High-quality jeans are always made of 100 percent cotton. But most of the time companies also use a small portion of other materials with cotton to make jeans a comfortable pair. But today we only focus on 100 percent cotton, specifically on one question do 100 cotton jeans stretch?
Well, jeans are made mainly of cotton twill fabric which is a strong fabric and provides durability. But most of the brands nowadays use different materials like polyester, and spandex with cotton either to cut down the cost or to provide elasticity to jeans. Anyway, back to the question…
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Do 100 cotton jeans stretch?
Jeans made of 100 percent cotton stretch a little over time, about 1.5 inches but do not have a natural elasticity or Scratchiness like other jeans made of blends. To provide natural stretch to jeans, cotton is often blended with elastane Or spandex.
In this article, we will know how much 100 jeans stretch and how you can stretch them or prevent them from stretching. Further, the article also discusses different brands of jeans that use 100% cotton in jeans and why they don’t use other elasticity blends.
Cotton has been used since the jeans were first made in Levi’s factory. Earlier if we talk about vintage jeans, then all of them were made of 100% cotton. But at present most jeans are made of blends, like levis 501 which is made of cotton and elastane. Only a minimal amount of spandex Or elastane is used to provide stretch to jeans. This use of Stretchable jeans became common after the boom of skinny and tailored jeans.
Is cotton jeans stretchy?
Cotton twill used to make jeans is a tough material that stretches a little to attain the shape of your body. However, this only happens when you wear jeans for years.
However, jeans made of cotton and spandex Or elastane are likely to stretch when you first wear them and get back to their original shape. This is because stretchy material have elasticity, which means it is easy to stretch that material. But later it returns back to its original shape.
The case is different with cotton, as cotton is a natural fabric and made of loosely packed molecules, preventing them to stretch. But they stretch very little over the years.
How much do 100 cotton jeans stretch over time?
The strechness in jeans depends on how many times you wear the jeans. The jeans will not stretch if you keep them in the closet for years, but only when you wear them for years.
The cotton used in jeans attains its shape according to your body shape and allows you to be more comfortable in jeans. At first, you may feel uncomfortable in 100 cotton jeans but as you wear it for a long it will loosen up and compliments your body shape.
This is also the reason why cotton is used to make jeans. Besides stretch, cotton is also a tough material and prevents any rip in jeans. Moreover, cotton is a durable fabric that gives clothes like jeans a long life.
Vintage jeans(jeans made before 2003) are likely to last longer because they are made of 100 cotton jeans. And the fact is that you can still buy these Levi’s vintage jeans online in good condition.
Will 100 cotton jeans stretch when wet?
Yes, 100 cotton jeans are more likely to stretch if wet. This happens when you hang jeans for drying and the weight of the jeans expands the cotton fabric. This all results in stretch in jeans.
On other hand, if you put jeans in the dryer under the influence of high heat, they are most likely to shrink, which as result, also reduces their durability.
On contrary hanging your jeans when wet for drying can stretch the jeans to some extent, all credit goes to gravitational pull, which stretches the cotton fibers.
So, if you want to prevent any stretch in your jeans then you can dry them by laying them flat or air drying them instead of hanging them.
Follow the complete opposite if you want to loosen up your jeans so that they feel more comfortable.
In the process, one should also avoid overdoing this as putting on jeans or Washing it, again and again, can damage the fabric and shorten the jean’s life.
How do 100 cotton jeans stretch?
To understand why and how 100 cotton jeans stretch when wet, there is simple explanation.
Firstly, you all know that cotton is a plant-based fabric and because of that, it becomes stronger when it comes in contact with water. Just like plants, when water is provided to plants it grows and becomes stronger. But at the same time, more water can also result in .
It is the same with cotton jeans, when you put jeans in water, the cotton fibers expand and stretch without breaking. Moreover, The extra gravitational pull and weight of wet jeans allow the fabric to stretch more.
However, overdoing this can also make jeans loosen and look saged.
If you don’t want your jeans to look too stretched then you can dry them by laying flat and air drying them. This will distribute the weight of water in jeans and also eliminate the gravitational pull, thus resulting in less stretch.
Do 100 cotton jeans stretch after washing?
Washing 100 cotton jeans will most probably lead to shrinkage than stretching. Cotton absorbs water but when it is washed in a washing machine, the agitation process can shrink the fibers, which results in the shrinkage of jeans.
