I see all sorts of answers online, but am not fully convinced. I tried finding some research on the longevity of clothes between wash and wash + dry. Considering that it dries for hours just the mechanical movement should damage the clothes I would assume?
Washer and dryer both do. But in different ways.
A dryer can completely destroy some fabrics.
A washer on spin can also be pretty destructive.
The washer is the one stretching the clothing. Making it look worn.
Dryer primarily damages synthetic and satin/silks.