Ramie Shrank or Got Wrinkled
why this happens and what can still be salvaged
If a dress or shirt made of ramie came out of the wash wrinkled like crumpled paper, it's not a failure of your washing. Ramie is the least elastic natural fiber on the market. It's worse in this regard even than pure linen, which itself is not known for wrinkle resistance.
Elongation at break in ramie is only 2.0 to 4.0%. In practice, this means that the crystalline cellulose, from which the fiber is built, does not relax thermally. It does not behave like thermoplastic fibers such as polyester. There is no shape memory effect here, only a rigid crystalline structure that cracks or permanently deforms under stress.
This is a structural property of the fiber, not the result of poor washing. But that doesn't mean nothing can be done. This can be prevented, and if it already happened, in most cases it can be at least partially repaired.
Diagnosis: Symptom and Its Cause
Tumble drying at high temperature without immediate unfolding after cycle
Fabric not stabilized at the mill (loomstate) combined with water temperature that's too high
Dry ironing without steam, too sharp and strong a crease
Hard water above 250 mg CaCO3/l binding to cellulose, combined with detergent residue
Diagnosis is ready, now a concrete action plan, without waiting for results like maybe it will straighten itself out. The sooner you act after noticing the problem, the greater the chance of recovering a significant portion of the lost shape.
Five steps that in most cases allow you to recover a large portion of the shape lost by ramie after unsuccessful washing.
- 1
Dampen the Fabric
Dampen with a mist of water or steam, do not soak the entire garment. Spot dampening is enough to start the fiber relaxation process.
- 2
Iron on the Reverse with Steam
Set the iron to 190 to 210 degrees with intense steam. Steam plasticizes hydrogen bonds in cellulose, allowing you to permanently straighten the fabric without breaking fibers.
- 3
Stretch Gently
Stretch the fabric along the fiber direction, without pulling, straightening the wrinkles piece by piece.
- 4
Dry Flat
Lay the garment flat with slight edge weights to prevent rewrinkling during drying, away from sun.
- 5
Consider Professional Laundry
If the home result is insufficient, take the garment to a professional laundry for wet cleaning at low temperature, where professional equipment achieves results inaccessible at home.
Do not stretch fabric strongly when wet. Elongation at break in ramie is only 2.0 to 4.0%, so the line between gentle stretching and breaking fibers is easy to cross. Stretching should always be gentle, only along the fiber direction, never across.
Now you know the theory. Practice can be less forgiving.
If you would rather not risk your favourite piece, leave it to the specialists at Gorące Żelazko laundry in Lublin.
Frequently asked questions
No, they are completely different plants. Linen comes from the flax family, ramie from the nettle family. However, both are bast fibers with similar care logic: low elasticity, need for steam ironing, sensitivity to chlorine bleach. Ramie has noticeably higher sheen than linen.
Yes, and it should be, because ramie wrinkles heavily. Iron on the reverse at 190 to 210 degrees with intense steam. Dry ironing without steam risks cracking the fiber at sharp creases, like collars or cuffs.
Ramie has the lowest elasticity among natural fibers, elongation at break only 2.0 to 4.0%. You can't prevent it entirely, but it helps to dry right after washing, flat, and avoid tumble drying.
Dampen the fabric with steam or water mist, iron on reverse at 190 to 210 degrees with intense steam, gently stretch along fiber direction, and dry flat. If insufficient, take to a professional laundry for wet cleaning at low temperature.
Yes, as a perennial plant, ramie is harvested multiple times from the same cultivation without needing to resow, reducing soil pressure compared to annual plants. The degumming process itself can be energy-intensive.
About the author
Małgorzata Małecka
Owner of the Gorące Żelazko laundry
Małgorzata Małecka runs the Gorące Żelazko laundry in Lublin. Together with her team, she makes sure customers' clothes, shoes and fabrics come back clean and in the best possible condition.
