RAVE FabriCARE'S True Quality Cleaning Blog

Like new & gently used, high-end garments & accessories: Post-purchase cleaning

When you think of purchasing a fine garment or accessory, you might typically think of a traditional, high-end department store or boutique located in a particular geographic area, in a particular street or in a particular shopping mall. In addition to these brick and mortar locations, these stores or boutiques typical offer an online option as well.

With the normalization of the “sharing economy”, the number of non-traditional sources of high-end garments and accessories has mushroomed.

In this post, I highlight some of the non-traditional sources of like new and gently used garments and accessories, identify the more common issues you might encounter after you’ve purchased that garment or accessory, and suggest an approach to restoring that garment or accessory to as close to pristine condition as possible.

Cleaning and restoring vintage garments: What you need to know

So you just purchased a gem of a vintage garment or retrieved one from the far reaches of a close relative or friend’s closet.

Congratulations.

However, it’s more than likely that that vintage garment has not been properly cleaned and/or properly stored over the years.

In this post, I highlight some of the more common issues you might encounter when considering the purchase of a vintage garment and how those issues might impact the cleaning and restoration of that vintage garment prior to wearing it for the first time.

Non-iron shirts: A Frankenstein textile technology that’s well past it’s “use by” date

The term “non-iron shirt” is an oxymoron. Whether you call them non-iron, wrinkle-free or wrinkle-resistant, these shirts still require hand ironing to look truly professional.

Now I know that there will be those who say that they just wash them and either hang dry them or toss them in a dryer and they “come out just fine.” But I’ve yet to see a non-iron shirt that’s processed in this fashion that looks like it’s been professionally hand ironed.

Like Frankenstein, the scientist who created a man-made monster who eventually turns on him and destroys him, non-iron shirts have many unexpected negative consequences.

In this post, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of “non-iron” shirts. After you’ve read the post, you might just reconsider your commitment to these Frankenstein monstrosities.

The Definitive Guide To Borrowing A Garment Or Outfit From A Friend

The process of borrowing a garment or outfit from a friend and then returning it in pristine condition can either cement a friendship, strain it or ruin it. If you are the borrower, there are a number of “rules” you can follow that’ll single you out as a thoughtful, responsible borrower.

In this blog post, you’ll get tips that’ll guide you along the path to becoming that thoughtful, responsible borrower. And ensuring that, the next time you look to borrow a garment or outfit from that friend, your request will probably be viewed favorably.