this post was submitted on 03 Feb 2026
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I see all sorts of answers online, but am not fully convinced. I tried finding some research on the longevity of clothes between wash and wash + dry. Considering that it dries for hours just the mechanical movement should damage the clothes I would assume?

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[–] Sickos@hexbear.net 2 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

Yeah, but only on a decade scale. There's friction involved, there's going to be some damage. If a tumble dryer--on low--manages to wreck a garment, it's probably been dodging stains and tears for a very long time.

That said, graphic tees can be notably damaged by driers running on full power. Their dryer-resistance (and longevity in general) depends on the quality of the appliqué, the underlying garment, and the initial application equipment.

[–] LaGG_3@hexbear.net 3 points 15 hours ago

That said, graphic tees can be notably damaged by driers running on full power. Their dryer-resistance (and longevity in general) depends on the quality of the appliqué, the underlying garment, and the initial application equipment.

Friendly reminder to all to flip your graphics tees inside out before laundering!

[–] Sickos@hexbear.net 3 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Also, "dries for hours" implies a less-heated condensation dryer. I'm used to the forced air heating kind. I believe the heat is a bigger source of damage than the actual friction action. Your armpits, legs, butt-against-seat, or sole-against-sock-against-shoe provide much more violent, repetitive, and focused friction than a dryer.

[–] Sickos@hexbear.net 3 points 16 hours ago

Granted, there can be a lot of lint that is removed in each cycle, which implies a lot of fabrics getting frayed. This is more common in things with loose, fluffy fiber like towels, blankets, or felts. Greater friction from greater surface area combined with less tight bindings and yarns leads to more fabric loss. But I haven't seen a ton from generic pants and shirts loads.