Daily wear, fiber content, fit and construction affect how a garment wrinkles.
Wrinkled clothes are an age-old problem, but not all wrinkles are alike. Moisture and heat are the chief causes, but the fiber content of the fabric, in addition to its fit and construction, will determine how much a garment will wrinkle. Properly identifying the cause of wrinkles is essential to their removal and prevention. Does this Spark an idea?
Creasing
Hang clothes neatly when not being worn to avoid wrinkles.
Deep wrinkles in fabric--or creases--are most often a result of day-to-day wear. The pressure from sitting or leaning for extended periods of time will cause folds in the fabric to form creases in garments. Some creases, however, result from improperly folding or storing clothing. It is best to hang clothes when not being worn to reduce wrinkling.
Heat and Water: The Science of Wrinkles
The interaction of heat and water with a fiber's molecular structure causes wrinkles.
Not all wrinkles are the result of pressure, and some fabrics are more likely to wrinkle than others. In addition to the weave and thread-count of a textile, the fibers manufacturers use to produce fabric can affect how a garment will wrinkle. Cellulose-based fabrics, like cotton, linen or hemp, are particularly absorbent. When exposed to water or sweat, the fibers will absorb the moisture, causing the fiber's hydrogen bonds to shift positions. When the moisture evaporates, new hydrogen bonds will form and "set" creases in place. Heat, from washing, drying or even from the body, can also break up the molecular structure of fibers, causing wrinkles to appear where molecules have formed new bonds. Textiles from animals, like wool or cashmere, are less likely to wrinkle because their fibers are more elastic. Wrinkles can, however, be removed by ironing. An iron's heat and moisture can "reverse" the wrinkling process, "locking in" the polymers while the iron's pressure ensures a crease-free finish. Textile producers can alter the molecular structure of fibers to produce fabric for "permanent press" or "wash and wear" garments.
Fit Issues
Proper fitting garments help to reduce wrinkling.
Some wrinkles result not from the fabric but from the garment itself. Ready-to-wear clothes are fit to a standard size and shape, but few people have standard-shaped bodies. These wrinkles, which are not permanent creases, can result from fit issues. Persistent wrinkles around the underarms of shirts and blouses or in the seat or crotch of pants are a sign of a poorly fitted garment. A skilled seamstress or tailor can assess the cause of these wrinkles and can usually alter a garment to suit a particular body type.
Poor Construction
Cheaply or hastily produced garments are prone to wrinkling.
Some wrinkles simply indicate that a garment is poorly constructed. Puckering or sagging in the seams is often a sign of hasty or improper sewing techniques. Some fabrics, particularly delicate fabrics like silk, require underlining or seam stabilization.
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