TOP 5 TIPS FOR CARING FOR YOUR HIGH-END BUSINESS OUTFITS
High-end and responsible fashion is a style that is meant to last over time. This is even truer if your activity requires wearing a professional outfit that will be subjected to regular use over the months. So, what tips and tricks should you know to maintain your clothes at the office as well as in private?
Marcy Paris, a leader in the design of high-end professional clothing, combines superior quality materials and technical expertise in cutting and stitching to offer exceptional durability. It is with this in mind that we place a great emphasis on the maintenance of your professional outfits, guiding you on the best practices to extend their lifespan. Marcy Paris exclusively provides a comprehensive maintenance guide for your professional outfits: men's suits, women's tailoring, blazers, shirts, trousers, and skirts....
1. Understanding the Washing Icons on Labels for your Professional Attire
The labels on your professional clothing feature universal icons for care, adopted in most countries around the world.
• The Basin: Indicates how to wash the garment, either by machine or by hand.
• The Triangle: Represents bleach instructions, including the types of bleaching agents to use.
• The Iron: Provides guidelines for ironing, ensuring the garment's quality is maintained.
• The Square: Relates to drying methods, whether natural, on a line, or by machine.
• The Circle: Devoted to dry cleaning, for professional care. Each icon may be accompanied by additional details:
• The Cross: Signifies a prohibition related to the icon it crosses.
• Numbers in the Basin: Indicate the maximum allowable washing temperature.
• Dots: Represent temperature; the more there are, the higher the temperature, whether for drying or ironing.
• Lines in the Square: Advise on the natural drying method, with their orientation and number providing additional guidance.
• The Underlined Symbol: Suggests a more delicate treatment, with caution increasing with the number of lines.
These guidelines are essential for the care of your professional attire, ensuring their longevity and elegance.
2. Specific Washing Techniques for Professional Outfits
Adapting the washing process is crucial to preserve the quality and appearance of your workwear. Taking into account factors such as washing temperature, spin cycle, and the type of detergent is essential to increase the longevity of your professional clothing.
Outfits crafted with delicate materials, such as wool or satin, require special care to avoid damaging their fibers. Opt for low-temperature washes, ideally at 30°C, for the majority of your outfits.
Another washing option: reducing the frequency of washing your workwear also helps preserve the fibers and patterns for as long as possible. The added benefit is that less frequent washing also maximizes its positive ecological impact.
3. How to care for a professional garment made of Tencel
● Lyocell, also known as Tencel, is a key material in the production of professional clothing, especially in Marcy Paris' Wellness collection. This fiber, crafted from wood pulp, is recognized for its exceptional strength, making it ideal for professional outfits that demand high durability. Thanks to its robustness, Tencel professional clothing, such as some professional tunics designed for the well-being and health sectors, can withstand frequent washes at 60°. This characteristic ensures not only impeccable hygiene but also contributes to the longevity of your professional outfits, preserving their new appearance and exceptional comfort throughout wash cycles.
4. PRESERVING THE QUALITY OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL SUIT: THE IMPORTANCE OF DRY CLEANING
Made-to-measure clothing, such as professional suits and tailoring pieces, require professional cleaning to preserve their shapes and fabrics. Here, dry cleaning is essential; a professional suit is delicate both in terms of its textile composition and construction. This is the case, for example, with the Paolo suit from Marcy Paris, consisting of the suit jacket and the suit trousers. It cannot be machine-washed or hand-washed; it must be dry cleaned only.
It is recommended to limit the frequency of dry cleaning to preserve the quality of the suits. Wool, naturally antibacterial, stays clean longer and requires less maintenance. Try airing them outdoors, which is often sufficient for your clothes to be ready to wear again, or read our tips in paragraph 5 on tricks to remove some stains dry and allow you to space out your dry cleaning at the dry cleaners.
5. Maintaining Your Professional Outfits at Home
Taking care of your professional outfits at home requires a thoughtful approach to keep them free from wrinkles and maintain them in excellent condition.
It is essential to hang all your suits on suitable hangers to preserve their original shape. Preferably, choose wooden hangers, known for their ability to absorb moisture. Additionally, if possible, keep your outfits in a room away from the kitchen or bathroom, avoiding temperature and humidity fluctuations. An effective trick to ward off insects attracted to wool fabrics is to place a few drops of cedar oil on a small piece of wood. This method not only keeps them away but also subtly perfumes your clothes.
6. How to Remove Stains from Professional Outfits
To preserve your work uniforms, especially if you're active in the hospitality industry, here's an effective method to remove stubborn grease stains from your pants, skirts, or jackets of your professional attire. The trick lies in using a magical product available in drugstores and hardware stores: terre de sommière, also known as Texan clay. It's a proven remedy, both affordable (around €10 per pot) and long-lasting. But how to proceed? Lay your garment flat and apply the powder to the grease stains. Use your fingers to gently massage the powder into the stained fibers in circular motions. Let it sit for an entire night, or even 24 hours.
Once this time has passed, stand over a sink, then use a garment brush to remove the remaining powder from the fabric. You'll find that the stains have disappeared, saving you from taking your suit pants to the dry cleaners.
There are several other methods to remove stains between cleaning sessions. Marseille soap is a great ally, especially for wine or blood stains. To do this, take a piece of dry Marseille soap (for example, choosing a corner of the soap). Rub the stain, making sure to keep the soap dry. Let it sit for at least two hours, then use a garment brush to remove soap residues. Finally, wash with warm or hot water to complete the job.
