On Thursday, September 29th, Winnipeg CEOs will sleepout for one evening to raise awareness about the solutions to addressing homelessness and poverty, and will help in fundraising annual funds that will support Change for the Better, a program that directs funds towards homeless employment initiatives.
Our own Shane Johnston will be participating!!
SHADING DAMAGE
A frequent problem with silk and rayon is the tendency of the sizing or finish applied by the manufacturer to discolour upon contact with moisture. The moisture effects of water-soluble food and beverage spillage, perspiration, and rain may disturb sizing. If the article is badly stained by moisture, and labeled as “drycleanable,” it may be very difficult for a drycleaner to correct this shading. A bad discolouration may necessitate a short wetcleaning process. This is only done with the consumer’s consent.
Changes in colour shading can result from a variety of outside sources.
HOME STAIN REMOVAL
Because of the extreme sensitivity of many dyes and sizings to moisture, consumers are not advised to attempt any stain removal using water unless they have pretested an unexposed seam. Wet the fabric and blot it with a white cloth. (Rubbing while wet during home spotting can distort the yams, causing light areas or chafing.) Allow the spot to air dry to determine if the dye and sizing are disturbed.
Oily-type greases and soils often can be more readily removed by a drycleaning fluid without adverse effects. However, in all stain-removal techniques, the fabric should only be lightly blotted with the fluid; never rubbed. Rubbing damages the colour of the fabric, often permanently.
PERSPIRATION PROBLEMS
Perspiration contains salts that can damage fabrics, especially silk. Perspiration is acidic and turns alkaline on exposure to the atmosphere. This can cause the fabric to change colour and may disintegrate and weaken silk. Have perspiration stains removed as soon as possible to avoid permanent staining. If you perspire heavily, consider wearing underarm shields.
COLOUR CHANGES
Some silk dyes bleed or change colour when exposed to solutions containing alcohol. Allow perfume, deodorant, and hair spray to dry before you dress, and remove spills from alcoholic beverages as soon as possible.
Some dyes, especially blues and greens on silk, are sensitive to alkalis. Many facial soaps, shampoos, detergents, and even toothpastes are alkaline enough to cause colour loss or change on sensitive items. If this happens, talk to your drycleaner promptly about possible restoration.
Many bright colours used on these fabrics can fade from exposure to sunlight or artificial light. Some blue and green dyes fade exceptionally fast, especially on silk. Store garments in closets away from any light, such as windows or electric lights left on.
Never use chlorine bleach: it permanently damages silk.
Silk is a soft, elegant fiber, prized for its many unique qualities. Rayon was the first manmade fiber produced. It gives the look of silk at a fraction of the cost. Rayon is regenerated cellulose material.
WASH OR DRYCLEAN?
Both silk and rayon fibers dryclean very well. If the manufacturer has not tested for appropriate care instructions, however, certain dyes or finishes applied to the fibers may react adversely to drycleaning. Washing may damage garments containing sizing and / or dyes that are sensitive to water. It is important that you follow the care label on the garment.
“WASHABLE” SILK AND RAYON
Washable silk and rayon have become increasingly popular. Some dyes on “washable” silk and rayon actually dissolve in water, causing considerable dye bleeding and transfer of the dye. This is especially true on many darker colours; most pastels have a greater degree of colourfastness. Multicoloured articles should be tested for colourfastness before washing them.
It is important to keep the washing cycle very short, followed by rapid rinsing and drying. Never soak these garments for extended periods of time.
Drycleaning is not advised for articles of this type. Tests have shown that many of these dyes may be solvent soluble. When consumers bring these washable garments to be drycleaned, the drycleaner should clean them according to the instructions on the care label. If those care instructions are not followed and a problem occurs, the retailer cannot be held responsible.
Stay Tuned for Drycleaning Silk or Rayon: Part 2 in a couple of days.
Although cleaning technologies for leather and suede are constantly improving, some changes will almost always result from the cleaning process. The following gives you an idea of what to expect:
Loss of Colour.
Be prepared for a slight variance in the depth of color after cleaning. Skins from various parts of the animal may have different colorfastness. Also, some leather dyes may be soluble in drycleaning fluid, resulting in overall color loss. We may be able to correct some color loss and variance with spraydyeing.
Loss of oils.
During cleaning, some of the oils used in the tanning process to keep leather supple may be lost. A professional leather cleaner has special additives to restore suppleness, but there still may be some change in the feel of the garment.
Some changes will almost always occur in the cleaning process; a hand-painted, suede vest is wearable art, but challenging to clean.
Scar tissue and vein marks.
Tanners often use fillers before dyeing to mask any scar tissue or imperfections on the leather. Cleaning may remove some of the fillers and cause the defects to reappear.
