Typically, shirts are hung in the closet on hangers, this allows them to be stored in an impeccably ironed state. But there are situations when a wardrobe item needs to be compactly packed. In this case, you should know how to properly fold a shirt so that wrinkles do not form on it.
In fact, it is not that difficult, it just requires a little patience, following some useful tips, and the ability to visually separate things into parts and make straight lines along the edges is also welcome.
Preparing to fold
Before you fold your shirt, you definitely need to prepare it. This means that the product must be washed and dried. Under no circumstances should dirty and damp items be packed with other wardrobe items, as this can lead to the formation of mold fungi.
Also, before folding shirts, they need to be ironed first. Otherwise, you agree, what’s the point of trying to neatly fold crumpled items?
Before folding the shirt, you need to iron it and dry it well.
After ironing, do not forget to let the shirt cool. If this is not done, creases and folds will instantly appear on the warm folded product.
Shirt folding technology
How men's or women's shirts should be folded depends on the density and wrinkleability of the material, as well as the sleeve length.
For long sleeve shirts
If the product has long sleeves, fold it this way:
- Place the item with the front facing down;
- Visually divide it lengthwise into three equal parts, bend one of them back to approximately the middle of the shoulder;
- Leaving the cuff open, fold the sleeve into three folds;
- Do exactly the same actions with the opposite part of the product, laying out the sleeve parallel to the first and lifting the cuff up to the collar;
- Fold the bottom of the shirt (the one that is usually tucked into the trousers) to the width of your hand, and then fold it again, raising the bottom of the product to the collar.
- That's it, you can put the shirt in your luggage or on a storage shelf.
You can fold a long sleeve shirt in 7 easy steps
For short sleeve shirts
A shirt with a short sleeve is no more difficult to fold than a shirt with a long sleeve.
- Place the shirt face down and divide it vertically into three parts using the eyelet;
- Bend the left side in a straight line;
- Turn the sleeve twice;
- Perform similar actions with the right side of the shirt;
- Fold the bottom of the product to the sleeves;
- Connecting the bottom part to the collar, fold the shirt in half.
You can fold a short sleeve t-shirt in 6 easy steps
Polo
We also include products made from synthetic fabrics in this group. The folding algorithm here is:
With the shirt face down, use one hand to grasp where the collar meets the left sleeve. Using your free hand, align the bottom edge so that there is a straight line from the collar down.
Fold the left sleeve along this contour;
Mirror the same steps with the right side of the shirt;
Raise the bottom edge first to the center, and then to the collar;
Folding a polo is no more difficult than folding a long sleeve shirt
Turn the product right side up.
Clothes made from synthetic fabrics
On a business trip, it is much more convenient to take things made of synthetic fabrics that practically do not wrinkle. But they also need to be laid with care to avoid creases. It is advisable to carefully roll such items into rolls, which will allow them to be placed as compactly as possible, especially if you need to stack several shirts.
This is done as follows:
- carefully lay out a small terry towel on a perfectly flat surface;
- lay the shirt on top of it with the clasp down, having first fastened all the buttons;
- fold the left sleeve along the shoulder line, so that a straight vertical line is formed on the side;
- also fold the right sleeve;
- Roll the roll carefully, starting from the bottom edge. When twisting, you should not apply significant force, but the roll should be quite dense.
Upon arrival at the hotel, clothes folded in this way must be hung on hangers.
How to fold a shirt in a suitcase without it getting wrinkled
A shirt folded for travel will look perfect when you take it out of your suitcase, but only if you follow some rules.
Before packing your shirt, make sure it is clean and fasten all the buttons;
The product can be folded using any of the above methods, but it is important to secure it using cardboard cut to size (if the original packaging has been preserved, you can fold it into it);
You can fix the shape of a folded shirt using a cardboard rectangle
It is advisable to pack the product, especially one made of delicate fabric, in a paper bag.
How to do this correctly so that the shirt does not wrinkle?
Folding a shirt correctly for travel or for storage at home is often a difficult task. At the same time, it is necessary to preserve its appearance.
