Shirt Laundry

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Introducing Jermyn Street ShirtCare

Our Jermyn Street ShirtCare division consistently delivers the cleanest, brightest and finest hand ironed shirt in the Southwest. We’re also recognized by a number of independent, non-compensated, authoritative experts as one of the finest shirt laundries in the USA and Canada.

And, unlike ordinary cleaners, we do this all without brushing, bleaching, boiling and baking the life out of your fine shirts.

And we can do this (in most cases) even if your fine shirts have been contaminated by fire, smoke, soot, water, mold, mildew and/or humidity as a result of a fire or flood.

Why, you may ask, do we process your shirts with such extraordinary care?

Because the majority of the shirts we care for are either bespoke, made-to-measure, or are manufactured by serious shirt makers such as Borelli, Brioni, Carnali, Charvet, Kiton, Lorenzini, Ricci and Zegna; Harvie & Hudson, Hilditch & Key, New & Lingwood, Thomas Pink and Turnbull & Asser; Barneys, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Paul Stuart, Saks Fifth Avenue and Wilkes Bashford.

Shirts of this quality dictate extraordinary care.

This way they’ll still look their best after 50 plus cleanings. Instead of being thrown out or consigned to the charity bin after 25 to 30 “commercial launderings” – the insurance industry standard for the life of a shirt.

Don’t settle for ordinary

Truth be told, any ordinary cleaner can “clean and press” a shirt. In 4 hours or less.

But there’s much more to crafting extraordinary shirts than jamming them in a washer, injecting hot water and harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents, banging them out on a shirt pressing machine at the rate of 40 to 50 an hour, creasing the sleeves and stuffing them in a bag.

This is the factory approach to cheap, fabric destroying shirt laundry.

There’s got to be a better way. And there is.

At RAVE FabriCARE, our shirt laundry process comprises 7 critical functions:

Examine and assess

We start by carefully examining each shirt for oil-based stains, soil and water-based stains.

And assessing the item’s age, fabric content, dyes, construction and condition, including pre-existing damage and defects.

We also remove all metal and plastic collar stays so that your shirts are never hand ironed with the collar stays still inserted. This avoids those unsightly collar stay impressions that you  typically find on shirts returned to you by ordinary cleaners.

Soak to remove oil-based stains

After examination and assessment, we soak your fine shirts in a dermatologically-friendly, odorless, fabric gentle, environmentally benign dry cleaning fluid for about 15 minutes.

And why do we do this?

Because it’s the only way to safely and gently dissolve oil-based stains such as body oils, hair oils, creams and lotions as well as greasy food deposits without resorting to conventional washing techniques that use hot water combined with harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents and bleaches in an (often futile) attempt to “boil away” these oil-based stains.

And because it’s the only way to ensure that, when your fine shirts are finally ironed, those body oils, hair oils, creams and lotions as well as greasy food deposits don’t transform or oxidize through heat into difficult to remove yellow and brown spots and stains.

And the dry cleaning fluid we use?

The same gentle fluid we use to clean your “dry clean only” bespoke, made to measure, designer, high fashion, specialty and couture garments. A fluid used by fewer than 3% of all dry cleaners.

Fact is, our dry cleaning fluid is so gentle it’s used as a base ingredient in many personal care products you drip into your eyes and apply to the most sensitive parts of your skin on a daily basis. Products such as shampoos, antiperspirants, deodorants, moisturizing creams, lipsticks and the like.

So gentle you can (legally) wash your face and hands in it.

Now you know why soaking to remove oil-based stains is critical.

Soak to remove soil and water-based stains

Next, we soak your fine shirts in special water-based solutions to relax/open the fibers and release soils and water-based stains. For a minimum of 8 hours. 12 hours for shirts with french cuffs.

Why is soaking critical to the stain removal process?

For 3 reasons:

Conventional washing techniques involve tumbling your fine shirts in a washer wheel in a mix of hot water, harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents and bleaches.

High thread count shirts are sensitive to hot water, harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents and bleaches.  

True quality shirt care requires a reduction in the wear and tear that could result from the use of these conventional washing techniques.

Conventional washing techniques involve longer wash cycle times to allow the hot water, detergents and bleaches to penetrate the fibers and release the soils and water-based stains.

High thread count shirts are sensitive to long wash cycles.

True quality shirt care requires a reduction in the length of the wash cycle.

Conventional washing techniques involve high temperatures and bleaches.

High thread count shirts are sensitive to high temperatures and bleaches.

True quality shirt care requires a lowering of temperatures and the elimination of bleaches.

Summary

In summary, conventional washing techniques involve washing your fine shirts in hot water, harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents and bleaches for an extended period of time.

 All no no’s.

Alexander Kabbaz, a world-renowned bespoke shirt maker, offers this care tip on his website:

“Allowing a shirt to soak … reduces the amount of scrubbing needed to remove soil, therefore reducing wear. The longer it is permitted to soak, the better the results.”

Now you know why soaking to remove soil and water-based stains is critical.

Launder gently and briefly

After soaking, we gently and briefly launder your fine shirts in computer-controlled wet cleaning machines where microprocessors control water temperature, water levels, and the speeds of the washes, rinses and extracts to exacting specifications.

