Fabric shrinkage calculator
Measure shrinkage from a washed swatch and calculate the prewash length needed for your finished piece. Measure one fabric direction at a time under the same conditions.
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How it works
Formula
Input and formula key
Your result
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Sources
- AATCC TM135 — public scope (full method sold separately)Sources reviewed: 2026-11-05
Assumptions and limitations
For planning, assume the full piece retains the same proportion of length as the swatch after the same washing and drying. Measure one fabric direction at a time under the same conditions. Growth gives negative shrinkage. Seam allowances, repeat matching and later wash cycles are excluded.
How to use this tool
Set up the inputs
Mark and measure a swatch before washing. Wash and dry as intended, remeasure that same direction, and enter your desired final length.
Worked examples
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Use a wash test to plan a cut
50 cm → 47.5 cm: 5%; 100 cm / 0.95 ≈ 105.2632 cm.
Frequently asked questions
How should I read the result from Fabric shrinkage calculator?
Cut length reverses the measured retained fraction; adding the shrinkage percentage to the target is not the same calculation.
Processing and privacy
The calculation or transformation runs in your browser. The tool does not send its input values or generated output to an application server. Loading a page still makes infrastructure requests; optional analytics and Google consent messages have separate controls.
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Help and feedback
Consult the linked sources for definitions and reference data. Contact Support if you have a question or notice a problem.
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