Dry Cleaners Directory
Well, here we go again. Beads, sequins and specialty trims are all the rage on women's clothing this season. These trims make your clothing sparkle and glitter, but can make caring for them less than dazzling. You may want to examine those care labels carefully!
Manufacturers are required to label every garment with ONE care procedure
that it can survive. For Example::
In extreme cases manufacturers are allowed to use do not wash,
do not dry clean, if it can’t survive any method of
cleaning. Don’t laugh, I see these labels more often than I’d
like! If you follow the label and it doesn't survive the procedure you can
return it to the store you purchased it from. In some cases, you can contact
the manufacturer directly for a replacement or refund.
But your best bet may be to take it to a professional, who will be able to
decipher the label and choose the best care for it. Your cleaner can professionally
dry clean, wet clean, and spot clean a garment. Cleaners have extensive knowledge
about fabric types and the right temperatures, soaps, and sizing's, to protect
your fancy garment and keep it like new. 
Beads and sequins can be made of: 
They come in a myriad of sizes and colors. Glass beads are the most common, the color being the color of the material used. In metal plating, the bead's surface is rubbed to remove the metal after the plating of the whole bead, leaving only the plating in the inside of the hole. Coloring of the inside of the hole is done in a similar manner.
While manufacturers do their best to properly label garments, sometimes they
use the wrong product or mislabel a garment, not stating the type of dry cleaning
that should be used. So don’t be concerned if your cleaner wants to
test your garment before cleaning. Most of the time the cleaner can detect
problems before they happen and recommend the best course of action, which
may include sending you to a cleaner that uses a different
type of solution or process.
For more information on these delicate items you may want to visit the Federal
Trade Commissions site on Fancy
Trims.
The Textile Affairs Site also
has a page on deciphering
those international care label symbols and what all those terms mean
a visit to their home laundry
guide can also be educational.
Steve Boorstein, The Clothing Doctor, a 4th generation dry cleaner, who also
spent 10 years as the owner of a clothing store and 15 years as the hands-on
owner of one of the most exclusive dry cleaners in the country, has written
a great book, The Ultimate Guide to Shopping and Caring for Clothing: Everything
You Need to Know from Blue Jeans to Ball Gowns.
Don’t let these Garments scare you take some time, read the care label
and then go for the Glitz!
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