CLOTHING Prudent buying, proper care can stretch wardrobe

Knowledge about clothing and fabrics makes consumers better shoppers.
SCRIPPS HOWARD
It takes time and money to replace ruined clothing, both of which many consumers are short on these days. Being a savvy shopper and using proper care can prolong the life of your clothing and stretch your dollars.
"We spend too much on our clothing to not know how to take care of it," said Steve "The Clothing Doctor" Boorstein, a former dry cleaner, clothing consultant and author of The Ultimate Guide to Shopping & amp; Caring for Clothing. He estimates most people spend 5 percent to 10 percent of their income on clothing -- more as the income level rises.
The Maryland-based International Fabricare Institute's lab analyzed 11,726 pieces of damaged clothing that it received from IFI members in 2002.
It attributed 44.7 percent of the damage to the manufacturer, 37.28 percent to the consumer and 11.48 percent to the dry cleaner. About 5.33 percent of the garments failed to show damage and there was not enough evidence on less than 2 percent of the items analyzed to determine who was responsible for the damage, according to the study.
Defects in garment construction, dyes or finishes were among the reasons attributed to the manufacturer that resulted in damage to clothing when cleaned.
Tips for savvy shopping
UAlways check the care label on a piece of clothing before buying it. Light-colored ties with dark or vibrant prints pose stain-removal problems because the colors may bleed from water and spills, Boorstein cautioned. He recommended buying ties with light linings or linings the same color as the tie's shell to avoid color bleed during stain removal.
UConsider that some fabrics will shine from normal wear. Gabardine, acetate and polished cotton typically develop shine on a shirt's elbow area, the top of thighs, and on the seat of trousers and skirts from sliding in and out of a vehicle. If the fabric has a sheen when you buy it, be aware that it may shine prematurely, worsening over time and looking cheap, Boorstein said.
UThink about whether the fabric is suited for you. Natural fibers are better for people who perspire a lot, because the fabrics breathe and don't trap moisture like other fabrics.
U"Before you reach the cash register, hang the garment up and spin it around and take two minutes to do what I call a six-point quality check. You check the zippers, the hooks, the hems, you look for snags, (you) check the shoulder pads and the buttons," Boorstein said. "Brands should not be the deciding factor."
Clothing care
UAlways remove the plastic wrap dry cleaners provide on cleaned clothing, as plastic holds in odors and keeps clothes from breathing, which can contribute to premature staining, Boorstein said.
UDitch wire hangers, which can cause marks, dimples and wrinkles to sheer clothing such as silk and satin and contribute to tearing of sheer or weak garments. The exception is men's dress shirts, which are made of durable fabrics that rarely show marks in the shoulders after the shirt is on the body, he said
UInvisible stains are among the most difficult to remove, said Richard Reese, president of the Rocky Mountain Fabricare Association that serves dry cleaners in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. Reese has been a dry cleaner for 18 years and is general manager for Your Valet Cleaners in Ogden. "Those (invisible) stains would be vegetable oils that are clear, soda that is clear or any kind of a juice that is clear," such as apple juice.
UDry cleaning removes oil-based stains such as greases, waxes and oils. Water-soluble stains often require pre-treating to remove them. If you take the garment to a dry cleaner, be sure to draw the dry cleaner's attention to the stain; invisible stains can oxidize and turn brown.
UBe aware of cleaning myths. Club soda is not a panacea for removing stains, according to Boorstein, and misuse can ruin the garment. While it can remove water-based stains such as coffee and wine, the water in the soda only helps to set oil-based stains from things such as french fries and salad dressing, he said. A dry cleaner should handle those stains; it's important to point out any stains to the dry cleaner.
UHair spray also should not be used as a quick fix, according to Reese. It once contained trichloroethylene, an ozone-depleting chemical that evaporated quickly. The chemical, which has been removed from hair spray, aided in stain removal. Today, using hair spray can leave a ring around a stain.
Making a difference
Small efforts can make a big difference. Merely hanging clothes and letting them air dry before placing them in the closet when you come home will help both the wrinkles fall out and eliminate odors and moisture that may remain if the garment is immediately hung in the closet. Above all, take two minutes to check for any stains before putting your clothing away, Boorstein stressed.
At home, cleaning out pockets before laundering is always advised, and a yellow credit card receipt left in the pocket of a white shirt will ruin the garment because the dye in the yellow paper will run, Boorstein said. He noted that shirts are not designed to be laundered more than 35 washings -- the equivalent of about a year to 18 months before they start fraying and wearing out.