Does Corduroy Stretch Over Time? [How To Stretch Corduroy]

  • By: Tiffany Peris
  • Time to read: 7 min.

One of the best ways to ensure that your clothes will last long is to take good care of the clothes, including preventing them from stretching. When clothes stretch, they become loose and appear as if they are baggy. So if you want your corduroy clothing to fit for a long time, you have to take good care of your corduroy clothing.

Similar to other fabrics, corduroy will stretch over time. The stretch is residual and is not easy to note. While compared to other elastic fabrics such as spandex or lycra, corduroy cannot be considered a stretchy fabric. If you wet your corduroy and lightly pull the fibers in the direction you want to stretch the corduroy, the fabric will stretch a little.

To know more about corduroy and the extent to which it can stretch, read this article in full. It discusses the topic in great detail.

Does Corduroy Stretch Over Time?

To know whether corduroy can stretch over time, it is essential first to understand the fabric that makes up cotton since the fibers making up the corduroy fabric will be the key factor that determines whether corduroy can stretch over time or not.

Corduroy is usually a soft and durable fabric made of 100% cotton fibers or a cotton blend. In most cases, corduroy fabrics blend cotton and polyester or rayon. Some of the standard pieces of clothing made with corduroy fabric are shirts, trousers, and jackets.

Corduroy does stretch over time as you continue wearing clothing made from the fabric. If you keep your corduroy in the closet, it will not stretch. It is, however, essential to note that even if the corduroy never gets back to the shape that it had when you bought it as you wear it, the corduroy fibers will stretch and align to your body physique.

Corduroy’s ability to stretch over time implies that when you wear clothing made from corduroy, the clothing will not feel like it’s close-fitting and will not be uncomfortable. In addition, since the corduroy clothing will stretch according to your body shape, the corduroy clothing will be comfortable and easier to move around with.

That is also the reason why corduroy does not tear easily. However, as you continue wearing corduroy for a long time, the corduroy loosens up, and this unique feature makes corduroy jeans, jackets, shirts, and dresses beloved by many people.

Does Corduroy Stretch Like Denim?

Even though denim stretch, the stretch in denim is different from common fabric stretch since the stretch is mainly one way. Even if denim will stretch when you wear them, it will change its shape and conform to your body shape but will never get back to its original condition unless you deliberately shrink them.

On the other hand, corduroy can stretch in both directions, especially if stretched when wet. However, if your cords are 100% cotton, you might not be able to get the corduroy back to its original shape.

If you have stretch denim and stretch corduroy fabrics that have spandex or other elastic fabric incorporated, the stretch in corduroy and denim will be the same. Indeed, you will be able to stretch the corduroy or denim and get it back to its original shape.

How Do You Stretch The Waist Of Corduroy Pants?

Are your corduroy pants too tight around the waist? Are you probably considered buying new pants? Don’t worry; you can stretch your corduroy and increase the waist size. There are various methods you can use to stretch the waist of your corduroy pants.

Let’s now look at various ways to stretch the waist of your corduroy pants.

Stretching Corduroy Pants Waist In A Bathtub

You first have to put on your corduroy pants as you usually do. Button and zip the corduroy to the extent that you can. Fill the bathtub with warm water. Ensure that the water is not hot since hot water can shrink the corduroy pants instead of stretching.

Get in the bathtub with your corduroy pants on. You will then sink in the bathtub to ensure that the waistline of your corduroy pants is fully immersed in the bathtub. Stay in that position for at least 20 minutes. You can stretch your stomach or even use your fingers to stretch the waist while wearing the corduroy pants and inside the bathtub.

After 20 minutes, leave the bathtub and dry your corduroy on a dry surface. You should never dry the corduroy in a dry since they are likely to shrink.

Stretching Corduroy Pants Waist After A Wash Cycle

Since corduroy can stretch when wet, you can stretch the waist of your corduroy pants immediately after removing the pants from the washing machine.

This method is simple since you wear your corduroy pants after washing them and then place them on a flat surface. Next, gently stretch the corduroy’s waistline to the desired size.

