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Shirt
Laundering
One
of the most frequent questions I am asked is why men's shirts cost less
than ladies' to clean.
There
are several reasons for the difference in cost. First, let's talk about
which shirts can be commercially laundered. The shirt must be made of
100% cotton or cotton and polyester blend. All other fibers should be
drycleaned and hand finished (pressed). Most ladies shirts these days
are cotton and spandex. These shirts should not be laundered, as the
spandex can become distorted and will not withstand the intense heat
used in the finishing process, thus possibly causing shrinkage and
damage to the shirt. Rayon, polyester and polysonic shirts require low
heat when pressed or the fibers could melt and get a shine that cannot
be removed. Cotton flannel shirts can be laundered but they can become
stiff, so I recommend drycleaning if you want to keep that soft flannel
feel. Silk, wool and cashmere must be drycleaned to prevent damage to
the fibers and color.
If
a shirt is cotton or cotton poly and is a regular button down shirt
(men's or ladies) it can be laundered.
The
laundry process consists of the shirt being washed and starched (if you
request starch) in sophisticated washers with a mixture of special
soaps and additives to ensure a thorough washing with maximum stain
removal. Some stains will not come out with water like oils inks and
old blood. These stains should be pointed out so they can be properly
cared for, to ensure that they are removed. While the shirts are still
damp, the first step in the finishing process is to press the collars
and cuffs on a collar cuff machine, than onto the sleever which presses
both sleeves simultaneously, and last on to the buck press where two
large plates press the front and back of the shirt simultaneously. When
the shirt is finished it is dry and press crisp. The finished shirt
proceeds to the quality control inspector who makes needed touch-ups as
well as checking and replacing any broken or missing buttons. The
inspected shirts are than sorted, bagged and ready for you.
One
of the reasons a drycleaned shirt or blouse costs more is because they
take 4 to 7 times longer to hand finish, depending on the cut of the
garment or the fabric.
Getting
a properly finished shirt is a painstaking process that requires
special attention by a well-trained staff.
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