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Ive just been told If you're going to buy good suits, don't steam them- it's the worst thing you can do to them.Originally Posted by TheDarkKnight
Suits should be pressed instead...
So should I not steam my suits at all?
What about steaming wool pullovers and other knitwear?
Thanks
Pullovers and knitwear are fine. Suits are not. Each seam is like two trouser creases- when you steam the trouser the crease goes away, no? And there is tons of stuff that is not so evident at first.
Here is what Sartoria Pirozzi said about pressing on this board. They said they need an hour and a half to two and a half to iron a suit. If it could be done properly in two minutes with a steamer, do you not think they would?
Here is what Chris Despos has said on the matter.
I don't think this will change anyones opinion but... I have been doing tailoring work 37 years and I fear the steam. It wreaks havoc on cloth. It is dangerous in inexperienced hands. The negative effects are less on lesser made/quality clothes but can really undo much of the shaping of bench made clothes. We utilize steam making clothes but it is very, very controlled. So now someone will say, " but I do it all the time, no problems.". That is BS.
Ill show you the difference that your eye does not discern.
You may not find a good pressing to be practical or easy, any more than hand detailing a fine car is practical or easy. People on this board like to discuss bespoke, Brioni, Kiton, bref, the Aston Martins of the suit world. Go on a fine car forum and you won't find people complaining about the time and expense in hand detailing their cars, even though the mechanical car wash is much faster and cheaper and they won't service their cars themselves just to save a few dollars. The lengths that some people go through to maintain their shoes is astounding but a suit, which can be worth five times as much, is not worth more than a quick shot from the Jiffy steamer, according to some.
A good suit is an investment and if you want to care for it properly, with the same level of craftsmanship that went into making it, it will require some time and maybe some expense.
On a lesser suit there is a different danger. Nothing can cause delamination of fusing faster than a little steam applied without pressure. Fusible is bonded to the cloth by putting it through a machine with a set of heated rollers that apply huge heat and pressure for about 15 seconds- the resin is melted and the pressure forces it to bond the two layers. Pressing a suit may soften the resin but the pressure from the iron will prevent delamination; if you steam it without the added pressure you can soften the resin and weaken the bond. You won't see it immediately, but maybe the next time you wear it the fusible will start to peel away in spots. One reason we used to see so many delaminated suits was that dry cleaners often used steam dummies on suits. The fusibles have improved but cleaners have, as well.
