This paper reveals a new method for drying of textiles with the combination of vacuum-extraction and convective drying methods. The new method provides an inconceivable fast drying due to the synergistic effect of heat energy and mechanical forces. During vacuum extraction, hot air or superheated steam was applied as suction in place of air at room temperature and named as shock pre-drying. Vacuum extraction and shock pre-drying of cotton woven fabrics were performed at several working speeds between I and 30 m min(-1) and the drying effects were compared. It was observed that it was possible to obtain effective 1/3 s or less time with shock pre-drying method. The method's water removal efficiency pre-drying in mainly depends on working speed and hot air or superheated steam temperature. Copyright (C) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.