Linen can be shrunk intentionally, but the process requires care. The same properties that make linen durable — the strength and structure of the flax fibre — also make it relatively resistant to significant shrinkage. A linen garment will not shrink dramatically in a single wash the way some fabrics do.

The mechanism: linen shrinks through a combination of heat and moisture. Hot water washing combined with high-heat tumble drying will produce the most shrinkage. Each additional cycle at high heat produces progressively less shrinkage as the fibres stabilise.

How much shrinkage to expect: a well-made linen garment that has not been pre-shrunk will typically shrink between 3-5% in length and width through the first one or two hot washes. This is the window in which intentional shrinkage is most effective. After the first few washes at high temperature, the fabric stabilises and shrinks very little with subsequent washes.

What works: wash at 60 degrees Celsius on a standard cotton cycle. Follow immediately with a tumble dry on high heat until the garment is fully dry. Check fit after one cycle. If more shrinkage is needed, repeat once. Do not over-dry — remove the garment while it still has slight warmth and reshape by hand.

What to avoid: expecting dramatic shrinkage. Linen will not drop a full size through washing. If a PP linen garment is significantly too large, the correct solution is an exchange — not repeated hot washing, which will compromise the quality of the fabric over time without producing the fit adjustment needed.

For PP garments: the correct approach to sizing is always through the exchange process rather than heat-shrinking. If the fit is wrong, our VIP exchange service is the right answer.

Does Linen Shrink  ·  How to Wash Linen Shirts  ·  Men's Linen Collection