To do this, you need to prepare it first, and this can be done as follows:
- Carefully inspect the product for stains, especially in the collar and sleeve cuffs;
- If there is an unpleasant or stale smell, wash the item;
- In order to avoid wrinkles, the shirt must be stored in a buttoned state;
- The shirt should be ironed in the steam mode, as this will eliminate all even very small folds and creases;
- After ironing, the product should not be folded as it may be damp. To dry, they should be hung carefully on hangers.
Ironing of the product is carried out in the following sequence:
- Gate;
- Shelves (left, right);
- Back;
- Sleeves and cuffs.
The video explains how to iron a product correctly:
In a suitcase on the road
Shirts and items made from delicate fabrics are recommended to be placed last. In this case, the likelihood that they will retain their proper appearance is much higher.
Suitcases usually have a rigid frame, which allows you to transport things in their original condition.
To do this, you should perform a number of simple manipulations:
- Iron your shirt. When ironing, avoid the formation of creases and dents.
- Button the shirt using all available buttons. Cuffs are no exception.
- If the item is damp after ironing, you should hang it on hangers and let it dry.
- Place the shirt on a hard, flat surface with the front facing down.
- If you have a sheet of thick cardboard in A4 format, you can use it. This will make folding easier, and will also provide a rigid frame that prevents the item from being crushed.
- Bend the sleeves along the shoulder line inward, towards the line of the buttons. When you reach this, bend it again, but in the opposite direction. This is done due to the fact that the length of the sleeve exceeds the length of the product itself.
- Along the fold line of the sleeve, the shirt is folded in half.
Reference ! If there is a special plastic liner that is designed for the collar, then using it will be the best option for maintaining the shape of the collar.
How to correctly fold a shirt with sleeves using A4 paper is shown in the video:
At home
The ideal option for storing shirts at home is hangers or simple hangers. But often there may not be enough hangers, space in the closet, or these items are rarely worn, so they can be put on a shelf in the closet.
You can fold shirts in the same way as in a suitcase. But they are arranged in a stack, and the collars are arranged in a “jack”. In this case, the stack will be smooth, neat, and the shirts will remain in the required appearance.
Reference ! It is recommended to fold items according to color and type of material used.
We pack compactly and quickly
Sometimes you need to take so many things with you, but the amount of space for this is limited. To do this, there are ways to compactly fold things. And if you are in a hurry and need to get ready urgently, then methods that will not take a lot of time will help.
Roll
The easiest way to pack things while saving space is to form a roll.
It should be folded on top of each other alternately while turning the sleeves towards the midline.
Roll up a roll of shirts, starting from the bottom end.
Mechanical device
Quick options include using a special mechanical device for folding shirts. You can use it to fold not only shirts, but also trousers, T-shirts, and sweaters.
The advantages of this tool are:
- Saving time . Folds your favorite shirt in seconds.
- No dents . Allows you to fold things in such a way that any sales assistant from a clothing store who has become skilled in this matter will envy this evenness and neatness.
- One size . Folded clothes are the same size, making them easier to place and store.
Using this mechanism is simple: lay the front part of the item on the device, bend the side parts to the center line, and then fold it in half.
In half
The simplest and least time-consuming method is folding in half.
It is familiar to everyone and consists of the following points:
- The shirt is placed face down;
- The item is folded along the midline so that the sleeve coincides with the opposite sleeve;
- The sleeves are folded in the opposite direction to the fold line;
- Fold twice, starting from the bottom end of the shirt.
How to quickly fold a shirt
Sometimes there is sorely not enough time to pack a suitcase for a trip. The Japanese invented and taught the whole world how to quickly fold a shirt like this:
- This time the shirt should be placed face up;
- Imagine two lines on the product: one from the right shoulder down parallel to the side seam, and the other perpendicular to the first in the middle of the product;
- Determine the intersection of the lines and carefully grasp this place with the fingers of your left hand;
- With your other hand, grab the seam on your right shoulder and slowly pull it down;
- Having reached the intersection, intercept it with your right hand;
- Straighten your arms sharply;
- Shake the shirt, lifting it from the surface;
- Lower the product back so that the sleeve touches the surface first and lies down.
