If you want to preshrink fabric, you can do that by just soaking it, rolling it in a towel, and hanging it to dry (or tumbling in a cool dryer) before you press it. Be careful not to stretch it off grain.
However, it is best to handle fabric as it will be cared for after it is made up. Some fabrics (chalis for example) can be washed, but are never quite the same afterwards. I prefer to make them up without preshrinking, then dry clean those garments. They stay "new" much longer. (and chalis does shrink and fade when washed.)
You can make cotton fabrics look crisp and new again if you use spray starch or a spray-on sizing and iron to put the "crisp" look back on the fabric. Keep in mind, it will have to be done each time the garment is used.
If you are using inexpensive fabrics, they will look "old" much sooner when washing. One thing for sure, it is better to know that the fabric will wrinkle or fade BEFORE you spend too much time sewing a garment in it. Seniors and disabled will not want to mess with having to iron it either.
