The permanent press cycle is used for clothing that is permanent press. A permanent press is a fabric that has been chemically processed with methanol to resist wrinkles and hold its shape. Treating fabric with the simplest form of alcohol (methanol) has a lasting effect on the fabric. The permanent press cycle helps keep the process intact and that is what it was specifically designed to do. Obviously, it should be used on clothing that is labeled permanent press. Most older clothes dryers feature an automatic permanent press setting, which puts clothes through a cool-down cycle at the end of the normal heated drying cycle. Modern dryers tend to include this as a standard feature. In older washing machines, the permanent press setting sprays moisture during the spin cycle to maintain the moisture content of the permanent press fabrics above a certain specified limit to reduce wrinkling. It is generally advisable with older machines to wash clothes on the regular cycle, while drying on the permanent press setting. Consult the garment's laundry symbols for more detailed instructions. http://www.answers.com/topic/permanent-press

I have a question, I have a tommy sweater and it's 100% cotton. Do i wash it in the permanent press cycle? or the delicates? and what about the black t-shirts? do i wash them in normal colors cycle or wut? Another thing, I realized that most clothes shrank after putting them in the dryer. But it's really hard not using the dryer. So is there another option? What does the sign of 40degrees mean on the t-shirts or clothes? Thanks :-)