National Clothesline

The Clean Show is always an opportunity to mark the changes that have taken place in the industry, but at Clean ’07 a significant change took place right before the eyes of attendees.

In the midst of festivities celebrating the 100th anniversary of the International Fabricare Institute, the institute ’s CEO, Bill Fisher, announced that the organization is changing its name. Thus the first half of the party, attended by hundreds at Planet Hollywood, was hosted by IFI. The second half host was DLI — the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute.

The name change was the fifth for the institute, which was formed in 1907 as the National Association of Dyers and Cleaners. That name lasted 40 years until it became National Institute of Cleaning and Dyeing.

Five years later, “dyeing” was dropped and “cleaning” became “drycleaners,” forming the National Institute of Drycleaning, a name that persists in the minds of many old-timers today since it lasted until 1972 when International Fabricare Institute was adopted as the name of the newly-merged NID and American Institute of Laundering.

While the word “fabricare” and the acronym IFI are known throughout the industry, outside the industry using the word “fabricare” was likely to generate puzzled head scratching and maybe a polite, “Excuse me. What’s a fabricare?”

“Basically, most consumers don’t understand what IFI means,” said Barbara Harvey who chaired the name-change committee and, by the way, took office during the Las Vegas convention as the first female president in the organization ’s 100-year history.

“Inside the industry, we all know what ‘fabricare’ means, but the name IFI did not represent what we do very well to the general public, ” Harvey explained. “We wanted to simplify the name so they could more easily understand who we are and what we do. ”

Fisher said the new name should help when he and other institute staff are dealing with government officials and the media since there won ’t be a need for an introductory explanation of “fabricare” and what and who IFI represents. It should also help bring people to the institute when they are doing internet searches for information on the drycleaning industry. The DLI web site, however, will remain at www.ifi.org for the time being.

The web site address is just one of many things that will have to change to reflect the new name. The first thing that changed was the sign at the Clean Show booth. At the show ’s closing on Monday, it said International Fabricare Institute. On Tuesday morning, it was Drycleaning and Laundry Institute.

That the change will take some getting used to was also evident on Tuesday morning. Moderating the panel on solvent options, Fisher repeatedly referred to “IFI.” Since his career spans the entire 35 years that the organization was known as IFI, it was understandable, but it led to wisecracks in the audience that the CEO apparently didn ’t get the memo on the name change.

By Wednesday morning it seemed to be sinking in, at least for DLI garment analyst Chris Allsbrooks who got the new name right during her presentation.

Under any name, the institute enjoyed a successful Clean Show. Pre-registration topped the 2005 total before the show even opened, Fisher said, and attendance at all three days of the seminars was standing-room only. (Reports on the Monday and Wednesday programs will appear in the August issue of National Clothesline.)

In addition to introducing its new name, DLI brought out its new Encyclopedia of Drycleaning, a CD containing more than 10,000 reference resources.

Two new directors also joined the institute’s board. Andy Tirpok of New Jersey and Rick Kasperbauer of Iowa now represent Districts 1 and 5, respectively.

Tirpok is a second-generation drycleaner, having bought Tirpok Cleaners in Flemington, NJ, from his father in 1976. He sold the business after 12 years, then bought it back five years later.

Tirpok served on the board of directors of the North East Fabricare Association and had been a DLI District Committee Member since 2004. He will represent cleaners in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont as well as his home state of New Jersey.

Kasperbauer, too, is from a drycleaning family. Although his father was a cleaner, Kasperbauer said he avoided the plant during his high school years. In 1980, however, he took over Kasperbauer Cleaners in Carroll, IA, from his brother.

Kasperbauer has served on the board of the Iowa-Nebraska Drycleaners & Laundry Association and was president of INDLA from 2003 to 2005.

In addition to Iowa, his District 5 includes the states of Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Illinois and Wisconsin.




						A new sign at Clean: IFI now DLI




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						The Clean Show is always an opportunity to mark the changes that have taken place in the industry, but at Clean ’07 a significant change took place right before the eyes of attendees. In the midst of festivities celebrating the 100th anniversary of the International Fabricare Institute, the institute ’s CEO, Bill Fisher, announced that the organization is changing its name. Thus the first half of the party, attended by hundreds at Planet Hollywood, was hosted by IFI. The second half host was DLI — the Drycleaning and Laundry Institute. The name change was the fifth for the institute, which was formed in 1907 as the National Association of Dyers and Cleaners. That name lasted 40 years until it became National Institute of Cleaning and Dyeing. Five years later, “dyeing” was dropped and “cleaning” became “drycleaners,” forming the National Institute of Drycleaning, a name that persists in the minds of many old-timers today since it lasted until 1972 when International Fabricare Institute was adopted as the name of the newly-merged NID and American Institute of Laundering. While the word “fabricare” and the acronym IFI are known throughout the industry, outside the industry using the word “fabricare” was likely to generate puzzled head scratching and maybe a polite, “Excuse me. What’s a fabricare?” “Basically, most consumers don’t understand what IFI means,” said Barbara Harvey who chaired the name-change committee and, by the way, took office during the Las Vegas convention as the first female president in the organization ’s 100-year history. “Inside the industry, we all know what ‘fabricare’ means, but the name IFI did not represent what we do very well to the general public, ” Harvey explained. “We wanted to simplify the name so they could more easily understand who we are and what we do. ” Fisher said the new name should help when he and other institute staff are dealing with government officials and the media since there won ’t be a need for an introductory explanation of “fabricare” and what and who IFI represents. It should also help bring people to the institute when they are doing internet searches for information on the drycleaning industry. The DLI web site, however, will remain at www.ifi.org for the time being. The web site address is just one of many things that will have to change to reflect the new name. The first thing that changed was the sign at the Clean Show booth. At the show ’s closing on Monday, it said International Fabricare Institute. On Tuesday morning, it was Drycleaning and Laundry Institute. That the change will take some getting used to was also evident on Tuesday morning. Moderating the panel on solvent options, Fisher repeatedly referred to “IFI.” Since his career spans the entire 35 years that the organization was known as IFI, it was understandable, but it led to wisecracks in the audience that the CEO apparently didn ’t get the memo on the name change. By Wednesday morning it seemed to be sinking in, at least for DLI garment analyst Chris Allsbrooks who got the new name right during her presentation. Under any name, the institute enjoyed a successful Clean Show. Pre-registration topped the 2005 total before the show even opened, Fisher said, and attendance at all three days of the seminars was standing-room only. (Reports on the Monday and Wednesday programs will appear in the August issue of National Clothesline.) In addition to introducing its new name, DLI brought out its new Encyclopedia of Drycleaning, a CD containing more than 10,000 reference resources. Two new directors also joined the institute’s board. Andy Tirpok of New Jersey and Rick Kasperbauer of Iowa now represent Districts 1 and 5, respectively. Tirpok is a second-generation drycleaner, having bought Tirpok Cleaners in Flemington, NJ, from his father in 1976. He sold the business after 12 years, then bought it back five years later. Tirpok served on the board of directors of the North East Fabricare Association and had been a DLI District Committee Member since 2004. He will represent cleaners in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont as well as his home state of New Jersey. Kasperbauer, too, is from a drycleaning family. Although his father was a cleaner, Kasperbauer said he avoided the plant during his high school years. In 1980, however, he took over Kasperbauer Cleaners in Carroll, IA, from his brother. Kasperbauer has served on the board of the Iowa-Nebraska Drycleaners & Laundry Association and was president of INDLA from 2003 to 2005. In addition to Iowa, his District 5 includes the states of Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Illinois and Wisconsin.