National Clothesline

With four different class offerings available throughout the year, the Southwest Drycleaners Association will be able to help many drycleaners looking to expand their knowledge base on a number of industry topics.

All of the classes will be held at SDA’s International Textile Center on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

First up will be a course from April 22-23 that emphasizes proper stain removal techniques.

Instructor Chris Allsbrooks will help students gain a better understanding of textiles and learn how to manage specialty fabrics.

The course will also cover: organizing stain removal tools and equipment; simplifying stain removal agents; clarifying the use of bleaches; and how to save time and avoid damage while removing difficult stains.

The class will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4: 30 p.m. on Saturday and 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. Tuition is $205 for IFI/SDA members and $305 for everybody else.

Later in the year, a General Fabricare course will teach cleaners a little of everything, from basic customer service to fibers and fabrics to basic stain removal.

Instructor Jane Zellers will also focus on drycleaning technology; the proper classification of garments for quality cleaning and reduced claims; wetcleaning procedures; and dye stripping.

Those who attend will learn finishing/pressing techniques, as well as tips for how to produce the “perfect” shirt.

The course will meet June 12-16. Class hours are as follows: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

The cost is $495 for SDA members; $520 for other IFI members; and $585 for non-members.

After a hiatus for a few months, school will be back in session Nov. 13-15 as SDA offers another basic stain removal course.

Zellers will provide training on proper stain removal techniques, including the correct use of stain removal tools on a daily basis. Students will learn how dyes, pigments, prints and finishes are all vital concerns to the cleaning process and be able to recognize terms such as wetside, dryside, alkaline, and acid.

Class hours are from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. on the first two days and 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on the final day.

Tuition is $325 for SDA members; $395 for other IFI members; and $460 for everybody else.

Immediately following that class will be another one covering advanced stain removal procedures from Nov. 15-17.

Zellers will outline stain removal techniques used by more experienced drycleaners. Attendees will additionally learn how to test fiber content by burn testing and will participate in some hands-on training using bleaches.

The class will take place from 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday; from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday; and from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

Tuition is $315 for SDA members; $380 for other IFI members; and $445 for others.

The cost of all classes at the International Textile Center includes a box lunch for each full day of class. All course offerings have a 24-student maximum and a 10-student minimum.

Class time is divided between lecture, class discussion, demonstrations and hands-on training.

For more information on any of SDA’s upcoming courses, call (210) 826-4684