You can see more clearly how to quickly fold a shirt (T-shirt) in our video. After viewing, we recommend repeating the folding process in practice.
When you need to look brand new upon arrival
If you often go on business trips, be sure to purchase a special bag for transporting shirts (sport bag). This device practically guarantees that upon arriving at your destination, you can immediately put on the ironed product and go to a business meeting in it.
The most convenient way to transport shirts is in a special bag - a briefcase
A bag for transporting shirts can be found on sale in specialized stores, or ordered online.
How to quickly straighten wrinkles
Sometimes using all of the above methods does not help, and the shirt still wrinkles. In such cases, resort to steam treatment. The exception is linen material, which can shrink when exposed to moist air. If finding a steam generator or iron is problematic, you can hang your shirt in the bathroom and turn on the hot water. The door is closed for 10-15 minutes to prevent steam leakage. As a result, the fabric is smoothed out, and the shirt looks as if it had just been ironed.
These rules apply to any items you need to travel, and can also be used for home storage.
A few tricks
If you haven’t found a briefcase for sale, and the process of folding shirts, despite reading in this article, still seems incomprehensibly difficult to you, use an alternative option: just select products from wrinkle-resistant fabrics.
To prevent shirts from becoming too deformed, they need to be laid as compactly as possible to each other, for example, “jack”, when the collar of the top item is in the hem of the bottom one.
To prevent the collar from becoming deformed, tie a scarf under it, or use a special holder (they often come with a new shirt).
Helpful Tips for Folding Shirts
Finally, read a few more tips on how to fold a shirt correctly:
When packing shirts in your suitcase, especially those you plan to wear right away, place them on top of your other items. It is especially not recommended to press them down with heavy objects;
Shirts made from capricious delicate fabrics need to be folded carefully into a suitcase, and it is also a good idea to wrap them in additional soft cloth or parchment.
If you don’t have a suitcase, it is advisable to put the shirt in a suitcase with a rigid frame, so there is a better chance that it will not get wrinkled.
You will see the process of folding a shirt clearly and in detail in our video.
Several life hacks for folding
To avoid wrinkles on your shirt, you can use one of three folding options:
- using a special mechanical device;
- by preserving the substrate;
- rolling the thing into a roll.
There is fabric that wrinkles a lot, the last method is not suitable. You need to use other options for how to fold a shirt. If you put shirts in a closet, they should be placed in an even stack, and the collars on the items should be in a “jack”. Then the shirt will be perfectly ironed at any time.
Special mechanical device
Recently, mechanical means for folding any items have become especially popular: shirts, T-shirts, trousers, sweaters. Using the device has a number of advantages:
- time is saved significantly;
- there are no wrinkles on clothes;
- things in a stack are the same size.
To fold the product, you need to place it face down on the device and bend it to the middle of the side. After this, you need to fold the item in half.
Preserving the substrate
Using a cardboard backing, you can easily pack the shirt as a gift. You can even give such a thing without a box, wrapping the shirt in a beautiful fabric.
Folding is done on a sheet of cardboard, the width of which is equal to the width of the product, and the length is equal to a third of the length. After choosing a suitable sheet, you need to fold it in half and crease the middle well. The cardboard is located on the back. The top of the sheet should be near the collar. Then you can choose any of the folding options considered.
Other
If you need to take a lot of things on the road, you can use the roll-up option. It will help you arrange products and generally get ready quickly. The process includes three stages:
- Place the product face down.
- Fold the right sleeve up to the shoulder so that the edge is vertical. Do the same with the left sleeve.
- Roll the item starting from the bottom.
Important. Do not press too hard on the folds, otherwise creases may appear. The folded shirt is placed with the collar facing up.
It is impossible to look presentable in wrinkled clothes. The person immediately seems sloppy. If for a number of reasons it is not possible to iron the shirt and immediately hang it on hangers, you can choose one of the ways to fold the shirt to keep it in perfect shape.
