Cotton shrinks! This fact is reported to have been discovered by the ancient Egyptians and has been confirmed by countless distraught women through the ages. You can figure about 3-5% in width and 8-12% in length depending on the type, weight and knit. Sharp changes in temperature cause more shrinkage than gradual changes. Preshrunk goods shrink less, but still shrink. "Compacted Cotton" has been scrunched up between rollers so that there is built in extra length in the fibers so it shrinks less.
Allow for the shrinkage!
In some garments, this means buying a size larger. If the item is cut oversize to allow for shrinkage it will be big at first and then shrink down to the size on the label. In the end, we have to leave it you to judge the right size to buy. See our Sizing Page for more detailed info on clothing sizes.