Made to Order Suit & Shirt Care Tips You Didn't Know

Wed, 25 Aug 10

Made to order garments usually have more personal value than off the rack, but the investment will only pay off if it is cared for properly. They need particular attention to maintain its top condition, which is why we want to share our essential guide to caring for your made to order garments - or any garments for that matter....

Suits

• Do not dry clean unless there is a stain. Dry cleaning will break down the natural fibres of the suit so dry clean sparingly.
• It is essential to let your suit air out and do not wear it on consecutive days. This will let the wrinkles come out and get rid your suit of most odours.
• To keep the suit looking clean and crisp, brush it as soon as you take it off with a good fabric brush. Regular brushing will maintain wool fibre, especially with finer wools like super 150's and up.
• To keep your suit looking crisp, have it professionally pressed in between cleanings. If ironing at home do not iron directly onto wool fabric, press with a piece of cotton fabric. Alternatively you could consider investing in a personal steamer - do not steam immediately after the suit has been worn, wait until it has been aired out.
• Avoid crushing the suit and don’t pack it too tight in your luggage.

Shirts

• Wash your shirts rather than dry cleaning.  If taking to the dry cleaner ask for a hand laundering service instead.
• Wash shirt in cold water in washing machine, & unbutton shirt before washing. Remember to remove collar stays from collar (men's shirts) before washing.
• To keep brights vibrant, turn clothing inside-out before washing. Wash whites in warm water (white wash only) & do blacks separately.
• Liquid laundry products are better than powders (stay away from concentrates).
• NEVER tumble dry, hang to dry in the shade on a wooden hanger.
• Iron on a cotton setting and ensure there is always water in the iron. To assist, iron shirt when damp or spray a small amount of water on the shirt when ironing. 

Wearing & other tips

• Use quality metal collar stays in shirts (mens) to keep your collar taut.
• Unbutton your suit jacket before you sit down. Also pull the pants up when you sit so you don’t pull the fabric too much.
• Avoid more loads in your suit pockets, which could strain the seams and joints.
• Hang the suit jacket on a padded or ergonomic hanger (preferably in a garment bag) built similar to the shape as a human shoulder. Hang shirts in wardrobe on wooden hangers. This will keep the shoulders nicely rounded in both cases.
• Only use reputable stain removing products otherwise they will fade. On a shirt it is the rubbing of a stain using a product that really effectively gets rid of it before washing....
• On a suit it’s best not to rub forcefully on stains to avoid it embedding into the fabric. Stains or spots should be immediately removed with a towel dipped in cold water to brush off residue (this works with thicker liquids once they’ve dried). Then run underneath a stream of ice cold water.  Do not use warm/hot water and never press heat onto a stain on the suit, otherwise it will imprint in the fabric.