Acrylic explained: What it is and how to care for this fabric!
Acrylic is a very common fabric. If you own any sportswear or even synthetic knitwear, chances are you’ll have a few pieces of acrylic fabric in your wardrobe. Find out more about acrylic material and the best practices for washing acrylic.
What is acrylic?
Acrylic fibres are manmade and produced from a petrochemical named acrylonitrile, which is generally combined with other chemicals to enhance the fibre’s ability to absorb dyes. These manufactured fibres come wet spun or dry spun, and can be modified to give the desired fabric special properties, depending on their intended use. Acrylic fibres dry very quickly, and are flexible. They can be blended with other fabric fibres, depending on the intended use of the garment, and they’re also very versatile. Does acrylic shrink? The good news is that, unlike wool, acrylic maintains its shape and will not shrink.
What clothes are made from acrylic fibres?
Due to acrylic’s wickability and its ability to move sweat and moisture from the skin to outside the fabric, acrylic is great for sportswear. However, since it can also be made to appear wool or even cotton like, you can use it for a variety of garments, like sweaters, socks, fleeces and a range of other clothing.
How to wash acrylic fabrics?
- Check the fabric care label on the garment before washing, since fibre combinations are different and the use of acrylic fabrics can vary depending on the item.
- Reduce static electricity by adding a fabric softener, like Lenor fabric conditioner, to your wash.
- Turn garments inside out before laundering to reduce pilling.
- Wash on a cold water cycle, at a temperature no higher than 30 degrees.
How to dry acrylic fabrics?
- You can tumble dry acrylics on the cool setting of your tumble dryer.
- Use dryer sheets to prevent static electricity.
- Remove garments from the tumble dryer as soon as they are finished.
How to iron and store acrylic fabrics?
If the garment requires ironing, then use a moderately warm iron on the item, but always refer to the garment’s fabric care label for the appropriate care. Make sure you store your acrylic and acrylic based fabrics in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight.
Each garment has its own personality and story to tell, whether you need help removing tough stains or you’re looking to care for your acetate shirt or woollen jumpers, Ariel has the laundry solution to give you outstanding results in the 1st wash.