REMEMBER TO SUBSCRIBE!!!!!

Hey everyone, if you have not seen in any previous months post, Meurice has been working on our new mail order silk tie cleaning service. With Garmentcare.com/ties, in 3 easy steps you can have your silk tie payed for with a shipping label to ship to us and ready to mail out. If you can do Netflix or mail a letter, you can get your  designer silk ties cleaned the right way. For more information check out our press release.

New York, New York, January 12, 2011
Fly-In Ties: First Tie Cleaning Shipping Service via Internet

Wayne Edelman, president of New York’s premier specialty dry cleaning service, “Meurice Garment Care”, is proud to announce the launch of the world’s first interactive tie cleaning service this November. With over 60 years in the business, Meurice Garment Care has earned the reputation as one of the world’s leading providers of high end garment care. Since taking over the family business in 1985, Wayne has become renowned for his expertise and zeal for quality when caring for some of the world’s most expensive textiles. From Princess Diana’s gowns, to pieces for Christie’s Auction House, Wayne has gained a passion for restoring fine garments to their original condition.

The first to coin the term “Garment Care” to distinguish his level of expertise and professionalism for dry cleaning, Wayne is now ready to extend that same level of quality and service to the web.

Before someone sees your car or your house, they see your tie. Few clothing accessories denote style, luxury, and prominence like a great silk tie. They are an important investment and can reflect the wearer’s personality or preferred image, and help to draw attention towards their face, leading to better communication. Ties are the first articles of clothing to get dirty and they are a known haven for germs when worn by doctors. From burnt silk to permanent wrinkles, ties are a nightmare to clean and are often neglected.

Whether you’re in a “bull market”, “bear market” or flue epidemic, Meurice Garment Care has made it easy for you to stay ahead of the pack. With the launch of garmentcare.com/ties, you will have the ability to get all of your ties cleaned in three simple steps. Just register an account and enter how many ties you’re getting cleaned, print your UPS label and drop it off. Return Shipping is free; the only thing you pay for is the price for initial shipping and cleaning. The service also extends itself to your designer scarves as well.

Garmentcare.com/ties will be another pioneering effort from a recognized leader in the garment care industry. This is the first model to successfully integrate dry cleaning services with Internet accessibility.

For more information please call

Wayne Edelman
CEO
Meurice Garment Care
Wayne@Garmentcare.com
www.Garmentcare.com/ties
718.328.0313

We here at Meurice have been hard at work on a new Garment Care initiative. Starting today we will have a new addition to the Meurice website. December 6th 2010 Meurice Garment Care proudly announces the launch of Garmentcare.com/ties. Our new one stop shop for web based dry cleaning devoted entirely to cleaning your silk tie. Ties are a nightmare to clean. Just google tie cleaning and you will find stories from burn silk to permanently wrinkled ties. With the new launch of our site we have made the process very simple for you to get great service for your tie, no matter where in the country you live. Just sign up for an account, fill out the credit card form, download your shipping label and mail us your tie/ties. We then will give them the Garment Care treatment and mail them back to you looking better than new. For more information please visit Garmentcare.com/ties. This will make a great stocking stuffer this holiday season. Below is our official press release. Have a read.

New York, New York, November 10, 2010

Fly-In Ties: First Tie Cleaning Shipping Service via Internet

Wayne Edelman, president of New York’s premier specialty dry cleaning service, “Meurice Garment Care”, is proud to announce the launch of the world’s first interactive tie cleaning service this November. With over 60 years in the business, Meurice Garment Care has earned the reputation as one of the world’s leading providers of high end garment care.  Since taking over the family business in 1985, Wayne has become renowned for his expertise and zeal for quality when caring for some of the world’s most expensive textiles.  From Princess Diana’s gowns, to pieces for Christie’s Auction House, Wayne has gained a passion for restoring fine garments to their original condition.

The first to coin the term “Garment Care” to distinguish his level of expertise and professionalism for dry cleaning, Wayne is now ready to extend that same level of quality and service to the web.

Before someone sees your car or your house, they see your tie. Few clothing accessories denote style, luxury, and prominence like a great silk tie. They are an important investment and can reflect the wearer’s personality or preferred image, and help to draw attention towards their face, leading to better communication. Ties are the first articles of clothing to get dirty and they are a known haven for germs when worn by doctors. From burnt silk to permanent wrinkles, ties are a nightmare to clean and are often neglected.

Whether you’re in a “bull market”, “bear market” or flue epidemic, Meurice Garment Care has made it easy for you to stay ahead of the pack. With the launch of garmentcare.com/ties, you will have the ability to get all of your ties cleaned in three simple steps. Just register an account and enter how many ties you’re getting cleaned, print your UPS label and drop it off. Return Shipping is free; the only thing you pay for is the price for initial shipping and cleaning. The service also extends itself to your designer scarves as well.

Garmentcare.com/ties will be another pioneering effort from a recognized leader in the garment care industry. This is the first model to successfully integrate dry cleaning services with Internet accessibility.

For more information please call

Wayne Edelman

CEO

Meurice Garment Care

Wayne@Garmentcare.com

www.Garmentcare.com/ties

718.328.0313

REMEMBER TO SUBSCRIBE!!!!!

Your tie reveals a lot about you: It can indicate your profession, your position within the field, your sense of style… or what you had for lunch.  One of the most commonly stained articles of clothing, neckties can also be one of the most difficult garments to properly clean.

The phrase “tie cleaning” in a Google search produces over 6 million results. Sources range from established tie manufactures to homemakers, with recommendations for stain removal ranging from professional dry cleaning to DIY remedies. While some of these methods are harmless, others run the risk of causing further damage to your favorite tie.

