|
|
|
Most
clothes don't smell like anything -- at least,
they shouldn't. But suede and other
leather derivatives are different. There's
a special aura to wearing something that has
a distinctive scent that says, "Suede!"
Try
as they might, manufacturers have yet to come
up with a manufactured suede product that
captures the smell, feel and durability of
real suede. How could they? It
took years to grow that skin, and special
artistry and technique to stretch and dye
it, then turn it into the supple and irresistibly
touchable "fabric" we know as suede.
With
gift-giving season right around the corner,
you may be considering buying something truly
memorable for someone this year, and we want
to give you all you need to know about suede.
Enjoy
the newsletter, and let us know when we can
be of service.
Ed
and Mary Longanecker
Iris City Cleaners and Laundering Company |
|
|
There's
Nothing Like the Real Thing
There's suede, and
there are imitation products, but nothing
smells or feels or wears like the real thing.
People have loved leather and suede since
cavemen first wore clothes, and no wonder!
Suede is a breathable "fabric" that adjusts
to the wearer and keeps out the weather in
ways regular fabrics can't.
Read on to learn
more about Suede, how to buy it, and its proper
care! |
|
|
|
|
|
Per-Suede
Me Coupon!
It's
important to protect your suede -- new or
lived in -- with proper conditioning.
We'll add water-
and stain-repellent to your suede garment
for FREE when you have it cleaned.
(Include
a copy of this coupon or the first page of
this newsletter with your order. Offer
expires 11/9/02. Cannot be combined
with other offers.) |
|
It's
not just another garment -- it's SUEDE!
Buying a regular
garment involves selecting the style, color
and size that is appropriate. Buying
a suede garment or item involves a little
more, but the effort is worth it!
- Always
buy suede from a reputable dealer.
What you get off the back of a truck parked
along the roadway is not necessarily the
"good deal" that it seems. And who
do you go back to if something goes wrong?
Buying expensive garments from good dealers
is a wise investment.
- Look
for consistency in all parts of the garment.
Suede is made from animals skins that have
been stretched and dyed. Make sure
all parts of the garment look uniform --
indicating they probably came from the same
skin. Skins from different animals
will react differently to environmental
conditions over time, sometimes with one
area shrinking while another does not.
Relative consistency is a good sign of a
quality garment or item.
- Consider
future shrinkage.
Remember, suede is a stretched
skin. As Einstein would have said
if he'd thought of it, "What is stretched,
must shrink later." So buy a little
bigger than you think you need in order
to accommodate later natural shrinkage.
- Save
those instructions!
Care instructions are important later, so
slip them in a pocket you don't expect to
use much to keep them handy.
|
|
Yipes!
I got caught in the rain! Now what?
Again, unlike most
fabrics, suede needs special care when it
gets wet. Even just a sprinkling of
rain can leave spots by flattening down the
nap where the droplets land.
- Hang the garment
on a sturdy hanger in
a dry place where it gets plenty of air
circulation. Do not
hang it in a damp basement, or you'll quickly
have mold and damage!
- When the garment
is thoroughly dry, use
your suede brush to brush up the nap.
Use gentle, circular motions to do this.
- If the rain you
got caught in thoroughly saturated your
suede garment and got mud into the nap,
bring it to
us and we'll treat it with
tender loving care.
|
|
Home
Remedies for Simple Suede Problems
Not everything that
happens to your suede garments necessitates
a trip to the drycleaner, of course.
You can take care of some things yourself.
- Never
use spot removers or fluids on your suede
garments! Because
the suede was dyed, this will displace some
of the dye, and actually leave a ring around
the area you tried to clean -- kind of like
a neon sign highlighting the problem even
more.
- For
flattened nap, use the old kitchen trick.
Heat water on the stove to boiling, and
put on hot-mitts to protect yourself.
Hold the garment over the rising steam so
that it penetrates the nap of the garment
(which will loosen it from being flattened
down). Let it dry, and then carefully
brush up the nap with your suede brush.
- For
a small grease mark, put
talcum powder over the mark and let it rest
overnight. The powder will absorb
the grease. Carefully brush it off
in the morning. For larger areas,
best not to tackle it yourself since you'll
probably only make it worse. Let the
experts handle it.
|
|
Lifetime
Care and Feeding of Suede.
Feeding?
Well, yes. Suede is a fabric made from
animal hides, and that means special care
must be taken to keep them looking great.
- Get
it treated for water-repellency.
When a suede garment is new, that's the
prime moment to prolong its life.
If you've had the garment awhile, have it
professionally cleaned, and then treated.
Continue to condition the suede regularly,
whether you wear it or not, to keep it in
good shape.
- The
right tool for the right job.
Your dad always told you that! Use
a suede brush to fluff the nap. Don't
use off-the-shelf spot removers!
Don't use mink oil or other animal
fats that can turn rancid and then darken
the suede. Consult
a professional when you need one.
- To
avoid grease stains inside the back of the
collar, wear a scarf or
high-necked shirt when wearing a suede jacket.
- Hang
or store suede items in dry (not overly
dry) and well-ventilated areas.
NEVER put suede items in plastic.
Suede needs to breathe to stay in good shape.
Drape it with a linen garment bag or other
fabric cover. Use a sufficiently heavy-duty
hanger suede garments to avoid stretching.
Good suede garments
and items are an investment, as much as they
are a fashion statement. Take care of
them, and they'll take care of you for years
to come. |
|
|
We
are enormously appreciative of the opportunity
to share our weekly newsletters with you.
We feel that much of the content is valuable
for anyone who purchases fine clothing and
is interested in their preservations and cleaning.
Click on the symbol to the right if your would
like to send this and future newsletters to
a friend.
Thanks a million, Ed and Mary
|
|
The Iris
City Cleaners Connection
is a weekly
news letter dedicated to the interest of fine
garment care and restoration. It
is published in Mt Pleasant, Iowa by Iris
City Cleaners and is an extension of its web
site of www.iriscitycleaners.com |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
