Drycleaners, designers unite
America’s Best Cleaners organized a
panel discussion featuring major fashion designers and fabric
experts. This was spearheaded by Ed D’Elicio, executive
director of America’s Best Cleaners, and Chris White,
ABC’s director of business development.
As an associate member and technical
advisor to ABC I was asked to participate on that panel. The
audience consisted of ABC member cleaners and prospective
members.
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Mitchells, Erica Jensen, owner of a high-end boutique, and Jean Claude Mastroianni, a celebrated fashion designer.
The questions posed to the panel centered
on serviceability, proper care labeling and proper cleaning.
The manufacturers and designers realize there is a need for
proper and better care labeling, but they also feel that some
of the blame for damages centers on improper cleaning.
The members of ABC and my consultations
with them have centered on finding safe ways to handle even the
most fragile and possibly unserviceable garments. The
manufacturers and panel members are aware of the care ABC
cleaners give to their garments and agree that they receive
very few returns from them.
They also realize that some styling may
cause problems to other cleaners and have even altered some
types of styling to avoid some problems that cleaners may have
when processing their garments.
Joe Hallak of Hallak Cleaners explained
how he handles some suedes and leathers that may be
unserviceable to conventional methods of cleaning.
Chris White explained how he avoids color
loss when cleaning leathers and suedes. I explained some of the
hand-cleaning methods that cleaners can use to avoid problems
handling high end garments.
It was agreed by all that a ruined
garment causes loss of business to the drycleaners as well as
the designer.
Jean Claude Mastroianni showed his
collection of gowns and clothes that were worn by celebrities
such as Katherine Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Madonna, and the
Duchess of Windsor. He explained about the vintage pleated silk
Fortuni dress that was permanently pleated with a method that
is even unknown today. The inventor of the pleating never
revealed to anyone his methods.
Dispelling myths
I cleared up some misconceptions that
designers and manufacturers had on drycleaning. They thought
that repeated drycleaning wears out the fabric. They were
recommending to their customers that men’s suits should
only be cleaned once a year or when soiled.
I explained that all testing done in my
lab and other labs showed drycleaning does not wear out
fabrics. What wears out fabrics is dirt and soil left in the
fabric that act as a abrasive to the fabric.
I asked them if they ever looked at
draperies that were hanging for a period of time showing the
amount of soil that can accumulate on a fabric.
The panel also thought that many garments
lose their water repellency treatment when cleaned. I explained
that cleaning does not cause a loss of the treatment but simply
masks the treatment due to drycleaning detergent left in the
fabric. All the cleaner has to do is to clear rinse the garment
and the repellency most likely would be restored.
The designers, manufacturers and the ABC
members felt that there was a unity and deep understanding
obtained by this panel discussion. The manufacturers and
fashion designers agree that they could work with the
drycleaners instead of against them.
The following is a letter that I received
from Ed D’Elicio.
Dear Dan,
I would like to take this time to thank
you once again for your excellent contribution to our panel
discussion in Greenwich. It really provided the panel with a
counterweight for the drycleaning industry and several times
during the discussion it was apparent that these garment
specialists deferred to your expert knowledge. We always love
having you participate in our events and we are proud to
consider you an associate of America’s Best Cleaners.
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