Yes, silk underwear can change in size after washing. Studies of knitted silk fabrics have measured dimensional changes during laundering, with results varying by fabric structure and laundering conditions. (Sage Journals)
But a garment that looks smaller after drying has not necessarily shrunk. Wrinkling, stiffness, or bunching can also change how it looks and feels.
In one KN06 customer-service case, a customer reported that the underwear felt harder after several washes with laundry soap and became heavily wrinkled after being dried in sunlight. There were no before-and-after measurements, so shrinkage was not confirmed.
In another case, a customer reported shrinkage after washing silk underwear in hot water. The SKU and amount of size change were not recorded.
Can Silk Underwear Actually Shrink?
Dimensional change during laundering has been documented in knitted silk fabrics, but that does not tell us how much a particular finished garment will change. Research has also found differences based on fabric type and laundering conditions. (Sage Journals)
FEELITS does not currently have standardized shrinkage-test data for KN17, KN06, or BRA18. We therefore do not assign a shrinkage percentage to these products or claim that one is more shrink-resistant than another.
If underwear looks smaller after washing, the useful question is:
Did the garment actually lose measurable size, or did its texture and shape change?
Does Hot Water Shrink Silk Underwear?
One customer reported that their silk underwear shrank after being washed in hot water.
Because the SKU was not recorded and there were no controlled before-and-after measurements, this does not show how every silk garment will respond to hot water.
If the garment changed after washing, note the water temperature you used.
The current care instructions for KN17, KN06, and BRA18 specify cold water below 35°C / 95°F. (FEELITS)
KN06: Wrinkled and Stiffer, but Was It Shrinkage?
The customer reported repeated washing with laundry soap, a harder feel after several washes, drying in sunlight, and noticeable wrinkling.
No fixed garment measurements were taken before and after washing.
We can confirm a change in feel and appearance. We cannot say how much the KN06 shrank—or confirm that measurable shrinkage occurred at all.
The reported routine differed from the current KN06 care instructions, which call for cold water below 35°C / 95°F, a silk-friendly detergent, gentle handling, and air drying away from direct sunlight. (FEELITS)
The available information does not isolate laundry soap, sunlight, or another single step as the cause of the change.
How Can You Tell If Silk Underwear Really Shrunk?
Compare the same garment measurements before and after washing whenever possible.
For briefs or bikinis, useful reference points include flat waistband width, front or back rise, side height, or another clearly defined seam-to-seam measurement.
Measure after the garment is fully dry and gently smoothed into its normal shape.
Without a pre-wash measurement, you can still document what changed. Measurable size loss is different from wrinkling, stiffness, or a garment sitting differently after washing.
A photograph may show wrinkles or a change in shape, but it cannot establish how many centimeters the garment changed.
Why KN17, KN06, and BRA18 Need Different Checks
The three garments use different constructions, so “it got smaller” does not describe the same thing in every case.
KN17 — High-Waisted Brief
KN17 is made from 100% mulberry silk and uses a high-waisted brief shape. (FEELITS)
If a KN17 seems smaller after washing, useful checks include the waistband, rise, and leg opening.
Its 100% mulberry silk fiber content does not provide a tested shrinkage percentage for the finished garment.
KN06 — String Bikini
KN06 is also made from 100% mulberry silk, but it uses a string-bikini construction rather than the high-waisted brief shape of KN17. (FEELITS)
It also provides the clearest FEELITS post-wash service case in this article: repeated washing with laundry soap followed by reported stiffness and wrinkling after sun drying.
No dimensional loss was measured in that case.
BRA18 — Bralette With Multiple Components
BRA18 includes 22 momme 6A+ mulberry silk, French lace, ruched lower cups, adjustable straps, and a hook-and-eye closure. (FEELITS)
If BRA18 feels smaller after washing, “the bra shrank” is not specific enough.
Did the silk body become narrower? Does the cup area look more gathered? Are the straps set at the same length as before washing? Did the underband or another component change how the bralette sits?
Without identifying the part that changed, it would be inaccurate to describe every fit change as shrinkage of the silk itself.
There is currently no comparative test showing that BRA18 shrinks more or less than KN17 or KN06.
What Should You Check About the Wash?
For a suspected shrinkage case, four details are especially useful: water temperature, the cleaning product used, how the garment was handled, and how it was dried.
Was the water cold, warm, or hot? One FEELITS customer reported shrinkage after a hot-water wash.
Was a silk-friendly detergent used, or something else such as laundry soap? In the KN06 case, laundry soap had been used repeatedly before the customer reported a harder feel. The service record does not establish that the soap alone caused the change.
Was the garment rubbed, twisted, wrung, or machine washed? Current product care instructions advise gentle handling and avoiding twisting or rubbing. (FEELITS)
How was it dried? The KN06 customer reported sun drying, but repeated laundry-soap washing occurred in the same care history. We cannot isolate sunlight as the cause of the reported stiffness or wrinkles.
For KN17, KN06, and BRA18, current care guidance calls for gentle hand washing, cold water below 35°C / 95°F, silk-friendly detergent, no bleach or harsh cleaning agents, no twisting or rubbing, and natural air drying away from direct sunlight. (FEELITS)
Following those instructions does not guarantee zero dimensional change.
For a complete washing and drying routine, see our guide to how to wash and dry silk underwear.
What a Customer Report Cannot Confirm
A customer-service report can show what happened during actual use, but it cannot replace controlled shrinkage testing.
Based on the information currently available, we cannot state a shrinkage percentage for KN17, KN06, or BRA18; identify which of the three is most likely to shrink; conclude that laundry soap caused shrinkage in the KN06 case; conclude that sunlight alone caused permanent dimensional change; or assume that every hot-water wash will produce the same result.
These limits are especially important when the reported change is based on appearance or feel rather than measurements.
What Should You Do If Your Silk Underwear Seems Smaller?
Let the garment dry fully according to its care instructions before judging its size.
If possible, compare the same fixed measurements recorded before washing. Also note whether the main change is measurable size loss, wrinkling or bunching, a harder feel, a tighter waistband, or a change around straps, cups, elastic, or closures.
If you contact customer service, the most useful information is:
Product SKU + water temperature + washing method + detergent or soap used + drying method + photos + before/after measurements if available
That provides more useful evidence than simply saying, “It shrank.”
FAQ
Can silk underwear shrink in hot water?
A FEELITS customer reported shrinkage after washing silk underwear in hot water.
The SKU and amount of shrinkage were not recorded, so that case does not show how every silk garment will respond. KN17, KN06, and BRA18 currently specify cold water below 35°C / 95°F in their care instructions. (FEELITS)
Why does my silk underwear feel stiff after washing?
Stiffness does not confirm shrinkage.
In one KN06 case, a customer reported a harder feel after repeated washing with laundry soap, along with wrinkling after sun drying. No dimensional change was measured.
Does wrinkled silk mean it has shrunk?
Not necessarily.
Wrinkling can make a garment look more compact. Compare the same fixed measurements before and after washing whenever possible.
Can tumble drying shrink silk underwear?
The FEELITS products discussed here specify natural air drying rather than tumble drying. (FEELITS)
FEELITS does not currently have standardized tumble-dry shrinkage data for KN17, KN06, or BRA18, so we cannot give a product-specific shrinkage percentage.
How can I tell if my silk underwear actually shrank?
Compare repeatable garment measurements after the item is fully dry.
For briefs, waistband width and rise are useful reference points. For a bra, keep adjustable straps in the same position and compare the same body or underband measurement.
Without a pre-wash measurement, document visible or tactile changes rather than estimating a shrinkage percentage.