Here’s a little more information on this subject:

Pre-softened water

We only use pre-softened water only.

Cold water

Our water temperature is cold (during the winter months) or cool (during the summer months). There’s no need to wash in hot water because the prior soakings have already removed all the oil- and water-based stains that can possibly be removed.

Aside: Please remember that we are based in Arizona. The outdoor temperature is cool to warm in the winter and hot in the summer. So the temperature of the incoming water is cold to cool, depending on the time of year.

Short wash

Our wash cycle is short, typically 5 minutes. There’s no need to wash for an extended period of time – say 30 to 45 minutes like ordinary cleaners – because the prior soakings have already removed all the oil- and water-based stains that can possibly be removed.

Premium detergents

We only use gentle enzyme detergents from Sanitone ®, the premier manufacturer of high quality dry cleaning and wet cleaning detergents in the USA. Only dry cleaners licensed by Sanitone can use Sanitone products. RAVE FabriCARE has been a Sanitone licensee for over 25 years.

Our Sanitone enzyme detergent is pH balanced.

• So it’s free of alkaline detergent residues, has a pH close to that of human skin and is hypoallergenic.
• Fragrance and perfume free. So it’s suitable for those who are sensitive to fragrances and perfumes.
• Phosphate free. So it’s biodegradable.
• We don’t use sodium hypochlorite (aka household bleach) or sodium peroxide in our wash cycle. These     bleaching agents fade colors and weaken/rot fibers over time.
• We don’t use fabric softeners in our wash cycle. Softeners yellow fabrics over time and the fragrances and perfumes in softeners are not suitable for those who are sensitive to fragrances and perfumes.
• We don’t overload our wet cleaning machines. This reduces the possibility of abrasions.
• We don’t launder your fine shirts together with other items to be wet cleaned. Zippers, metal buttons and other fabrics with rough surfaces can pill the fibers.

Rinse and then starch if required

After laundering, we rinse your fine shirts in cold water (during the winter months) or cool water (during the summer months). This ensures that your fine shirts are free of any possible irritating chemical residues.

Aside: Please remember that we are based in Arizona. The outdoor temperature is cool to warm in the winter and hot in the summer. So the temperature of the incoming water is cold to cool, depending on the time of year.

After laundering, we starch your shirts to your personal preference using the finest, natural wheat starch for a smooth, even application.

Why wheat starch?

Because wheat starch will completely dissolve the moment it comes into contact with water – every time the shirt is soaked or laundered.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we don’t use cheap synthetic starches (poly vinyl acetate commonly known as PVA) or synthetic blended starches (PVA and vegetable) which adhere to your shirt’s fibers like a coat of paint. Every time your shirts are starched another “coat” is added.

Soon,they begin to walk by themselves!

Iron to perfection

After laundering and starching (if required), we lightly steam them out and hand iron them to perfection, paying particular attention to the collars, cuffs, front and sleeve plackets, side and sleeve seams, underarms, body to sleeve seams, sleeve to cuff seams, pockets and epaulets.

And we never, ever crease your sleeves from the shoulder to the cuff. Unless, of course, you specifically request us to do so. And then only after we try to convince you otherwise.

 One more point on creases in sleeves: If you own any “non-iron” shirts and any of those shirts were processed by a cleaner who automatically creases the sleeves of all their laundered shirts, those creases are now permanent and cannot be removed. In such cases, we have no option other than to return those shirts with creased sleeves.

Inspect and package

Finally, they’re carefully inspected and individually packaged. Never more than 1 shirt to an extra-wide bag.

That’s the brief low down on what it takes to produce a true quality laundered shirt.

Now that you know some of the things we do, you’ll also want to learn some of the things we don’t do.

A hand-ironed shirt? Not!

Some ordinary cleaners claim that they routinely hand iron all your laundered shirts.

Can this be true?

Of course it’s not true.

For example, there are over 400 cleaners in the metro Phoenix, Arizona area. A handful claim to routinely hand-iron all your laundered shirts – a truly mind-blowing claim given that their laundered shirt prices start at about $2.50.

Show us a cleaner in the metro Phoenix area that routinely hand irons all your laundered shirts, and we’ll show you pigs that fly!

By way of background, here’s what happens to your laundered shirt – even at the so-called “better cleaners” or the self-styled “couture care specialists”…….

Your shirt is laundered using conventional washing techniques – scrubbing, hot water, harsh caustic industrial grade detergents and bleaches.

Then it’s pressed on a series of machines that have all the precision of a sledgehammer: one for the body, one for the sleeves and one for the collar and cuffs Typically, at the rate of 40 to 50 per hour.

Finally, your shirt is “strategically touched up” by hand … if deemed necessary … if you’re lucky. And then, typically, only on the sleeves and underarms.

This is the shirt that’s passed off to the customers as a hand ironed laundered shirt.

Unfortunately, a 1 to 2 minute machine pressed, touched up laundered shirt aka a “hand finished laundered shirt” is not an 8 to 12 minute hand ironed laundered shirt.

