Ironing quality among shirts?

[demeis]

Today i recieved my first non-iron dress shirts, not counted the BR ones i have to wear for work, gag. They were the BB classic shirts and i noticed that they came out incredible wrinkled, at least the two white ones, i have yet to wash the blue. It took my almost a half hour of ironing each shirt to get the wrinkles out and i still think that it doesn't look well. I know that it is not my iron or ironing because the BR ones usually turn out fine but these were really annoying me. Is it something with the type of shirt that makes it difficult to iron and more prone to wrinkling?

 

[AlanC]

I've not really had experience with no-iron shirts, but I can iron several regular shirts in 30 minutes so that doesn't sound too good. A non-iron shirt should take at most a bit of touch up to get it up to snuff. I'd consider sending them back.

 

[shoreman1782]

I'm not sure I understand, these are Brooks Brothers non-iron shirts? I'm not sure I could iron wrinkles into my BB non-iron shirts. I just toss em in the wash (regular cycle, I know I shouldn't), then toss em in the dryer (same, I know, the horror). I'm sure this doesn't extend the life of the shirts - I admit, never even read the care label - but I wear these shirts to death, and have never, ever had to iron any of them (I've had, lessee, 8? 3 have died). Are you sure they sent you non-irons? Other BB shirts I have(non-non-iron?) require a normal amount of ironing, but nothing as outrageous as you're describing.

 

[Andrew V.]

I agree that BB non-iron shirts need at most a touch-up on the front.

When did Banana Republic ever make non-iron shirts?

 

[demeis]

Sorry if it was confusing but you guys have it backwards. This is just the regular classic BB shirt. it was not ironing to well even when slightly damp. What i ment but non-iron was thats all i ever owned before from BB. All my other shirts iron fine but these shirts were not ironing to well. I've since dampened them and ironed them again and the wrinkles came out a lot easier but still not as nice as my other shirts that i own. WHich brought up the question do some brands iron better than others?

 

[Renault78law]

It's not a brand thing, the iron-ability of a shirt depends on the fabric characteristics, in particular weight and weave. In my experience, heavier weight fabrics iron easier and resist wrinkling better than light. And a twill or herringbone weave better than plain.

 

[JohnMS]

BB non-iron shirts should iron fairly easily. My experience is that the broadcloth non-iron shirts are easiest to iron, followed by the supima (oxford cloth) shirts, then the pinpoint oxfords. Even the older BB shirts that might wrinkle can be ironed fairly quickly, from my experience, and maintain that ironed look all day.

 

[AlanC]

 This is just the regular classic BB shirt.  it was not ironing to well even when slightly damp.

I think, then, it's mainly a matter of getting used to ironing them. I've been ironing Brooks shirts for the past 13 years or so. I don't think other brands are any easier. I think Mr. Kabbaz at least at one time had instructions on shirt ironing on his site.

 

[philosophe]

What sort of iron are you using? I recently upgraded to a nice Rowenta and really notice the improvement over my old hardware store Black and Decker model.

 

[demeis]

I first used my parent iron which is a panasonic then i used my iron which is a rowenta.

 

[ViroBono]

A common cause of the type of wrinkling and creasing you describe is allowing a shirt to dry too much prior to ironing, or worse yet, putting it through a tumble-drier.

In general, after washing, I put the shirt on a hanger and allow it to dry naturally. I iron whilst the shirt is still damp, and use a simple plant spray to dampen the shirt if necessary.

 

[Alexander Kabbaz]

