What if you could get 9 hours of finishing (pressing) in 8 hours or 25% more spots removed from garments and 5% faster spot removal? You can by using Laidlaw's Drycon or Injectable Sizing in your drycleaning solvent. Read on:
Below is information taken primarily from IFI's Technical Operating Information Bulletin #663 on the benefits of sizing. Laidlaw sells several high quality sizings, for both drycleaning and wetcleaning.
IFI recently conducted a study on the use of sizing in drycleaning. The purpose of our limited study was to establish the customer's perception of look and feel of drycleaned, sized garments versus drycleaned, un-sized garments.
Our study shows that customer satisfaction with the drycleaned garments on which sizing was applied is favorable. This study also shows that sized garments required less time in finishing.
The usage of sizing in drycleaning plants is frequently underestimated. Those plants that don't use sizing should consider adding this treatment to their drycleaning operation. In many cases, this may be the needed edge over the competition. After all, the customer's perception heavily favors a "new" appearance and feel of sizing-finished garments.
What are Sizings?
Sizings are finishes that are applied in fabric manufacture to improve strength, texture, hand and body to the finished product. Depending on the fiber content, different sizing agents are used.
After several drycleanings, the sizing is lost, resulting in a loss of body and hand. Consumers expect that their cleaned or washed garments to be returned to a "like new" condition as much as possible.
For drycleaners, sizings are available in two different forms: solutions and solid sizings. While sizing solutions can be added directly into a solvent tank, solid sizings have to be dissolved first in a container of solvent before being added to the machine.
The sizing effectiveness varies depending on the fiber content of the fabric. For this reason, there is no standard concentration for sizing content solvent. IFI recommends between 0.5 percent to 1.5 percent concentration. However the best concentration should be determined on the basis of the customer's acceptance of the finished garments.
The Technical Details
Eight consumer's garments were selected for our study. The study consisted of drycleaning selected garments without sizing. After finishing, the respective owners of the garments evaluated the look and feel of their garment. Afterwards, the process was repeated, but this time a sizing was applied. A total of 49 garments were processed in this manner.
For the purpose of our study, we used a dry to dry, no vent machine with a standard cleaning cycle. While the wash solvent was charged with a 1.0 percent commonly used anionic detergent, the distilled solvent tank was charged with solid sizing at 1.0 percent weight per volume concentration. We used a 1.5 minute extraction time followed by the drying cycle.
The time to finish each garment before sizing and after sizing applications was recorded for comparison purposes. It should be noted that the same presser finished garments during this study.
Results:
From the 49 garments processed and evaluated, we recorded observations from the consumers and classified them according to fiber content and type of garments. The results are listed in Table 1.
The recorded finishing times vary, but in every case the finishing time was shorter with sized items. We recorded finishing times of 6.5 to 26.5 percent faster on the sized garments. On the average, it took 15.5 percent less time to finish a total of 49 garments.
At first glance this may not seem like a great savings, but consider the following typical savings in labor costs. The average cost per item for drycleaning and pressing today ranges from $6.50 to $7.50. Cost figures indicate finishing labor typically costs nine to ten percent of the sale price. Ten percent of the $6.50 sale price is 65 cents per finishing labor. By using sizing, finishing time was reduced by 15.5 percent. 15.5 percent of 65 cents is 10.1 cents, meaning a reduction in your costs of at least 10 cents for finishing the suit. This savings in finishing labor costs should help to improve your profit margin.
table 1
(IFI Information used with permission of IFI)
Many years ago, Drycon Sizing was part of a Fellowship testing by IFI's predecessor (NID). The results of these tests also concluded labor savings but also concluded that returning garments required less prespotting and post spotting treatment. The theory is that the sizing helps to close up the pores and prevents the stains from getting deep into the weaves. From the testing, it found that 25% more spots and stains were removable and stains were removed 5% faster.
Laidlaw makes for drycleaning 2 premiere sizings: Drycon Sizing and Laidlaw Injectable Sizing.
Look at benefits of Laidlaw Drycon and Injectable Sizing.:
Improves color. The special UV color intensifier in our sizing adds sparkle to whites, brilliance and snap to colored fabrics, greens are greener, blues bluer all colors are more alive. And whites really sing.
Gives Body. Our sizing can impart the desired degree of body to fabrics when you simply vary the concentration in the solvent and extraction time.
Imparts Hand-Fabrics have a smooth, dry, acceptable feel after sizing. They will not absorb dampness from the air, feel clammy or wet. Neither will they feel sticky, tacky or gummy.
Improves Drape-Our sizings makes fabrics hang better. With this quality sizing, fabric will fall into smooth, graceful folds with full rounded lines.
Speeds Finishing-Fabrics treated with our sizings can be finished up to 25% to 50% faster than untreated garments or those treated with inferior sizing. Garments are smooth, even and remarkably free of puckers, dimples, crowsfeet and breaks.
Add Luster-Garments sized with our sizings have an even, lustrous sheen that enhances the beauty of every fabric and gives it like new appearance.
Helps Resist Wear-Garments treated with our products shows improved resistance to wrinkles, creases, breaks, scratch marks and other common signs of wear.
It is economical and trouble free to use our sizings. It will not impart any odor to garments and it will not leave rings from usual spotting treatments.
For Wetcleaning and Laundered items, Laidlaw makes sizing products also.
Click here for the full line of our sizing products.
copyright 2002, Laidlaw Corp.