The cracks that appear in cotton fibers after high-temperature drying can reduce fabric strength by 25 percent or more, claims Buisson. Not only does hot drying cause your clothes to wear out faster, it produces more lint, she notes. In many cases, drying time could be reduced by 10 to 20 percent, thus avoiding much of the damage, according to Buisson's study. Abrasion from the tumbling action of dryers also contributes to fabric damage. Tumbling of cotton fabrics when they are wet causes more damage than tumbling them partially dry, the study finds.
Most dryers use a warm-up phase that heats and tumbles clothes while they are still wet.
If clothes were tumbled only after they had partially dried, damage would be minimized, says Buisson. Although the 18-month study focused specifically on 100 percent cotton fabrics, Buisson hypothesizes that blended cotton fabrics, such as those containing polyester, would suffer less dryer damage. She hopes to test that in a future study, as well as evaluate the effects of laundry softener additives on fabrics. If you wish to quote from any part of this story, please credit American Chemical Society as the original source.