MAY/JUNE 2018 13 COVER FOCUS continued on page 14 Drycleaning Technology. “It isn’t intentional on the part of the manufacturer; they think the materials will work. But when you put them together in a garment, something is just not working.” The most common problem is dye bleeds. Most often associated with black-and-white garments, bleeds can happen on any high-contrast color combination, whether it’s navy and white, red and white, black and yellow, or brown and pink. “Any time you have contrasting colors side by side, proceed with caution,” Johnson said. “Say a black skirt and a white top are sewn together, but the black skirt bleeds onto the white blouse when you dryclean it,” said David Suber, owner of Perfect Cleaners in Los Angeles. “The label says ‘Dryclean only.’ That is a manufacturer problem, because they put together two pieces of material that can’t withstand the cleaning process.” Many issues won’t reveal themselves until the garment is cleaned, such as polyester or urethane coatings that blister and peel in the dry cycle. “Sometimes the part that fails is hidden inside, and you don’t even see it,” Johnson said. “You won’t even know it’s in there until the damage is done.” CONSUMER CAUSES Consumers are also to blame for garment failures. They forget about stains or attempt to remove them on their own, making removal nearly impossible for drycleaners. They leave garments vulnerable to moth, moisture, and light damage. And they use tinctures that degrade and discolor fabric. “People forget what [their clothes] might have been exposed to,” Muir said. For instance, a kimono came to DLI’s lab recently after disintegrating in cleaning thanks to damage from light. “It happens a lot with draperies,” Muir says. “Some of the yarns flushed out in the cleaning process because they were so weak from light exposure.” Personal care products such as lotions and hair treatments often contain mild bleaches, and users splash them on clothing without knowing it; later, the cleaning process flushes out both bleach and dye. Similarly, prod-ucts such as sunblocks and aftershaves can contain ingredients that darken when heated, producing discolorations in drying. Underarm stains and friction are problems, too. “Customer problems are usually yarn slippage in silk or perspiration under the arms due to alkalis in the body and aluminum chloride in antiperspirants,” Suber said. “[On] friction areas, the yarns become loose and can’t withstand mechanical action. Look for areas of wear across the back and elbows. You can see it if you hold it up to the light.” AVOIDING ISSUES No operators can guarantee zero failures, but they can use their skills and experience to make them less likely to occur. At the counter, look for “red flag” components such continued from page 12 All they know is that they gave the garment to you and it was fine; you gave it back, and it wasn’t fine. -BrianJohnson, DLI’sDirectorofEducation&Analysis This kimono arrived at DLI’s lab after disintegrating in cleaning due to damage from light. Some of the yarns flushed out in the cleaning process because they were so weak from light exposure.