Did my dry cleaner just ruin my suit?

[ecb12]

Dear all,

So I just bought this new suit, and since it had gotten really wrinkled in the back due to bad storage while traveling, I had it taken to the dry cleaners to get it properly pressed. Now, although I specifically asked to have it pressed, it appears that they ironed it instead. Also, my hunch is that they may have dry cleaned it also, even though I specifically asked them not to (I don't really speak the language (German) where I'm living). So, the suit jacket came back looking like this:


I took it back to the dry cleaner and had them redo the ironing, but it still basically looks the same:


Now, after seeing this I went online and read a bunch of stories about suits "bubbling" after suffering a bad dry cleaning job. Do you think this is what happened here? Or was it just a bad ironing job? It is especially bad over the two front pockets. I could post more pictures if it helps.

I'd really appreciate your input on this. The suit is brand new - not worn a single time - and wasn't very cheap.

 

[DandySF]

I wonder whether the dry cleaner simply revealed a construction fault? Either that or they somehow created the problem all on their own. I'm not sure where to assign guilt on this one.

 

[newyorknoir]

looks like they put your jacket in the blender..

I guess if it looked exactly the same after the second time you had them press it then it's a fault in the construction.. If it was a bad pressing job it probably would've been corrected the second time around..

 

[md2010]

This happened to one of my suit. Wore twice and at a function there some food spell. Dry cleaned. And dry cleaner *uckedup. Not as bad as your. But I can see a little bit. Will never let him touch any of my jackets.

 

[othertravel]

Can you give us more details on the suit? Brand/Manufacturer?

 

[GBR]

It does look as if the fusing has broken down and burning it is the only way forward.

Whether it was mistreatment by the dry cleaner or else poor construction is open to debate. I assume that it was new and not second hand, if the latter it could be the culmination of longer term mistreatment or age.

 

[Despos]

Doesn't look like fusing bubbles, just poor pressing technique and a rushed job. They didn't dry the cloth well enough after applying steam. Take it to a tailor and ask. He should be able to determine how to correct this.

 

[stubloom]

You refer to the fact that you asked them to "press" your suit but you suspect that they "ironed" it. Fine wools should never be "pressed" on a pressing machine. Fine wools should be hand ironed inside an out using a combination of hand ironing (to apply the steam) and vacuum (to simultaneously extract the moisture). The surest way to "destroy" a fine wool is to machine press.

However, from the look of the jacket, I suspect that your suit jacket was merely put on a mannequin-like machine and just steamed out. This is a two or three minute operation at best. You can NEVER achieve a nice, smooth finish to BOTH the outer fabric and the inside lining, nor can you achieve a nice roll of the lapel and non-bubbling of the "crease" at the back of the collar, by steaming alone.

Here's another issue: You mention that you don't speak German so I suspect your'e in Germany or possibly Austria. Because of environmental concerns, many cleaners in Germany and Austria tend to be drop-off locations with all work performed by an outside subcontractor or at a large, central facility (your typical hub and spokes concept). If so, you can bet that the work is of poor quality.

If the cleaner does send their work to an outside subcontractor or centralized facility, consider finding a small cleaner that does all their work on premises, or, as Despos recommends, a local tailor who is prepared to do that work for you (even though you are not a client).

 

[VinnyMac]

That's what happens when you buy your clothes from the Suit Barn, LOL! They may have pressed it (like you asked). The heat may have screwed up your fused front. Either way, that's ugly. Hopefully, it will come out.

 

[md2010]



That's what happens when you buy your clothes from the Suit Barn, LOL! They may have pressed it (like you asked). The heat may have screwed up your fused front. Either way, that's ugly. Hopefully, it will come out.

We are not like you. We don't buy suits from Suit Barn like you do. Try to respect other people. That is the first step of being gentle man. Your clothing comes second.

Doesn't look like fusing bubbles, just poor pressing technique and a rushed job. They didn't dry the cloth well enough after applying steam. Take it to a tailor and ask. He should be able to determine how to correct this.

Thats what I thought. My jacket thats *ucked up by the dry cleaner is a ck collection. Fully canvassed. Poorly pressed.But not as bad as the op. I have worn my jacket after words about 10 times. But nothing improved. Maybe if I dry clean again it will go away.

 

[bloke11]

Do a pinch test on the bubbles.

 

[VinnyMac]

We are not like you. We don't buy suits from Suit Barn like you do. Try to respect other people. That is the first step of being gentle man. Your clothing comes second.

The only thing that "comes second" is which ever lady I'm in bed with because I get mine first. That has about as much to do with this thread as your comment does.

 

[staxringold]



The only thing that "comes second" is which ever lady I'm in bed with because I get mine first. That has about as much to do with this thread as your comment does.

So, uh, how about this thread...

 

[jones12]

It was exposed to too much heat so when they pressed it the fabric clung to it - that or it was less than stellar fabric used.