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March 12, 2022 4 min read
#1. Air Out Often
(If the climate allows)
A suit lasts longer if aired out in the fresh air between uses. Wool, like sheep, loves fresh air. How often you should air it depends on how frequently you wear it and for how long, but it will never hurt to do so as often as you can. Airing it out overnight will leave the suit feeling cleaner and fresher the next day. Regular airing means you can dry clean your suit less often, helping it last longer and being better for the environment. For cotton fabric suits, airing them out also keeps them fresh, though it’s not as effective as for wool.
In humid climates or polluted areas, airing your suit outside is not ideal, as it could have the opposite effect. In these cases, dry cleaning may be needed more often, and you should avoid hanging your suit outdoors.
The most sensitive parts of a suit are the front chest, lapels, collar of the jacket, and the pressing line of the pants. These areas are made with premium materials and pressed using high-tech machines to shape your suit. It's essential to protect these areas when cleaning, pressing, hanging, or folding your suit.
To properly care for your suit, create a few homemade "suit cloths." These will be your main tools for ironing and cleaning. You can easily make your own by cutting a piece of thin fabric (washed many times to avoid leaving dust). Next time you're about to throw away an old shirt, cut out a 50 x 50 cm (20 x 20 inches) piece from the back. Or, you can use an old pillowcase to create your cloth.
A wool suit should always be DRY CLEANED. However, if there is a small spot that can be easily removed with water, you can do a "spot clean" using a wet "suit cloth." For suits made from cotton stretch or seersucker, there are additional options for cleaning as explained below.
FIRSTLY
NEVER use a steamer for your wool suit. Wool is curly by nature, and the fine wool threads used in suit fabrics are not meant to be frequently wet unless combined with pressure. All our REDA TECHNOLOGY fabric is water-resistant, but this does not mean it should be exposed to a steamer. More importantly, steaming can damage the underlying canvas and fusing construction in the jacket, so it’s best to avoid it.
ALWAYS use a "suit cloth" when ironing. This ensures you don't burn the fabric or leave ironing marks.
JACKET:
The first part to wrinkle is often the back waist, which occurs after sitting. This area can be ironed, but ONLY if you place the "suit cloth" between the garment and the iron. NEVER iron the upper front and collar of the jacket. These parts are constructed with premium materials, such as canvas and fusing, which are pressed under high pressure to shape your jacket. Ironing these areas can distort the shape and even damage the underlying structure. If your jacket wrinkles, hanging it properly on a hanger will allow it to flatten out in a day or two.
PANTS:
You can iron the pants, but again, ONLY with the "suit cloth." Lay them flat on the ironing board with the front and back facing up, as if you were hanging them folded along the press line. Iron one leg at a time. If you have a Seersucker suit or fabric, refer to the additional notes below.
TOOLS:
A quick iron in the right places will make your suit look sharp in no time.
Hang your suit after each day when possible. Use a proper hanger for the jacket and fold the pants at the middle to place on the hanger bar. To get the pants flat along the pressing line (half front, half back on one side), grab the leg opening, turn the pants upside down, and they will naturally fall along the pressing line. You can then fold them in two before hanging. High-quality wool fabric will naturally flatten on its own when hung. The pressing line will last longer, and this is the best way to care for your suit. When traveling, feel free to fold your garment, but as soon as you arrive, hang it up!
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Seersucker is a cotton fabric, which is much more water-friendly. The jacket, however, is made with layers of fusing and canvas in the chest construction, and it should ONLY BE DRY CLEANED. The pants, however, can be washed occasionally, but don’t clean them too often. Fresh air and spot cleaning in between washes will make them last longer.
Seersucker pants can be ironed with a STEAMER, or you can iron them normally with the "suit cloth" (though not as crucial since it’s cotton, we still recommend it to avoid iron marks). An iron will flatten the fabric, but steam is needed to bring back the "bubbles" for that signature texture. Hanging the pants in the bathroom after a hot shower will also help.
For the jacket, you can iron the back waist, hang it, and use the iron's steam as a "spot steamer," avoiding direct contact with the front. If you have a proper steamer, you can use it on the back of the jacket, but again, avoid the front.
Cotton Stretch (pure cotton or a cotton blend with stretch) is much more water-friendly. Still, the suit jacket should ONLY BE DRY CLEANED. The pants, however, can be washed occasionally. Fresh air and spot cleaning will make them last longer.
Cotton stretch pants/chinos can be ironed with a STEAMER or ironed normally with the "suit cloth" (though it’s less critical with cotton, we recommend it to avoid iron marks).