Care & Repair

How to unshrink a wool sweater.

A sweater that came out of the wash a size smaller can often be coaxed back. Whether it works depends on whether the wool only tightened up or actually felted.

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Shrunk or Felted? Check First

	Mildly shrunk	Felted
Stitches	Still visible and distinct	Blurred or invisible
Fabric	Tighter but still stretchy	Thick, stiff, matted
Size change	A little smaller	Much smaller, thicker
Can it be fixed?	Usually, at least partly	No: the fibers have locked together

Felting happens when heat, moisture and agitation make wool's scales interlock permanently. A felted sweater can't be unshrunk, but the dense fabric is great for mittens, coasters or patches.

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The Conditioner Method

01Fill a basin with lukewarm water (not hot) and mix in hair conditioner or baby shampoo, roughly a tablespoon or two per liter.
02Soak the sweater for 15–30 minutes, gently pressing it under. The conditioner lubricates the fibers so they can slide.
03Don’t rinse. Press out the water; never wring. Roll it in a towel to remove more.
04Stretch gently, a little at a time, working across the body, sleeves and length. Ease it; don't yank.
05Dry flat on a fresh towel, shaped to the size you want. Pin the edges or weigh them down if needed.
06Repeat if needed. Stubborn sweaters may take two or three rounds.

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Tips That Help

Use a sweater that fits as a template: lay it underneath and stretch to match.
Steam: a steamer or iron on wool setting held just above the fabric relaxes stubborn areas while you shape them.
Work evenly: stretching one area too hard thins the fabric and distorts the knit.
Blends and superwash: superwash wool rarely shrinks from felting, and it may even grow when wet. Synthetic blends respond less to this method.

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Prevent It Next Time

Cool water only, and keep wash and rinse the same temperature.
No agitation: hand wash, or use a true wool cycle in a mesh bag.
Never tumble dry untreated wool.

Full care guide: Wool Care & Lanolin.