Cleaning your clothes is an important step in maintaining the quality and integrity of your garments. When you invest in high-quality custom clothing from Tom James, you want to make sure that you take care of it so that it lasts for years to come. Different fabrics and styles of clothing have different steps to follow when maintaining the integrity of the garment. If you want your clothes to look perfect every time you wear them, no matter if you’re heading to a wedding, work, a banquet, or for special occasions, you have to take care of them. Properly taking care of your wardrobe saves you time and money. Keep reading to learn how you can appropriately care for your Tom James Clothing and ensure they maintain their quality. 

Dry Cleaning

When laundering your clothes, you should always check the care label first. When you purchase clothing from Tom James, your clothier will explain the care instructions during delivery. If you didn’t purchase the item from Tom James, check the care instructions on the tag. This will tell you if you should take the item to a dry cleaner or if it is okay to go in the washing machine.

Dry cleaning involves chemicals, usually perchloroethylene, that can wreak havoc on delicate fibers over time. At the most you should be dry cleaning your clothes three times per year. While the occasional dry clean is okay, over-cleaning can weaken the fibers and cause the color to fade. You should be especially cautious with wool garments, since the fibers are delicate they are particularly susceptible to damage from dry cleaning. 

If you happen to stain your suit, sport coat, or pants, gently dab the stain with a damp cloth and allow it to dry. For harder to remove stains you will need to see a dry cleaner but be sure to talk to them about the method of cleaning they use and the likelihood of success with the treatment first. 

At Home Care 

There are certain precautions that you can take to avoid excessively taking your clothes to the dry cleaners. One of the easiest ways to maintain the condition and cleanliness of your clothing is to allow time for it to recover. Avoid wearing the same garment two days in a row. Rotating your clothing allows your suits, sport coats, and pants time to recover and prevent it from deteriorating. 

The most important rule to remember for men and women who wear suits every day is the 1:2 ratio. This rule states that if you wear suits five days a week, you will want to have a total of ten suits in your wardrobe. This principle also applies if you wear sport coats and pants every day.

After wearing your suit, brushing it with a garment brush can help remove the dirt and tiny particles that cause odors without causing damage. Invest in a good quality suit brush to make sure it doesn’t damage the fibers, so that every time you wear your suit, you can give it a gentle brush. 

Another way to preserve the quality of your clothing is to hang up your custom clothes immediately after wearing them to aerate the fabric, which prevents the build-up of odors. Some fabrics, like wool, are natural fibers and as such, they breathe. In other words, it allows for airflow that helps dissipate moisture and odors absorbed by the garment. A natural cedar wood hanger will help absorb any moisture contained within the fabric. A contoured wood hanger will also help maintain the shape of your suits and sport coats to prevent the shoulders from folding as occurs when using a standard narrow hanger. 

You don’t need to take your suit to the dry cleaners if it’s looking a bit crumpled. Instead, use a steamer to gently ease creases out yourself. A steamer can be an excellent investment and provide huge dividends in the long-term care of your custom clothing. A portable, handheld steamer will help remove any wrinkles that may develop through daily wearing or poor storage. Do be careful not to hold the steamer head against the fabric as this can cause excess heat and moisture. 

We hope this helps you get the very best out of your custom clothing investment. If you follow the above points, your suits, sport coats, and pants will reward you by looking good for many years to come.