Wrinkles.
Skins taken from certain parts of an animal are naturally wrinkled, and have been stretched during manufacturing to achieve a smooth appearance. The agitation of cleaning can relax the leather, accentuating the wrinkles.
Texture and shading changes.
Manufacturers sometimes combine a smoother skin with a coarser – textured skin. Cleaning may make this more apparent. Different textures also may vary in how they absorb the fat liquors and additives in the cleaning process, resulting in some areas being darker than others. It is a natural phenomenon that is beyond the control of the cleaner.
Shrinkage.
Although some shrinkage is likely to occur over time as the skins relax, this may be accentuated in cleaning. As you wear our garment, this snugness should dissipate. If the skins have been overstretched during manufacture, they may relax permanently.
Damage to thin skins.
Some skins are extremely thin and too fragile for use in apparel. These skins tend to wear exceptionally fast, even with normal usage. The agitation of cleaning will further aggravate the damage of thin skins.
Shading from adhesives.
Adhesives used to glue seams, hems, and other areas may not be solvent-resistant. When the glues do not dissolve completely, they may seep through the leather and cause shaded areas.
Leather trim bleeding and transfer.
Leather buttons and piping on fabric items sometimes cause problems by bleeding color onto the adjacent fabric. All attached trim should be able to withstand the care method on the label. If this problem occurs, the item should be returned to the retailer.
Oxidation.
Exposure to light and atmospheric gases can cause leather dyes to oxidize over time. Protected areas, such as under the collar, will retain more of the original color.
This may become more noticeable after cleaning, and usually cannot be corrected by the leather cleaner.
Problems with imitation leathers and suedes.
Imitation leathers and suedes are produced in a variety of ways and are sometimes difficult to distinguish from the real thing. Some may be coated with vinyl – or urethane-based films; others may be made to look like suede. These coatings and imitations may be vulnerable to self-sticking, blistering, puckering, or stiffening in drycleaning.
A leather or suede garment is a major investment, so it is important to choose it carefully and care for it wisely. When selecting a leather garment:
WEAR AND CARE
Proper care of leather and suede begins at home. To get the maximum life from your garment:
CLEANING YOUR LEATHER
When you take your leather or suede garment to a Dollar Wise Quality Cleaners, it is helpful if you can provide any care information that came with the garment. Be sure to point out any stains, since stains that are old and set cannot always be removed safely. Have all matching pieces cleaned at the same time.
STORING YOUR GOWN
Unfortunately, no process or storage method can guarantee against yellowing or possible deterioration of fabrics. There are, however, several steps you can take to protect your garment:
Preserving the quality of your wedding gown may be the finest gift you can give yourself and a loved one.
AFTER THE WEDDING…
Most brides want to preserve their dress as a keepsake, perhaps for their own daughter to wear on her wedding day. Cleaning industry experts recommend that you have the dress cleaned by an expert before storage.
The dress may have invisible stains from food, beverages, and body oil. If these stains are not properly cleaned, they may become permanent. Therefore, it is important to point out any stains or spills to your cleaner before cleaning.
Most wedding gowns have some sort of decorative trim. Again, it is important to inspect these trims with your cleaner prior to cleaning since many trims are not made to withstand the drycleaning process. For example, many beads, glitter, sequins, and laces are attached to gowns with adhesives that dissolve during drycleaning. Some beads and glitter are made of plastics or covered with surface coatings that are not solvent resistant. In many of these cases, the trim becomes separated from the dress or altered in some way.
In some cases, decorative trims yellow as their finishes oxidize. An ivory or ecru trim may lose its colour and no longer match the gown if a dye component is lost in cleaning. Colour failures of this type are due to poor colourfastness of the dye, not to improper cleaning.
SPECIAL CARE INSTRUCTIONS
Wedding gowns must have a care label that provides a viable care method. The care label covers all component parts of the gown, including all decorative trim. Gowns that fail to withstand the care procedure on the label should be returned to the retailer for an adjustment. Look at the care label before purchasing your gown to make sure you understand the recommended cleaning instructions.
With proper care, your wedding gown will remain a keepsake.
Your wedding gown is one of your most precious possessions. It is a symbol of an important event in your life and, as such, should be treated with special care. Whether you are borrowing it from a relative or buying it new, your gown deserves your attention, both before the wedding and afterward.
Part 1: CHOOSING A WEDDING DRESS
Wedding consultants agree that if you are buying a new dress for the big day, you should begin shopping at least six months before your wedding date. This will give you ample time to find the style, fabric, and accessories that suit you. It also will allow time for the manufacturing and shipping of a dress that is special-ordered. Today’s bridal gowns are made from satin, taffeta, chiffon, organza, brocade, and lace and are accented with delicate trims, such as beads, seed peals, sequins, embroidery, lace, and appliqué.
