National Clothesline

When pressing suede and leather you do not want to press creases into the sleeves. Customers do not normally ever want creases pressed into the sleeves of their suede or leather garments any more than they want creases in their laundered shirts.

A simple and inexpensive way to avoid the unwanted creases while still pressing out the wrinkles in the sleeves of a suede or leather is to use a sleeve press pad. A sleeve press pad is shaped like a sleeve with a cover made of a tightly woven fabric that will easily slide into the sleeve of a garment and will also resist the heat and pressure of the press.

A sleeve press pad, in a one size fits all, can do a satisfactory job on most leather sleeves. Sleeve pads that come in two or more sizes can be handy as they can more closely match the size variations of the sleeves of different garments.

For example, a large or “macho” size sleeve pad would more easily fill the sleeves cut larger by the garment manufacturer to accommodate the larger more muscular arms of men.

On the other hand, a small “petite” size would more closely fit the smaller narrower sleeves of garments made by garment manufacturers for the slender arms of women.

To use the sleeve press pad, simply slip the pad into the sleeve to be pressed. The narrow end of the pad goes in first. Slide the pad into the sleeve in the same way your arm would go into the sleeve — that is, from the shoulder to the cuff. Insert the pad into the sleeve until the larger end reaches the seam of the shoulder pad. This will allow you to press the sleeve right up to the shoulder seam.

Once the sleeve press pad is properly in place inside the suede or leather sleeve, you are ready to press.

Caution: Do no use live steam when you press suede or leather unless the steam pressure has been reduced to no more than 40 psi (3.5 kg/cm2).

For best results, use a hot head press with the steam pressure set at no more than 50 psi (2.8 kg/cm2) or use a press equipped with a hot head (non perforated) grid plate.

Start by pressing the underside of the sleeve.

First, place the sleeve with the pad in it up on the buck of the press. Position it so that the head of the press will press the sleeve from the armpit to the cuff. Be sure the cuff line is set where you want it to be before lowering the head of the press.

Then bring down the head of the press and press the underside of the sleeve from the armpit to the cuff. If the garment is a suede, brush up the suede nap after the head of the press comes up.

Next, turn the sleeve over so you can press the outside of the sleeve. Pull the sleeve up on the buck of the press so that the head of the press will press the entire length of the outside of the sleeve from the shoulder seam to the cuff.

Again, be sure the cuff line is set where you want it to be before lowering the head of the press. Then bring down the head of the press and press the outside of the sleeve. If the garment is a suede, brush up the suede nap after the head of the press comes up.

This pressing procedure consists of two lays and will result in smooth, wrinkle-free sleeves that will satisfy most customers.

However, if you wish to provide the optimum in pressing quality on sleeves, you will want to press the sleeves using four lays.

In this case, after you have completed the first two lays as described above, you will roll the sleeve around on the sleeve press pad so that the areas of the sleeve that were at the edge of the pad are now up on the flat part of the pad.

Then press the sleeve on one side to press the area that was along one edge of the press pad on the first lay.

Then press the other side of the sleeve to press the other area that was along the other edge of the press pad on the second lay.

Now every part of the sleeve has been in contact with the head of the press in four lays and the finish on the sleeve is superb.