National Clothesline

The FabriCare Foundation has launched two new web sites and appointed four industry spokespersons in preparation for the launch of its 2006 national publicity campaign.

“Our goal is to educate consumers who go to drycleaners based on service, dependability and results,” said Dan Martino, president of the foundation. “We hope that, as consumers learn what to look for when selecting a ‘professional’ drycleaner with whom to build a relationship, more drycleaners will work harder to meet these standards of excellence and eventually raise the bar for the entire industry.”

The new web sites are designed to help meet this goal. One site is aimed at members of the drycleaning industry: www.fabricarefoundation.org. The other is intended for consumers: www.drycleaningconsumer.com.

Both sites include information about the organization’s mission and goals, the leadership team, supporters, industry studies and press initiatives.

The consumer site features a page titled, “What to Look for in a Drycleaner.” Consumers can use the check list on the page to help find a good drycleaner.

The trade web site, by contrast, lists the services that a drycleaner should offer in order to raise professionalism of the industry and maintain its integrity. The trade site also includes an online donation form.

The FabriCare Foundation has enlisted four new spokespersons to help communicate the definition of a “professional” drycleaner. The spokespersons are:

Chris Allsbrooks, CPD, CPW, who has been a textile analyst in International Fabricare Institute’s International Textile Analysis Laboratory since 1992. Her daily duties include helping to analyze approximately 10,000 damaged garments, household textiles, hospital linens and various other items each year.

Known for conveying complex research data and garment care concepts to a wide range of audiences, Allsbrooks’ reputation as a garment inspector and fashion guru is well known. Before joining IFI, she was in retail. Her television speaking engagements include Good Morning America and WTTG-TV Fox 5 Morning News.

Steve Boorstein, a.k.a. The Clothing Doctor, is a third-generation drycleaner and a retail clothing veteran. He is president of Fashion Media Group, LLC, and heads WebDesign600.com, both international companies that serve the clothing industry.

Boorstein is author of The Ultimate Guide to Shopping and Caring for Clothing, executive director for Leading Cleaners International (LCI) and an advisory board member of IFI. He has been a guest on The View, Good Day New York, CBS News, and has been interviewed in more than 300 newspapers, magazines and radio shows. He also wrote, produced and hosted a national radio show, The Clothing Doctor, in which he interviewed fashion and clothing-care professionals.

Barry Gershenson is a third-generation drycleaning veteran with more than 40 years experience as owner of Sterling Fine Cleaning in Los Angeles, CA. He serves on the various industry boards including the FabriCare Foundation, IFI, the Greater Los Angeles Dry Cleaners Association, and is an active participant in Leading Cleaners International.

Gershenson was named “California Cleaner of The Year” in 1998. He has experience speaking across several platforms including full-day seminars on “Creating and Developing A Dry Cleaning Route Service” and he is a trainer of “Basic Leadership Training” for a men’s support and training organization.

Laurie Wilson is president and founder of the L. Wilson Group, LLC, a coaching, consulting and training organization. She has more than 20 years of experience speaking on behalf of the drycleaning and fashion industries. She has served as a speaker for cleaners’ association conferences and has conducted customer service representative training for drycleaners around the country.

Wilson also writes a regular article on “The Human Factor” for American Drycleaner. Her television speaking engagements include serving as the CBS affiliate “Fashion Expert” on a weekly news show and appearing as a news guest, radio guest and interview source for more than 20 years. As the March 1998 “cover mom” for Working Mother, Wilson represents the target audience: a professional who runs a busy family and can address the concerns of a consumer.

The FabriCare Foundation’s next steps include launching its first consumer press release, titled “What to Look for in a Drycleaner,” and to promote the new spokespersons to regional media.

For more information about this program, or to become involved, e-mail Dan Martino at danmartino@tds.net or call (262) 694-7545.

The FabriCare Foundation is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization. Since 1994, it has worked with drycleaners to improve services, offerings and customer relation skills continuously, across the entire industry. Donations of supporters fund the research and programs necessary to educate professionals and strengthen the trade.