When shopping for your dress, ask the salesperson whether both the dress and trim are drycleanable. If possible, get the information in writing. Dollar Wise Quality Cleaners often finds that trim that is glued on rather than sewn on sometimes does not stand up to the drycleaning process. Other trims, such as beads and pearls, dissolve when cleaned with solvent. You want to make sure that your entire dress is drycleanable so that you can preserve your investment for many years.
If you are wearing an heirloom gown, allow plenty of time for professional cleaning as well as any alterations that may be necessary. Because many fabrics naturally yellow with age, you should check the gown carefully for any discolourations. Often, yellowing can be overcome if the gown can be carefully wetcleaned.
Article from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304760604576427881302862532.html
By DEBORAH LYNN BLUMBERG
An interesting article caught our eye this week on Wedding Gown preservation. Read on!
A wedding dress can go through a lot: champagne toasts and cake cutting, photos in the garden and a night of dancing. For many brides, dry-cleaning isn’t enough for a gown they spent months looking for, years dreaming of, and may hope to pass down someday.
The gown Julie Morris wore to her outdoor wedding in Florida got the ‘Prestige’ treatment.
There are a number of companies that promise to clean and preserve weddings dresses for posterity. These companies say they can keep a dress looking new for years.
“Cleaning is the most important part of a gown preservation,” said Sally Lorensen Conant, executive director of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists and owner of Orange Restoration Lab, a wedding-gown preservation company in Orange, Conn. If you leave anything in the fiber, 20 years from now “there will be dark brown stains where that ginger ale or champagne was.” The association’s 90 members commit to a gown-preservation method called MuseumCare, where they hand-clean dresses and use a special treatment to remove stains involving sugar, salt or acid, which often dry clear and cannot be seen.
We tested four companies that preserved four gowns from four brides. Two companies were part of garment-preservation groups that follow particular cleaning and preservation processes. One thing we learned: Since preservation companies may work with many dry cleaners and with different procedures, brides should make sure they know exactly where their gown is going.
From India to Buffalo
We sent a silk, beaded sari worn at a Hindu wedding ceremony in India to BridalKare of Buffalo, N.Y. Our ensemble included a silk scarf that was badly stained with fruit juice.
The preservation kit we ordered online consisted of an order form and a pre-paid UPS label. A video on BridalKare’s website explained its 11-point process, which starts with a hand-cleaning of the hemline, top of the bodice and underarm area.
The gowns are steamed and hand-pressed before they are placed on an acid-free bust insert (to keep the bodice from wrinkling) and sealed in an acid-free box.
The hitch: Breaking the seal voids the lifetime guarantee against caramelized sugar stains or yellowing. It can be reinstated by sending the dress back for resealing, which costs $35, with shipping included. BridalKare co-owner Beverly Zambito says brides should send the dress for re-sealing to protect against moisture.
Since we wanted to wear the sari to another function, we opened the box and found the scarf was still stained, though it was lighter. BridalKare co-owner Beverly Zambito said the company will re-process a gown free of charge using a tougher cleaning solution, but some stains just don’t come out.
Heritage Garment Preservation of Benicia, Calif., took the longest to preserve our gown—7½ weeks—but had the best presentation. Owners Jennifer Judd, Kathy Wright, and Carmina West give brides constant updates on their dresses—emailing when they receive the dress, when they start cleaning it and when it is shipped back.
After getting an online price estimate, we sent in a long, white gown with beading and a full skirt to be cleaned and preserved using the Museum Method, a hanging approach the company says helps keep gowns wrinkle-free.
Well folks, another Clean Show has come and gone. This past week in Las Vegas, NV was the drycleaning industry’s premiere event, The Clean Show. Like all Clean Shows it was a spectacle to be seen. It was a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, meet new friends, see the new innovative ideas that area hitting the dry cleaning markets and just have a good time, especially with all that Las Vegas has to offer.
The action was brisk most of the week at my companies booth (STREETS) and I was very surprised at the number of my friends and fellow cleaners from Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina that were able to attend the show.
STREETS has recently introduced new products designed for Green Earth solvent. GreenSol (a detergent and cleaning booster) and its companion product GreenSpot (a no flush pre-treatment, leveling agent and cleaning booster for Green Earth systems). These products created quite a buzz for my fellow STREETS guys and myself as we spoke to many Green Earth users that have been looking for more effective products for their process. These products have been available for a couple of months now and are already having great success and beginning to get rave reviews, as I had several plant owners that are using the products come to our booth and tell us about their success. If you are using Green Earth solvent, you owe it to yourself to check them out.
Visit www.thedrycleanersblog.com to read this whole blog:
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