This is why it is also advised by companies to avoid washing raw jeans immediately after wearing, wait for 6 months at least if you want to prevent shrinkage as raw denim does not come preshrunk. However, if your jeans are preshrunk then also there is a high chance of it shrinkage because of cotton fibers if you are washing it for the first time. However, the shrinkage in preshrunk jeans will be very little.
So,
why do 100 cotton jeans shrink and not stretch after washing?
As discussed above the main reason behind this is the agitation process which takes place during the washing of any cloth in the washing machine. Agitation basically moves the jeans regularly to rinse off the detergent. Agitation also happens if you are washing your jeans with your hands, but very low in contrast to the washing machine.
The agitation is also the reason why jeans don’t stretch during washing as it prevents the fibers from staying in one place and absorbs the water, which helps the fibers to expand.
This is why it is advised by many companies to wash your jeans rarely. But this can be a method to shrink down your jeans if your jeans are stretched out. Sometimes, new jeans made of 100 percent cotton can also stretch out pretty fast, after two-three wears.
And the bad thing about 100 percent cotton jeans is that they don’t come to their original shape once stretched. However, you can wash your jeans and dry it in a dryer to shrink the jeans. But further, this doesn’t mean that jeans will not stretch in the future.
How tight should 100 cotton jeans be?
When it comes to 100% cotton jeans, then it is best to buy a normal size you usually wear as they tend to stretch a little over time. The rule of thumb is to buy jeans that fit perfectly without any waist gap or loose fabric. However, they will shrink if you wash them in a washing machine and dryer them in a dryer but usually stretch out again over time.
How to stretch 100 cotton jeans?
Stretching 100 cotton jeans is very easy and you can do it without investing too much time. Most of the time 100 cotton jeans can shrink when washed in the washing machine.
To stretch 100 cotton jeans, you will need water, jeans, and your hands. Yes, that’s how easy it is!
- First, soak up the jeans in a tub of water or you can pour some water over specific parts of the jeans where you want the stretch. Water helps the cotton fibers expand.
- Next, pull the fabric or jeans with your hands both vertically and horizontally to stretch out the fabric.
- Lastly, air dry your jeans. Avoid using a dryer for this process as that can cause shrinkage and you have to go through the same process twice.
you can also hang your jeans on something after soaking them in water. As discussed above, the weight of wet jeans and extra gravitational pull helps the jeans to stretch. But this will take more time and you might not be satisfied with the result.
Different types of jeans and how much do they stretch?
100 percent cotton jeans
As already discussed above, 100 percent cotton jeans do stretch but are not the Stretchiest jeans out there. They stretch to some extent after wearing multiple times and then go through washing and drying.
The best thing about these jeans is that they at first may seem sturdy but gets comfortable after some time. Jeans made of 100 percent cotton also need to break in before you wear them.
Most of the time brands recommend washing the jeans before wearing them for the first time. This will help in making the fabric smooth and locking the color of the jeans.
On the contrary, one should avoid washing their jeans first if it is raw denim, doesn’t matter if it is made of 100 cotton, as it will likely shrink the most on the first wash.
The only thing is that once stretched, 100 cotton jeans never come back to their original shape. However, they only stretch to a certain point and don’t make skinny jeans look baggy jeans.
Cotton and 2 % blend jeans
These are the most common jeans that you will find nowadays in every brand. The reason for that is elasticity and comfort. 98 percent of these jeans are made of cotton and 2 percent of spandex/elastane/lycra is used to provide the stretch.
These type of jeans usually stretch whenever you wear them, and later comes back to their original shape. This is why these jeans are in high demand and in every store. Mostly jeans like skinny jeans and high-rise-bell bottoms are made of this blend.
Nevertheless, these jeans are super comfortable and you don’t need to break them in before you wear them.
Cotton and polyester jeans
Cotton and polyester jeans are stiff jeans that rarely stretch at all. These jeans might remain the same after many wears if the washing process is done properly. The only problem is that they are very less and often marketed as cheap jeans because of the polyester used in jeans.
Polyester is rough against the skin, and also heats up fast, and brings down the breathability of the fabric. Jeans made of poly-cotton blend likely have more cotton than polyester. Around 60 percent of cotton and 40 polyester is used to make polycotton jeans but sometimes the ratio is 70:30.
Overall, in the end, these jeans are not the comfy jeans you want to wear regularly or for years. But the fact that poly-cotton jeans don’t stretch might excite some people.