In this article, I set out to debunk home cleaning myths, and advocate the safest and most effective method for tie cleaning and care is through a dry cleaning process.

How is it made?

To understand which methods are the best for your tie, you must first understand how a tie is made.

Although the necktie has a lineage over 400 years old, the majority of ties are produced the same way they were 85 years ago. The modern tie acquired its distinctive shape by tailor-turned-manufacturer Jesse Langford in 1924. Before the early 1920’s, ties were made of strips of fabric with a finished edge. Langford is the first to patent a necktie that utilized a three-fold construction and made from fabric cut on a bias.

What does this mean? To cut the fabric on a bias means to cut the shape on a diagonal, in opposition to the grain, either horizontally or vertically. Not only does this method add to the durability of the garment (as the pressure of gravity is distributed over the linking fibers), but it also produces the distinctive diamond edge.  The shape of the modern tie is further attributed to the construction, where two side panels of fabric are folded in on themselves to create a flat front and diptych back. The three-fold construction gives the tie form and longevity.

The majority of neckties are comprised of a silk exterior and a silk or silk-blend lining—though other common materials include cotton, linen, and polyester.  Ties are generally cut from a single piece of fabric that will give a flat, unaltered, front. Interfacing made of wool, cotton, or a wool blend is added to provide structure.

Cleaning Recommendation: Remove spot with rubbing alcohol.

I have come across several websites that advocate stain removal with rubbing alcohol—and I can say from personal experience, this is not a good method to try.

Think of it this way: Rubbing alcohol is a solvent. Its basic function is to dissolve weaker compositions. The chemically, isopropyl or ethyl alcohol is similar to other household solvents: like glue solvent, paint thinner and nail polish remover.  Cited among its common uses, rubbing alcohol is great for cleaning the grease off of metal surfaces or stripping away the caulk in your bathroom. In terms of stain removal: something that dissolves caulk sounds a little intense for your silks.

The truth is that most isopropyl or ethyl alcohol compositions will take out a stain—along with the color in the fabric.  The result would be a permanently lightened or white area where the stain used to be. Additionally, most rubbing alcohol solutions are diluted with water… So, even if you do manage to keep the color in your tie, you now run the risk of producing water rings.

Cleaning Recommendation: Take away grease and oil stains with cornstarch or talc.

Sawdust is great for liquid and salt works well on snow.

Talc is widely used for its ability to absorb oil, and this is accomplished as the powder stores any grease or oil it within its fibrous cells. This explains why it is a staple ingredient in cosmetics and personal hygiene products. But, talc also has industrial applications in paper and pharmaceutical production, the manufacturing of ceramics, and as a way of bleaching cottons in the textile industry.

Cornstarch works in a similar manner as its molecular chain unravels and links with a liquid or oil, forming a gooey hybrid.

Like the rubbing alcohol, this method of stain removal is based on a solid principle. Theoretically, any grease will be absorbed by the talc or cornstarch, resulting in a semi-gelatinous substance that one would just wipe away.  The reality is this: instead of grease or oil spots, you now have spots of greasy powder that will only become embedded in other areas of the tie as you apply pressure or wipe. Furthermore, using either one of these powder concentrates may remove the top layer of grease or oil, but neither have the ability to remove set stains or staining from the wool interfacing.

Cleaning Recommendation: Soak tie in water and detergent and lie on a towel to dry.

If we re-examine the construction of the tie, we are reminded that ties are mainly comprised of wool and silk; and both of these fabrics are notorious for their propensity to be damaged by wet cleaning. Even the gentlest detergents may be too harsh and will eventually contribute to the breakdown and weakening of the fabric’s composition.

Both wool and silk are protein fibers—similar to the construction of human hair. When soaked with water, the fibers weaken and soften their shape and break from their spun form (…the same reason why we have split ends). As the water is removed and the material becomes dry, it retains the shape it is currently in. This results in a warped or deformed tie. Additionally, as these fabrics are not recommended for washing, there is a tendency for dyes to bleed or shift.

Cleaning Recommendation: Dry Cleaning.

With a few reservations, this is the only way to properly clean a tie.

The dry cleaning method was developed to safely remove grease and oil from delicate fabrics, such as silk and wool. Professional cleaning not only ensures the highest probability for stain removal, but is also the best option to prevent color bleeding or loss, the best way to retain the tie’s shape, and is the most sanitary as it thoroughly cleans the entire tie.

Most sources cite the dry cleaning as problematic due to the pressing of the tie. Putting too much heat will result in damage to the silk—this usually manifests in a shiny surface. If too much pressure is added during the pressing phase, the wool interfacing will loose its form, and the result will be a loss in the thickness of the tie.

Still, if one were to evaluate all of the different recommendations and the associated risks, dry cleaning is clearly the best option for stain removal.

Most doctors frequently wash their hands, sterilize their white medical coats, and regularly discard their disposable pens. Few doctors are as diligent about cleaning their neckties.

Last year, the American Medical Association introduced a resolution to recommend bans on doctors wearing ties. (That resolution has not yet come to a vote.) The British Medical Association has already adopted a similar measure, barring neckgear in 2006.

We at Meurice have a better idea – hygienic tie cleaning. Our unique cleaning process, available nationwide via UPS, is gentle on textiles while being tough on bacteria. Regular cleanings with Meurice can also extend the life of your favorite necktie and reduce unsightly pulls and abrasion. Of course, no measure will completely halt the spread of germs in hospitals, but we’re still happy to offer one more tool to control their spread.

Hygenic tie cleaning with Meurice