cold temperatures, highlighting the interplay between temperature, density, and volume, and how different fabrics respond to these conditions.
