July 2004 Issue
In this months Issue:
Towel Talk: Tips for Traveling or Taking it Easy
And the Survey Says...
Good Button, Bad Button, Whats the Difference?
Home Laundry Tip
Towel Talk: Tips for Traveling or Taking it Easy
What in the world did people do before towels were invented? Towels are one of those everyday items that everyone has an opinion about. Think about it: At hotels, one of the signs of elegance and luxury is a rack filled with thick, huge and fluffy white towels, while motels and lower-priced vacation getaways are often associated with thin, standard-sized, barely absorbent pieces of cloth.
You may not have much say about the towels offered on vacation, but at home, you can purchase the best towels by simply knowing the facts. When youre buying towels, its easy to be fooled by price or the initial feel of the fabric. Whats really important, however, is the durability, absorbency, softness and lack of shrinkage.
If youre going to purchase bath towels, youll want absorbency. Look for thick loops packed so closely together that you can barely see the fabric base. This type of towel will also last longer. To check, separate a few loops and inspect the towel. All towel edges should be securely stitched and tightly woven. Some people love velour towels, because they feel so plush and smooth, but they are not as absorbent as other types. Velour towels often are great as hand or face towels.
If youre heading for the beach, absorbency is not as important since youll be using your towel to lie on the sand, cover a hot beach chair, or wrap around you after a refreshing swim. We recommend splurging on a big size: in this case, bigger really is better.
When it comes to washing your towels, its important to know that all towels will shrink a bit during the first few washings. If a towel shrinks a lot, however, (and we mean more than a few inches),then you should bring it back to the store to complain.
One last piece of advice: if you throw your towels in a car trunk or beach bag after a long day in the sun, dont forget to remove them as soon as possible and dry thoroughly to avoid a musty, unpleasant odor.
And the Survey Says...
Every year, the International Fabricare Institute releases the results of its survey of problem garments. These garments are sent in to be analyzed to determine why the item was damaged and stained. This past year, the IFI Textile Analysis Laboratory received more than 780 garments to examine.
The three most frequent categories of blame were manufacturer problems (46%); consumer problems (38%) and dry cleaner/launder problems (11%). The remaining 5% of the garments were classified as either showing no evidence and/or being restored.
Most of the problems caused by manufacturers were related to colorfastness. Colors often did not stand up well to dry cleaning or to water, and leather items often had dyes that did not stand up to established cleaning methods. Flocked finishes or imitation velvet also created problems. What does this mean? Lets face it: if an item cant be cleaned, even using the methods suggested, then its just not up to par.
Consumers often created problems when they attempted their own cleaning methods, didnt store items properly or were just plain messy. Problems ranged from holes due to insects to improper cleaning attempts such as bleach or acids. The IFI Lab also found that contact with foods, beverages, hair preparations, dyes and inks created problems.
The smallest percentage of the problems were caused by dry cleaners and included failure to follow cleaning care instructions, fabric damage due to contact with chemicals and color loss from stain removal mistakes.
The bottom line? Since the majority of the problems were the result of poorly made items, its important to read labels carefully before purchasing any garment. If you clean an item and it does not stand up, please be sure to bring it right back to the store where you purchased it. Also, if you are going to attempt any fixes at home, be certain to use the correct cleaning care products.
Good Button, Bad Button, Whats the Difference?
Defective buttons are a fact of life. The two most common problems are plastic buttons that melt and cloth-covered buttons that lose color.
Buttons are dyed in two ways: solution-dye and post-manufacture dye. Solution-dyed buttons are those whose color is added while the button is still in liquid form during manufacturing. Post-manufactured buttons have the color applied after the buttons have hardened.
Solution-dyed buttons hold color better, but manufacturers often prefer the post-manufacture dyed buttons because they can be stored plain and then color can be added later, depending on whats trendy and hot in fashion.
If a set of buttons on a garment does not hold up&for example, if it bleeds color or if one of the buttons break&we suggest that you return the garment to the place of purchase. Ask for a refund or a replacement. If you simply cant part with the item, bring it to us, and well be happy to replace all or some of the buttons for you.
Home Laundry Tip
You may not be a baseball fan, but lots of people are fans of baseball caps. Theyre great fashion statements (and head coverings), but theyre often difficult to clean. We do NOT recommend putting them in the washing machine, even in a mesh bag, since the agitation action will likely cause your hat to lose its shape.
Instead, why not try the dishwasher? Yes, we mean it. Place the baseball cap in the top rack and run the machine on a regular cycle, then take it out and allow it to air dry.