Shirt Ironing The Shirt should be damp all over. Use either Steam or Dry Iron. Use the 'Cotton' temperature setting. The 'Burst of Steam' button is not recommended. Best is a water mister spray bottle(plant mister). \t1 - Press cuffs open flat, first on the inside, then lightly on the outside. S-t-r-e-t-c-h tightly while pressing. Be gentle with the corners of the cuffs. Try not to catch them in the steam holes on the iron as this is a major cause of premature fraying. \t2 - Press the sleeves' plackets. Button their button. Then: Button Cuffs Button the button of the previously pressed cuff. Using your hands, shape the cuffs into a circle. Do not crease button cuffs. French Cuffs Fold and press in the fold, carefully matching the link holes. Shape with your hand to a circular shape. Secure circle with a plastic stud or white plastic twist-tie. \t3 - Holding the sleeve at the seam side(under the arm) grasp seam at underarm and cuff ends. Shake the sleeve out and lay flat on the pressing table with the seam near you. Place the point of the iron on the seam at the cuff end. Holding the seam at the underarm, stretch very tightly and press the seam flat with no puckers. Holding the seam with one hand, smooth the sleeve away from you, removing all wrinkles from both top and bottom layers. Repeat this smoothing motion using the iron. Continue right off the sleeve, pressing in the crease at the top of the sleeve. Press in the pleats, if any, at the cuff end. One should match the top-of-sleeve crease. \t4 - Place left hand just inside the left armhole and use the right to grasp the shirt at the hem where the left front and back join. Shake out and lay flat on the table. Press this side seam flat while stretching. On the inside of the rear armhole, press flat the seam which joins the sleeve to the shirt body. Do not stretch this seam too tightly. Repeat for the other side, reversing your hands. \t5 - Lay the top center front (buttonhole side) face down on the table. Holding the top with your hand and the hem with the iron, stretch very tightly and press heavily twice. Repeat for the button side, pressing around the buttons. Turn each side face up and repress. Do not press the buttons as they can break. \t6 - Hold the button side of the front at hem and collar. Shake out and lay face down. Press on the inside, paying particular attention to the top area where the collar, yoke, and front join together. Repeat for the buttonhole side. \t7 - Press the shirt yokes on the inside. Then, using the point of the ironing board or corner of the table, press flat on the outside. \t8 - Lay the shirt on its back, wrong side up. Press the back with steam. If there are darts, press them towards the side seams. \t9 - Lay the collar band, inside up, flat on the table. Stretching very, very tightly, press from buttonhole to button. Turn over and repeat. Then press the underside of the collar, again stretching tightly. Do not have the iron on the band and collar at the same time. \t10 - Turn over and press lightly on the top side of the collar. Do not catch the collar points in the steam holes, again a major cause of fraying. Now fold down the collar over the band and press in the crease as heavily as you can. \t11 - Press the fronts again, this time lightly on the outside. Put in the collar stays and hang the shirt on a hanger. Button all of the buttons on the front of the shirt. Helpful Hints \tFor best results, you should have available either a firmly mounted ironing board or a flat pressing table with a separate sleeve board. In all cases, pressing surfaces should be covered with white cotton fabric and maintained lint-free. \tA small pair of sharp scissors for removing loose threads is helpful. Additionally, a small, damp piece of white fabric will assist in removing small dirt spots. \tShould you press in a wrinkle, allow the area to cool. Then dampen and re-press. When hanging shirts in the closet, make sure there is sufficient room to keep them from crushing each other's carefully pressed collar. Store two shirts back-to-back, then a space , then two more back-to-back shirts, etc. =============================================================================== Copyright Â

1992 Alexander S. Kabbaz. All rights reserved. Forum members may print one copy for personal use.

 

[SmartDresser]

I am not sure as to why this happens, but my shirts with a longer staple length are easier to iron than the others.
When I purchase any shirts, I finger them and guess how high the yarn quality is. Iron free never get there.

 

[TCN]

Excellent Alexander. A definite keeper, thank you.

 

[globetrotter]

I'm not sure I understand, these are Brooks Brothers non-iron shirts? I'm not sure I could iron wrinkles into my BB non-iron shirts. I just toss em in the wash (regular cycle, I know I shouldn't), then toss em in the dryer (same, I know, the horror). I'm sure this doesn't extend the life of the shirts - I admit, never even read the care label - but I wear these shirts to death, and have never, ever had to iron any of them (I've had, lessee, 8? 3 have died). Are you sure they sent you non-irons? Other BB shirts I have(non-non-iron?) require a normal amount of ironing, but nothing as outrageous as you're describing.

sorry to highjack, when does a shirt "die"?