What You Don't Know About Wrinkle Free Shirts

This is a guest post by Don Desrosiers of Tailwind Systems.

Ruth Benerito

The idea of wrinkle-free/ wrinkle-resistant cotton rings a bell to those who hate ironing those shirts all the time. After all, if cotton shirts can be made to resist those unwanted creases and wrinkles then why even bother with regular cotton? This is the very idea that early researchers and garment manufacturers were tinkering with when synthetic fabrics such as nylon were beginning to replace cotton. Cotton manufacturers had to find a way to market cotton as the favorable choice of fabric. During the 1950s and 60s, a chemist and researcher named Ruth Benerito, made notable accomplishments in producing easy-care cotton fabrics.  The good news was that garments made by this new process were wrinkle-resistant- it did not have to be ironed. The bad news was that this process required the use of formaldehyde- a harsh chemical often used for preserving dead animals and body parts and classified by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency as a probable carcinogen.

 There are generally five different methods used to produce wrinkle-free cotton: pre-cured fabric, post-cured fabric, dip-spin, spray method, and vapor phase. The main goal is to artificially swell the fabric by applying formaldehyde and heat so that instead of curling, the diameter of the fiber increases and makes it straight. While many of the issues associated with the use of formaldehyde in treating fabrics have been corrected through research during the past few years, and while the use of formaldehyde has been reduced, it has yet to be eliminated. Even the most popularly used resin, DMDHEU, which was meant to reduce the concentration of formaldehyde, is nevertheless a type of formaldehyde. In addition, wrinkle-free fabric has a reputation of being stiff and uncomfortable to wear. Many people also find that wrinkle-free garments still require some ironing due to the creases that form in some areas.  This is good news for drycleaners because it keeps them in the loop, at least to some extent.  Furthermore, for customers used to finely pressed cotton, an un-ironed “wrinkle-free” shirt, isn’t up to par.  This perhaps puts you, the consumer, in a disappointing place.  Wrinkle-free sounds like you might not need your drycleaner as much, but this doesn't turn out to be true.  

Many consumers fail to realize or simply do not care about the harsh and toxic chemicals that are being used in the products they use every day and researchers are still in the process of studying the long term health risks associated with being exposed to such chemicals. While society moved on to the 21st century, everything was manufactured and marketed to be fast and less time consuming. However, this sort of mindset comes with costs. While wrinkle-free means no more ironing, it also means a higher risk of health hazards associated with the toxins being used. Until researchers come up with more health-and-environmentally-friendly methods for producing wrinkle-free cotton, taking some time to iron those shirts don’t sound so bad after all.

 Natural Finish vs. Wrinkle Free Cotton

The best shirts are made from the finest 100% cotton, using Pima, Egyptian or other long staple cotton fiber. They will use a minimal amount of chemical finishes. The best quality shirts are not made of wrinkle free cotton. Aside from the potential health risks, the heavy use of chemical finishes that are necessary to achieve the performance, greatly diminishes the natural properties of cotton that have made it the fiber of choice in the better shirt world. These are facts that everyone buying shirts today should know.

Wrinkle free performance is achieved in 100% cotton by changing the cottons natural properties through the application of chemicals called resins. Most if not all of these resins contain formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a toxic chemical with proven links to cancer. These resins coat the fabric and are actually baked onto the fiber. It is only of late that people have started to question the negative consequences of wearing apparel that has been so heavily treated with chemicals.

Government Study Regarding Health Risks

A recent study mandated by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 and prepared for the US Congress by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicates that the formaldehyde based resins used in wrinkle free cotton shirts may be hazardous to one’s health. Here are some highlights of the report issued in August of 2010:

The GAO specifically stated: “Some clothing – generally garments made of cotton and other natural fibers – is treated with resins containing formaldehyde primarily to enhance wrinkle resistance. Formaldehyde is toxic and has been linked to serious adverse health effects, including cancer, and some federal agencies have regulations that limit human exposure which occurs primarily through inhalation and dermal (skin) contact.”

Many countries limit the amount of formaldehyde that can be in apparel. Among them are Germany, France and Japan. For some reason, the US does not.

Japan has among the strictest limits, allowing no more than 75 parts per million for shirts.

The GAO study tested for formaldehyde levels in 166 apparel items randomly chosen throughout the US over various apparel classifications, from outerwear to sweaters to shirts.

