Five secrets to making your suit last longer
A good custom suit is an investment in your wardrobe and maintaining it properly can extend the lifetime of the garment. Here are five quick tips to caring for your suit.
Don’t over dry clean – Contrary to popular belief, a suit only needs to be dry cleaned once every 3 – 4 months. One warning we often give MADE Clients is that dry cleaning your suit is the equivalent of baking it in an oven. The chemicals in the dry cleaning process damage the natural fibres of wool and cotton by thinning and weakening them. The more you dry clean your suit, the faster your garment will deteriorate. Assuming your suit hasn’t been stained or spilled on, keep the dry cleaning to once a season.
Observe the Suit Sabbath – Even suits need a day of rest, which is why it’s recommended to give your suit a day off in between wears. All the more reason to have at least four or five suits in your closet, especially if you wear one every day.
Brush it off – Wool suit jackets and sport coats absorb things like dust and food particles and over time this can build up and weaken the fibres of your clothes. Taking two minutes to give your suit a good brushing at night can extend the life of your garment and keep it looking pristine. The fibres of a suit brush are made from either synthetic or natural animal hair, and gentle downward brushing can easily remove any debris between the wool fibres of your suit. Kent brushes are among the best suit brushes and can be found on eBay or Amazon.
Get pressed – In between wears, you can give your suit a good pressing with either a steam press or an iron to remove wrinkles. If you use an iron, ensure that the heat is on low, use the steam setting and apply pressure to the garment as you iron. If you have a MADE suit, you can contact us to have it pressed for you.
Hang it up – Wool, the fabric most often found in suit jackets and pants, is naturally wrinkle resistant, and most wrinkles from daily wear will fall out if your suit is hung in a well-ventilated area. More importantly: gentleman don’t throw their clothes on the floor.
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