To wash a hoodie without shrinking it, turn it inside out, wash it on a cold, gentle cycle, skip the tumble dryer, and lay it flat to air dry. Cotton shrinks when heat and agitation are combined, so keeping both low is the whole trick. This holds for most cotton hoodies, whether it is a supermarket basic, a mid-weight sweat from a high street label, or a heavyweight piece from a smaller studio like Phrase Studios.
Hoodies take a lot of wear, and they are often the item people worry about most in the wash because a shrunk hoodie is hard to fix. The good news is that the care is simple and mostly about restraint. Below is how each step works, and why heat and agitation cause the shrinking in the first place.
Wash cold and inside out
Cold water is the single most useful habit. Hot water relaxes and swells cotton fibres, which lets them contract and lock into a shorter, denser state as they dry. A cold wash, around 30 degrees or lower, avoids most of that. Turning the hoodie inside out protects the outer face and any print from rubbing against zips, buttons, and the drum, which keeps the surface looking newer for longer.
- Use cold water, ideally 30 degrees or below.
- Turn the hoodie inside out before it goes in.
- Fasten the drawcord loosely so it does not tangle or pull out.
Use a gentle cycle and a mild detergent
Agitation is the second half of the shrinking problem. A fast, aggressive spin physically works the fibres against each other, which felts and tightens them. A gentle or delicates cycle moves the garment less and spins slower, so the fabric keeps its shape. A mild liquid detergent is kinder than heavy powders, and skipping fabric softener helps prints and heavyweight loopback stay as they were.
Avoid high heat and the tumble dryer
The tumble dryer is where most hoodies actually shrink, because it delivers heat and agitation together, which is the exact combination cotton reacts to. Even one hot cycle can pull a garment down a noticeable amount, and repeated hot drying compounds it. If you only change one thing, keep hoodies out of the dryer. The same logic applies to ironing directly over a print, since concentrated heat can crack or lift it.
Air dry flat
Air drying is gentle by nature, but how you do it matters. Hanging a wet, heavy hoodie can stretch the shoulders and lengthen the body, because the weight of the water pulls the fabric down. Laying it flat on a rack or a clean towel lets it dry in its natural shape. Reshape the cuffs and hem by hand while it is damp, and keep it out of direct sun or off a hot radiator, since strong heat sources undo the point of drying gently.
Caring for heavyweight cotton and prints
Heavyweight cotton, often described by its GSM or grams per square metre, holds structure well but takes longer to dry, so give it room and time rather than reaching for heat. Prints, whether screen printed or embroidered, last longest when they are washed inside out, cold, and never tumble dried. Washing a little less often also helps, since a hoodie worn over a tee rarely needs a wash after every use. If you want to understand fabric weight before buying, our guide on what GSM means in clothing breaks it down.
Where Phrase Studios fits
Phrase Studios is an independent studio in Ghent, Belgium, founded in 2023 and working under the line 'From friends, to friends'. We release work in numbered chapters, small runs of heavyweight cotton that we do not restock, which is part of why we care about garments lasting. The care above is exactly how we would treat our own pieces. If you want to see how the fabric is built, our hoodies and sweatshirts and the wider shop give a sense of the weight, and the size guide helps you pick a fit that stays right even allowing for a little natural relaxing over time.
None of this is unique to one brand. Any well made cotton hoodie responds to the same care, and the differences between labels matter less than the habits you keep at the machine. Cold, gentle, inside out, and air dried flat will protect almost anything in your wardrobe, from a basic to a heavier studio piece.
FAQ
Does cold water really stop a hoodie shrinking?
Largely, yes. Cold water avoids the heat that swells and then contracts cotton fibres, which is the main cause of shrinking. Pairing a cold wash with a gentle cycle and air drying removes almost all of the risk.
Can I put a cotton hoodie in the tumble dryer on low?
It is safer to skip the dryer entirely. Even low heat combines warmth and agitation, the two things that shrink cotton, so air drying flat is the more reliable choice. If you must use a dryer, use the lowest heat and remove it while still slightly damp.
How do I keep a hoodie print from cracking?
Wash the hoodie inside out on a cold, gentle cycle, and never tumble dry it. Avoid ironing directly over the print, and skip fabric softener, since concentrated heat and residue are what cause prints to crack or lift over time.