9 items of the 166 tested exceeded the Japanese standard. Of those 9 items, 5 were marketed as being wrinkle free or resistant. The worst item was a wrinkle free cotton dress shirt that was almost 3 times the limit.

The GAO specifically stated: “More than half of the items we had tested that exceeded these limits were labeled as having fabric performance characteristics related to durable press (wrinkle free), which may indicate the use of resins that contain formaldehyde.”

The characteristics that have made cotton so popular in the better shirt world are greatly compromised by the vigorous processing required to achieve wrinkle or stain resistant finishes. The baked on coating of the resins actually changes the natural performance characteristics of the cotton fiber. Arguably, for all practical purposes the fabric is no longer cotton because breathability and absorbency are greatly diminished making the shirt far less comfortable and unable to defuse natural perspiration.

The process weakens the fabric, which makes it wear faster at cuffs, collars and elbows and makes it more susceptible to tearing at seams.  How many times have you seen that lately and assumed that it was your drycleaner's fault?

The appealing natural feel of the fabric is compromised. The coated fabric often has a slick, synthetic, sometimes harsh feel to it. Especially in warmer conditions.  Cotton doesn’t absorb a spill like it used to and you can’t dry your car with it anymore.  That’s because the cotton is coated and unnatural.

The vibrancy of color is diminished. The fabric is coated; therefore there is film over the fabric that diminished the vibrancy of the original colors.

Lastly, it should be further noted that wrinkle free shirts eventually lose their wrinkle free feature. The performance that is achieved when the garment is new diminishes over time and is usually entirely exhausted after 25-30 washings.

Wrinkle-free shirts may not be what you think they are.  Hopefully, you've been enlightened.  

Don Desrosiers has been in the laundry and drycleaning industry since 1978.  Desrosiers is a monthly columnist for The National Clothesline, Korean Cleaners Monthly, The Golomb Group Newsletter, NEFA’s Headlines and More and Australia’s The National Drycleaner and Launderer.   He is also a contributor for DLI’sFabricare Magazine and other regional industry publications.  He is a member of the Society of Professional Consultants and is the 2001 winner of IFI’s Commitment to Professionalism Award.  He is an occasional teacher at DLI, and a frequent speaker at industry gatherings where he lectures on Management Philosophy, Shirt Laundering, Business Management and Labor savings.  He has a corporate website at www.tailwindsystems.com and can be reached by telephone at 508.965.3163 and via email at tailwind.don@me.com.

5 things you must know so you wil not be "Taken to the Cleaners!"

Choosing a Dry Cleaner. 

Many people do this without a second thought, picking the guy with the lowest rates or the store on the way home. This can be a costly mistake though. Choosing the wrong dry cleaner can "send you to the cleaners" when you favorite, expensive clothing items are lost, damaged, or worse. Today we are going to tell you five things to consider when choosing a dry cleaner.

1. Customer Service. I would have to rate this as the most important thing to consider in your dry cleaner search. Note the staff. Are they friendly? Helpful? Knowledgeable? Do they acknowledge you with a smile when you walk in the door? You want to find an establishment that actually cares about their customers, because they will be the ones, if something bad actually does happen, to make it right.

2. Experience. You don't want a "just out of the box" dry cleaner. What you do want is someone who has been in the business a long time, who knows all the in's and outs. This is very important! You want a dry cleaner who takes pride in their work, and not someone who is just worried about getting you in and out and taking your money. So definitely, look for someone experienced!
 
3. Cheapest Is Not Always Best. People often forget this point. Most people are only out to find the cheapest dry cleaner, and then they are disappointed when the quality of the work is not up to par. The fact of the matter is, there is no dry cleaner that can have the best employees, the best equipment, the best customer service, the fastest turn around, AND the cheapest rates. It is just impossible. So, remember, you have to sacrifice somewhere. I would rather pay a little more for better service.

4. Guarantees. A good dry cleaner should guarantee their work, no question about it. If you are not happy with their service, they should be willing to do whatever it takes to make it right. If that means a refund, if that means replacing your clothing, or cleaning your garment a second, or third, time. You want to make sure that you find a dry cleaner that stands behind their work.

5. Extra Services. This is not a requirement, but it can be very convenient to choose a cleaner who offers extra services. Some of these can include "green" dry cleaning, wedding gowns, leather cleaning, same day pickup, drop off and pickup services, repairs and alterations, etc. Like previously stated, these services are not a requirement of a good dry cleaner, but should be considered in your choice, if you will need these sorts of services.