Stretching Corduroy Pants Waist With A Hairdryer

When corduroy is subjected to heat, the heat makes the corduroy moderately stretch.

Place your corduroy pants on a flat surface such as an iron board, craft table, or bed. Turn on the hairdryer and heat the corduroy. Ensure that the hairdryer is kept at least four inches from the corduroy waist.

Once you have heated the waistline, use your hands to pull the corduroy fabric along the waist in the opposite directions. Do that on both sides of the corduroy pants, and you will be able to stretch your corduroy pants.

Stretching Corduroy Pants Waist With A Steam Iron

Place your corduroy on an iron board or a craft table. Set the steam iron to the highest temperature setting available. Turn on the steam iron and iron the corduroy’s waist with steam.

Once the wait is damp, pull the waist with your hands to stretch it. Be careful when pulling the waist so that you don’t damage the waist.

Stretching Corduroy Pants Waist By Adding A Small Extension

If you are good at sewing, you can use this method to stretch the waist of your corduroy pants. Otherwise, you might have to take the corduroy pant to a tailor or seamstress to alter the wait of your corduroy pants.

You will add a piece of corduroy fabric to the waistline of your pants so that you increase the pant’s waist.

How To Iron Corduroy Jacket

To iron a corduroy jacket, you have to turn the jacket inside out.  The reason for turning your corduroy jacket inside out is that you don’t want to have any pesky iron marks on the coat after ironing.

Since corduroy is mainly made of cotton fibers, the jacket can shrink if you iron it with high heat settings. Thus, set your iron to a low heat setting. Then, gently iron the jacket from one section to another. A steam iron set at a low heat setting can also be used to effectively iron your corduroy jacket and ensure that it does not have any wrinkles.

You can also read this article on how to iron different clothes in your closet.

How Do You Get Wrinkles Out Of A Corduroy Jacket?

The best way to get wrinkles out of a corduroy jacket is by adhering to the ironing instructions provided in your corduroy’s jacket care label. Here is the procedure you should follow:

Step 1: Dry your corduroy jacket in the dryer

Dry your corduroy jacket in the dryer. Apart from drying the coat, the dryer is also crucial in removing wrinkles from the jacket. Remove the jacket from the dryer immediately after the drying cycle is over. If the corduroy jacket stays in the dryer for long, it will get more wrinkles.

Step 2: Iron the corduroy jacket

After removing the jacket from the dryer, you turn it inside out and iron it according to the instructions specified on the care label.

If you do not want to iron your corduroy jacket, or maybe the care label states that the jacket should not be ironed, you can use a garment steamer to remove the wrinkles. You will hang the jacket on a hanger and then run the steamer up and down the corduroy until the wrinkles are removed.

You can also apply the spot de-wrinkle method to get wrinkles from your corduroy jacket. First, you will wet your corduroy jacket and then use a hairdryer to dry the jacket in this method. When the corduroy jacket dries, you will find that the wrinkles will be gone.

How Often Should You Wash Corduroy Pants?

If you wash your corduroy pants regularly, you will likely result in color-faced. However, other people believe that regularly washing your corduroy pants will give your corduroy a nice soft fade.

It is a fact that the less you wash any garment, the better it is for that garment. If you cannot see any dirt on your corduroy pants, you should wash your corduroy pants after about 6 wears. The agitation that the corduroy pants would be subjected to from frequent washing and drying of the pants will contribute to increased wear and tear.

How To Waterproof Corduroy

Corduroy is not waterproof and can thus get wet when it is exposed to water and get ruined. To make your corduroy waterproof, you can spray the corduroy with a water-resistant spray.

Some companies that use corduroy fabric to make different clothing spray the water-resistant spray on the corduroy. As a result, the clothing ends up having the ability to deter light precipitation and mist.

However, even treated corduroy will not protect you from heavy rain and snow. Corduroy is made from cotton, and since cotton is highly absorbent, the corduroy will quickly absorb moisture.

Final Thoughts

You can stretch your corduroy by wetting the fabric and then using your hands to stretch the fabric according to your preferences. You, however, need to be careful since you can ruin the fabric if you stretch it a lot.

I hope that you have found this article interesting and informative.