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.

How often should you clean your suit?

Seems like a simple question. . .

As a rule of thumb – I recommend cleaning BOTH pieces no less than once a year,  EVEN if you did not wear the suit. 

I want to emphasize:  Just because you don’t get a stain doesn’t mean that you don’t need to clean a garment.  It helps to air out your clothes at night – ON A HANGER.  And steamers can do wonders – which is about the same thing those do at home dryclean kit do.  They are fine for a refresh – but please, for pants sake, clean them for real after a few wears or every year at a minimum.

Anytime you get a stain or spill on your clothes, clean your item.  Please refrain from trying to use water to remove stains.  And soda water is just water with bubbles – we call it dry-cleaning because it does not have water – water stains can be difficult to remove and can cause color loss.  Especially on dryclean only fabrics

Why should you clean something you’ve never worn or lightly worn? 

1) Sometimes our minds play tricks on us, or we just don’t notice things, remember things, or realize how much time has passed.  You may think you didn’t get any soils on your items, but you may not even know what was on that seat before you sat down. I don’t know about you, but I can’t even remember what I had for breakfast many days, let alone that small splash from the sink in the gas station restroom! How often do you wash your hands?  Your clothes are right up against your skin – they protect you as well as project who you are to the world.  Keep them clean!

2) Even without soils the fibers of your clothes can get matted down from wear.  Cleaning fluffs up the fibers and keeps clothes looking more like new.

I had a client come in complaining about a shine on his pants we had just cleaned.  We use a sophisticated identification method – so we can look up exactly when we have cleaned those pants over the last 10 years.  Those pants had not been cleaned in over a year and a half.  I asked him how often he wore his pants – at least twice a month; I asked if he had taken them somewhere else for cleaning – and he insisted we were the only cleaner.  I told him I would need to reclean the pants for a longer period in order to remove the ground in soils and also to fluff up the fibers.  That sort of wear really wears down the fibers and imbeds soil that are much more difficult to remove.  When you wear gabardine pants, just the fact of wearing then, the fibers get rubbed and any dust or fumes in the atmosphere will become embedded in the fibers.  Not cleaning cause these soils to permanently adhere – and one cleaning was not enough.  The cleaning can fluff up the fibers – but that much time requires – in this case – 2 cycles, just to fluff up the fibers.

3) Soils left in clothes for long periods of time damage clothes – and cause holes, wear and premature aging.  Perspiration is a known offender.  If it’s a little hot and you perspire onto your clothes, then leave them unclean; hanging in your closet, the fibers will become weak and the fabric will very likely tear.  *** I don’t like to clean any garment that hasn’t been cleaned in over 5 years.  And if they are visibly soiled and my client knows it has been that long since the last cleaning – I strongly discourage cleaning!  Soils grind into the fabric and damage it.  While its true the soils can attract insects that will also damage your clothes (and by the way – YUCK, you are wearing clothes that soils in the clothes are feeding tiny bug larva you can’t see!) , that is only a small part of the danger.  You can’t see the damage before cleaning because, quite literally, the soils are holding the fibers together (this is also true of feather pillows – clean those yearly or more often!)****

4) There are things in our atmosphere and our homes that can cause fume fading and other damage to our clothes if we never clean them – ALSO  It is a good exercise to go through all our clothes on AT LEAST a yearly basis.  I know, it’s a goal or a rule of thumb – not a hard fast must do.

5) some stains oxidize over time – think 7up or champagne.  Its clear when you spill it.  It dries like water – but give it 6 months, and some heat, it turns brown (like when you bite into an apple and set it aside).  At that point the stain is set and the fibers are at risk.

For a typical men’s suit, the jacket will often be removed for safekeeping.  Like when you get in the car, or driving.  At work when working alone, etc.  This is a normal and wise practice.  Suit coats are  what we call a “structured” garment.  That is, it has a lining, interfacing and material that gives the garment support it also often has bonding material (I really need to write about bonding material - manufacturers should be scolded for their use of it!).  The lining protects the garment from persperation and the fact that you often remove the jacket for driving, etc means that the shine is less likely.  Structured garments are more difficult to clean - they don’t like the agitation of the cleaning cycle – so it works that men normally wear their jackets less than pants.  Pants on the other hand often get worn more often than the corresponding jacket – and you sit on your pant, bend in them and just plain rub on them. . . .. Sorry but its true.  You are more likely to soil or spill on your pants – knowingly or by just sitting in something questionable.    So your pants, by their nature will need to be cleaned more often than your jacket.

Here’s a tip (in my humble opinion):  If you find a suit you love, BUY 2 PANTS!

OK, Ive gone on for longer than I meant – this was supposed to be short and sweet.

Seems that nothing is ever as simple as it would seem. . . but I hope you get my point.

Cleaning your clothes more frequently or regularly will 

            help your clothes last longer

            Will keep you healthier and feeling better

            Keep your clothes looking better

           

Thanks for listening, and hey, thanks for wearing clothes!