Hopefully these tips will help your search for a dry cleaner to be an easy and rewarding one!

How to Remove a Blood Stain at Home

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First thing:  Is your stained garment silk, rayon, wool, or some other dryclean only fabric? Then I recommend taking it to a well trusted drycleaner!

If you have a polyester or cotton and the label says launder or wash, then you are wise to follow my advice!

1) Best chance to remove a blood stain is to treat it as quickly as possible before it has a chance to set.  

2) ALWAYS TRY COLD WATER FIRST , since harsher chemicals may damage more delicate fabrics and/or pull color.

3) Let the item soak a little - then scrub - with a fingernail scrub brush, your fingernail.

Here is the most important tip: If the blood doesn't come out all the way, DO NOT GIVE UP!  Keep scrubbing.  If you need to take a break, that's fine.   - Leave the item soaking.  Scrubbing for 10-15 minutes or longer of is not uncalled for for a large stain, or if the stain has been sitting a little while.  Do be careful not to scrub a whole in the garment.

4) If you must - you can add a little soap.  The soap acts as a lubricant making it easier to remove the soils.  Using too much soap DOES NOT increase the chances of a stain coming out!

5) If soap doesn't do the job completely, try pouring ammonia straight over the stain and scrub again.

6) EXTREME MEASURES: Hydrogen Peroxide is another method - soak the entire stain in straight Hydrogen Peroxide 10-15 minutes and rinse with water.  Watch for color loss with this one. If the stains are all over - I would dilute the Hydrogen Peroxide in water - and soak the entire garment.  Watch it carefully - as soon as the stains start to move rinse and then wash the item completely!

Why going to the cleaners in the rain can ruin your clothes

Where I live we have been having more rain than usual. I commented to a friend that people don't go to the Drycleaners when it's raining. She quickly corrected me. According to her, once we are used to the rain, it no longer deters us from things we need to do.

I began to think about why I thought rain and Drycleaning was not a good mix. . . True, water can cause spots on some silks. I always recommend to my wedding gown clients NOT to bring in their gown on a rainy day unless necessary. . And I insist on protection! Why do I feel so strongly?

So, there you are at the cleaners. You get out of your car with your lovely cashmere sweater or wool suit, and dash into the cleaners to avoid getting drenched. The clerk behind the counter takes your garments, gives you a receipt and puts your items in a bag.

It's done, right? It's out of your hands. . . Or is it?

Here is the danger. . . Drycleaning is "dry". This means there should be no water or moisture in the process. If your cleaner is sub par, and does not air dry your clothes before cleaning, shrinkage, color damage and wrinkling will occur.

So today's tip, don't take wet clothes to the cleaners.

Americas Best Cleaners

I am in NYC right now learning from many of America's best cleaners. We are discussing topics that range from "The fashion industries sustainable future" with presenters including Doug Shriver from Brooks Brothers and Nicholas Regine from Swarovski Crystals (As a side did you know that some of the Cristal used for ornamentation on garments are still made with lead?!), to "The Green Economy" and Bogner Winter 2008 Ski Wear and Why I only trust ABC by Edwin Abreu of Brioni.

I know that just talking and sharing ideas with this diverse group makes my business more valuable to my customers. I recommend that you look for a cleaner with affiliations. This sort of training and continuous improvement is something less than one in ten drycleaners bothers to do. Any cleaner that cares enough to invest time in this sort of growth, is delivering their customers greater value. I also believe it is a huge benefit to our employees, making us a better community citizens.

America's Best Cleaners is one way we can regulate or "certify" the quality of the cleaners in the association. The group is there to serve the garment industry and is currently partnered with Hugo Boss, Brioni, and Brooks Brothers. In exchange for these clothiers recommending America's Best Cleaners, the organization created an objective program to ensure that the customers (you) will have the best dryclean experience and value.

What makes a cleaner one of America's Best?

1. Review of all aspects of production before cleaner is accepted
2. Monthly solvent testing - for cleanliness and ph
3. Quarterly secret shop for quality
4. Quarterly secret shop for service
5. Direct customer service surveys

All members must maintain good standing on every one of these items in order to be included.
Drycleaning aside, it is fascinating to by in NYC right now discussing business!