One thing that you can do is soak the jacket in cold water and leave it for 15 – 20 minutes. Let it sit until it’s completely saturated. Allow all the excess water to drain as you leave the jacket lying flat on a towel or table. Then carefully pull both sides of the sleeve and the body to stretch it out. It is common for us to encounter shrinking clothes. It can be because of the manner of washing or simply the size that we bought is smaller than we thought. Fortunately, fabrics can be stretched one way or another. When it comes to this, there are different methods used depending on the fabric. Among them, the easiest to stretch are cashmere, cotton, and wool. You can just soak them and pull the fabric then air dry. Methods in stretching a garment Method 1: Baby Shampoo and Conditioner Step 1: Fill the basin with warm water then add around 80ml of baby shampoo or hair conditioner. For wool garments, use a capful of mild detergent. Remember that this is recommended for cotton, wool, and cashmere materials. It’s because they’re easier to shrink and stretch. Step 2: Let it soak for 10 minutes. Let the fabric relax and make sure that is fully submerged. If the garment is thick let it soak longer for about 20 minutes. Never leave it soaking for more than 2 hours. Step 3: Drain the basin and gently squeeze the garment. Don’t wring it since it may change the shape. Step 4: Lay the garment flat on top of a clean towel. Then starting from the bottom edge, roll it upwards. This will help the towel to absorb some of the moisture. Now, your garment should be damp and not wet. Step 5: Trace a larger garment on parchment paper to serve as a guide when you pull. Step 6: Place the damp garment on top of the parchment paper and start pulling towards your guide. Be careful not to tug it too much or it can rip. Step 7: Now, pin it down with a heavy object. Leave it until its dries completely. Method 2: Vinegar and Baking Soda Step 1: Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda into two liters of hot water. Don’t submerge your garment until the baking soda is completely dissolved. Step 2: Submerge the garment into the baking soda mixture. Then pull it out and gently squeeze the water out. Step 4: Carefully stretch the garment in all directions. Make sure that you do this gently or you might rip the fabric. Step 5: After stretching the garment, submerge it again in the baking soda mixture. Leave it to soak for an hour before draining. Step 6: In a separate basin, mix one liter of warm water with 0.25 liters of white vinegar. Pour this mixture over the garment that you stretched and soaked. The combined effects of the vinegar and the baking soda will help the fabric soften and stretch. Step 7: Lay the garment on a flat surface and let it air dry. Method 3: Stretching denim jeans using water Step 1: Lay your jeans flat on a clean and dry surface. Make sure that the pockets are empty. Then smooth it out to make sure they are flat. Step 2: Spray on the parts of your jeans that are too tight. This can be the waist or the calves. If the whole jeans are tight then spray over the entire surface. Make sure that you cover both the front and the back. Step 3: Stretch your jeans in all directions to make the fabric loosen. Pull it from the left to right and then the top and bottom. Give more attention to the areas that are the tightest and pull it out more to add flexibility. Repeat this for several minutes to make sure that the fabric is reshaped. Since denim jeans are sturdy, you don’t have to worry about the pressure you are putting when you pull. If your jeans have gems or rhinestones, avoid stretching them too much. Also, for ripped jeans, be careful of the tattered parts of you might destroy them. Step 4: Now that you have finished stretching the jean out, let them air dry. Do not put it in the dryer or else you’ll be back to square one. Dryers tend to shrink fabrics such as jeans. Lay them flat on a surface to make sure that the new shape sticks.