To qualify as a hand ironed laundered shirt, the shirt must be PARTIALLY steamed by machine and then COMPLETELY pressed by hand (that’s a hand ironed laundered shirt). Not COMPLETELY pressed by machine and then PARTIALLY touched up by hand (that’s a machine pressed, hand touched up laundered shirt aka a “hand finished laundered shirt”).

At RAVE FabriCARE, every laundered shirt is hand ironed. As a matter of routine. Not machine pressed and then strategically “touched up” … if deemed necessary … if you’re lucky.

At RAVE FabriCARE, we’d never pass off a machine pressed, touched up laundered shirt aka a “hand finished laundered shirt” as a hand ironed laundered shirt in the hope that you’d never know the difference between a $1/$2 machine pressed, touched up laundered shirt or “hand finished laundered shirt” and a $8/$9 hand ironed laundered shirt.

What we don’t do

Now that you know what we do, let’s tell you what we don’t do …

• We don’t abrade your collars and cuffs by scrubbing them with nylon brushes.

  Ordinary cleaner response: “Sorry, but how else do you expect us to get your collars and cuffs reasonably clean?”

• We don’t wash your shirts in hot water.

  Ordinary cleaner response: “Sorry, but how else do you expect us to attempt to dissolve the body oils, creams and lotions as well as greasy food deposits?”

• We don’t use harsh, caustic, industrial grade detergents.

  Ordinary cleaner response: “Sorry, but how else do you expect us to attempt to try to get the stains out?”

• We don’t add fabric-destroying bleach to our wash.

  Ordinary cleaner response: “Sorry, but how else do you expect us to attempt to get your whites reasonably white?”
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• We don’t starch your shirts with cheap synthetic glue that adheres to your shirt’s fibers like multiple coats of paint.

  Ordinary cleaner response: “Sorry, but what do you expect us to use? A premium wheat starch?”

• We don’t bang ’em out on a machine at the rate of 40 to 50 an hour and then claim that our laundered shirts are hand-ironed.

  Ordinary cleaner response: “Sorry, but what more do you expect for 75 cents or $7.79 a shirt?”

• We don’t hand iron your shirts with the collar stays inserted.

  Ordinary cleaner response: “ Sorry, but surely you don’t expect us to removed the collar stays before pressing and replace them after pressing?

• We don’t crease the sleeves of your shirts.

  Ordinary cleaner response: Sorry, but how else to you expect us to cover up the tell-tale signs of our poor machine pressing?

• We don’t return your shirts with puckered seams and wrinkled underarms.

  Ordinary cleaner response: “Sorry, but what do you expect? A hand ironed shirt?”

• And, we don’t stuff ’em in a narrow poly bag like sardines in a can.

  Ordinary cleaner response: “Sorry, but why should we bother with the packaging on the outside, when we have little regard for the shirts on the inside?”

At ordinary cleaners, these shirt travesties are called “standard operating procedures”.

And the results?

A machine mangled, dishwater dingy, cardboard crusty shirt. That’ll last 25 to 30 cleanings, at best (that’s the “insurance industry standard”). Before you’re forced to throw them out or consign them to the charity bin.

Say goodbye to the “slept-in” look

If you travel frequently, like to stack your shirts vertically on shelves or are short on closet hanging space, you might ask your cleaner to “box” or “fold” your shirts.

However, when you open the packaging, your shirts look like a rumpled, slept-in mess.

Why?

Because the fabric of a shirt wrinkles when pressure is applied to a shirt’s folds and corners. 

And where does that pressure come from?

• From machine pressing
• From machine folding
• From being stuffed into a thin, narrow poly bag.

Here’s one more reason: the cleaner has prior knowledge that the shirt will be folded. So why bother with a “proper pressing” (as they might define it) when you know that the subsequent folding will destroy the “pressing” anyhow?

Given this situation, how do you maintain the pristine condition of your shirts and avoid that rumpled, slept-in look typically associated with folded shirts from an ordinary cleaner?

The answer is simple: RAVE FabriCARE’s hand-folded, air-cushioned shirt.

• We carefully fold your shirt in half. Not in thirds, like ordinary dry cleaners.
• We fold by hand. Never by machine, like ordinary cleaners.
• We cushion the folds with sheets of acid-free tissue. And support the body and collar with a special shirt board and collar bands.
• Finally, we seal the shirt in a heavy gauge shirt bag with a “built in” cushion of air.

We also offer a “short fold” shirt tailored to the depth of your storage cabinetry. Just specify the maximum length of the poly bag and we’ll accommodate your needs. Same folding process; shorter poly bag.

So go ahead. Manhandle your folded shirts. Stuff ’em in that suitcase. You’ll find that the RAVE FabriCARE folded shirt travels beautifully. With practically no wrinkles or creases when the package is opened up.

Fact is, our folded shirts will arrive at their destination in far better condition than the hangered shirts you might have personally carried by hand.

All shirts that are requested to be folded or that arrive at RAVE FabriCARE through our Nationwide Clean By Mail service are always folded and returned in this manner.

Trusted. Nationwide.

Any ordinary cleaner can “clean and press” a shirt. In 4 to 6 hours.

But only RAVE FabriCARE crafts an extraordinary laundered shirt.