Does Merino Wool Shrink After Washing?

Does Merino Wool Shrink After Washing?

One of the most frequent questions we get from new customers is:

Does merino wool shrink after washing?

We would like to answer this question with comments from our current customers.

We would also like to draw attention to the fact that we are only referring to GREEN ROSE merino wool clothes and cannot tell how other merino wool clothes react to washing.


GREEN ROSE merino wool products. Do they shrink?

According to the information we have, the fabric might shrink up to 7% after the first wash. Personally, we have not observed any shrinkage or it is so small that it does not affect the clothing size.

We have asked our customers if they have experienced shrinkage of GREEN ROSE merino wool clothes. The answers once again confirmed, that our products do not shrink (provided they are washed correctly). Some of the answers surprised even us with how durable merino wool can be. So here are some of the replies we got:

‘None of the clothes shrank at all.’ Jurgita

‘I wash my merino clothes on a wool setting with a special wool detergent and definitely haven’t seen any shrinkage.’ Rita

‘We have merino wool hats and they have withstood washing well. They didn’t shrink and I am really happy with the quality. I couldn’t find anything better.’ Sandra

‘Our undershirt gets washed and tumble-dried regularly. It was worn by my daughter and now by my son. It’s around 3 years old and has not shrunk.’ Mantaute

‘We also have not experienced any shrinkage of GREEN ROSE merino wool clothes in particular. Including balaclavas, bodysuits, rompers, gloves, etc. The quality is amazing. And they don’t get holes too quickly either.’ Anita

‘I wash mine with a washing machine but everything looks great.’ Silvija

‘Kids’ balaclavas and my husband’s shirt have often ended up in a 40-degree wash and then gone through the tumbler drier… but everything still looks fine’  Simona

‘Our clothes have been washed loads of times. In the beginning, we were quite careful, but later not so much anymore. They’ve been worn for 3 seasons by my child, but we managed to get a hole on the knee first before experiencing any shrinkage :) These clothes are really versatile and adapt to a growing child :) But I can only say that about GREEN ROSE clothes, some of other merino wool clothes we’ve tried were not very pleasant and not stretchy at all.’ Loreta

‘We are washing our merino clothes in the washing machine and none of the GREEN ROSE ones have shrunk. They are truly beautifully made; the fabric is delightful and the quality is superb. I recommend them!’ Julija

‘I have a merino wool top that is too big for me, I really wanted it to shrink, so I washed it at 60 degrees at the maximum spin cycle. But it didn’t shrink at all, nothing happened to it.’ Raimute


Wow, that must have been quite a test! However, we still do not recommend washing at 60 degrees, using high spin speeds, and using a tumble drier. Even if merino wool can withstand this, it makes it wear out faster.


‘In my experience, merino wool clothes do shrink a little if washed with a washing machine, but merino wool with silk almost doesn’t shrink at all. I have even washed these clothes at 40 degrees (by accident) and they were fine :) However, the white merino wool with silk can get darker after lots of wearing and washing and coloured merino wool can die other light clothes, thus sorting clothes is needed.’  Lebri

‘I always wash by hand, in water that is not too hot. Shrinkage is barely perceptible (if at all) and you can always stretch it out afterwards.’ Zavi

‘I wash my merino wool with a washing machine on wool setting. Even if it shrinks at all, then once I put it on, it stretches out again and returns to its original size.’ Aiste


GREEN ROSE merino wool clothes are made to maximise your comfort; however, you shouldn’t forget that merino wool fabric is relatively thin, soft, and delicate compared to some other fabrics (cotton, synthetic fabrics, etc). Therefore, it is wise to choose gentler means to look after your merino wool clothes – such as using a wool detergent, wool setting on the washing machine, low spin speeds, washing with other more delicate fabrics that do not have buttons, stickers, hooks, Velcro or other things that could damage merino wool clothes.




Here's an article we would like to share with information on how to wash and look after merino wool.

We hope that this article will be helpful to our current and future GREEN ROSE customers. We are also always grateful to hear about your experiences. Share in the comments below, have you experienced any shrinkage of GREEN ROSE merino wool clothes after washing?