Clothes Care Gazette

November, 2004                                                                                                                Volume 1, Number 3

In This Issue

·    What's New

·    Feature – Focus on Leather

·    Caring for Leather Garments at Home

·    Ask the Experts

·    Next Month Preview

·    And before I close...

        Happy Thanksgiving!!

Now You Know…

      If you get sleepy after your turkey and dressing Thanksgiving dinner there’s a medical reason as to why this happens.  Turkey is high in tryptophan.  Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that reduces anxiety and depression and induces sleep.
   Unlike sleeping pills that depress your nervous system, tryptophan works by altering the normal regulators of the sleep response.  It is also part of the chemical chain of events that heightens levels of serotonin, the brain neurotransmitter that helps us feel good. 
   This Thanksgiving, remember that after eating a large portion of turkey, along with all of the regular side dishes, a nap may not be a bad idea.  In fact, it may be medically inevitable. 

Category of Links:

Leather Care Tips

Web page with tips on leather care

Leather Association

Information about leather garments and their care

Reehorst Cleaners

Corporate Office

27303 Center Ridge Rd

Westlake,  OH  44145

Phone:

(440) 871-6444

Fax:

(440) 871-5129

Contact Us
  E-mail: editor@Reehorstcleaners.com

We’re on the Web!

http://www.reehorstcleaners.com

We have four convenient locations:

     19441 Detroit Rd
     Rocky River
     440-331-2000

     27105 Knickerbocker
     Bay Village               (Drive Thru)
     440-871-7770

     23459 Lorain Rd
     North Olmsted          (Drive Thru)
     440-777-1400

     27303 Center Ridge Rd
     Westlake                  (Drive Thru)
     440-871-6444

Hours: Monday Thru Friday
          7a.m. to 7p.m.

          Saturday
          7a.m. to 5p.m.

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What's New

It’s getting cold out there. Bring in your winter sweaters, wool coats and down jackets. We’ll restore their color and texture. Suedes and leathers? No problem! We can handle it. Down comforters, afghans, blankets returned to you cleaned and freshened. And don’t forget getting draperies and tablecloths ready for the upcoming Holidays.

 We hope to see you soon!

   Leather is one of nature's most practical and sensual materials.  Because of new techniques, skins are lighter, enabling designers to fashion garments for year-round use.  Beautiful finishes, textures, and colors enhance leather's appeal. To help you fully appreciate your genuine leather garment, we offer the following information on how this unique natural product is made and the proper ways to care for it, courtesy of the Leather Apparel Association and the International Fabricare Institute.
   If you are like most people, the first thing you do when you look at a leather garment is touch it to feel its softness and texture.  The way leather feels to the touch is called its hand and the general rule is" the softer the hand, the higher the cost.
   Several factors influence the general appearance and overall quality of a leather garment.  The first is the raw material, which is a product of genetics.  Every hide (a whole pelt from a cow or steer, etc.) and skin (the pelt of young or smaller animals) have sections that are inherently wrinkled, softer, or thinner than other parts.  Environmental conditions including climate and food supply are also a factor.  Nature's creations are never uniform;  these surface variations and imperfections impart a unique beauty to genuine leather garments.
   To get the best value out of your leather goods:

• Buy from a reputable retailer that will stand behind the products they sell.

• Consider the cut, fit, quality of stitching, the lining, and style that suits your lifestyle.

• Select a slightly larger size than normal. as leather is stretched during tanning and will shrink as it relaxes overtime.  Age and cleaning can also shrink the garment somewhat, so it is best to get a slightly larger size.

More information about choosing leather and suede garments are available on our website.

Here's a few tips to follow to take the best home care of your leathers:

• Wear a scarf with leather coats to protect the collar area from perspiration and body oils.

• If a leather garment gets wet, let it air dry completely, always away from heat sources.

• Don't store leathers in a plastic bag or a hot, humid environment.  Try to keep them in a cool, dry, ventilated place so they can 'breathe.'

• Avoid spraying perfumes or hair spray while wearing leather. Perfume, because of its alcohol content, is especially hazardous and can pull color right out.

• Don't apply pins, adhesive name badges, or tape on leathers.

• If accidental staining occurs during use, do not attempt home remedies or cleaning.  Get the garment to us as soon as possible for cleaning and tell the Customer Service person how the stain got there.

• Most wrinkles will hang out on their own, although you can iron leather if you use care.  Set the iron on its rayon setting, and use heavy brown wrapping paper as a pressing cloth on top of the area you wish to iron.  Wrinkles should come right out.  As always, test your procedure out on a small, inconspicuous section of the garment to see if there will be any problems.

Q. I have a leather car coat.  I have worn it for two winters without having it cleaned.  I noticed this past winter the  coloring in the front chest/stomach area has started to fade.  Can something be done so it blends in better with the rest of the coat?  I just love the coat and it's nice and warm.

A.  Two seasons of wear without cleaning is not unusual.  If you wear it frequently, meaning most every day through the winter, I would suggest that you get it cleaned this year.  In the cleaning process, the skin is reconditioned and that is important to the extended life of the skin.  It is like putting lotion on your own skin to keep it soft and supple.  Animal skins need the same attention as your own skin or they will get brittle and tear.

   The 'fading' you are referring to is probably a loss of the dye originally put into the skin during manufacture.  Recoloring is also part of the process a professional leather cleaner performs, which usually corrects all color differences.  Your coat should be returned to you almost like new in both color and feel.

   One comment though, if your coat is suede (has a textured surface), and not leather (has a smooth surface), the discoloration you are seeing may be a loss of the nap of a suede skin and cannot be corrected.

   I also have to warn you that depending on the type and thickness of the skin, and whether or not it was excessively stretched in tanning, there may be some shrinkage which may not be correctable.  Cow and lamb hide that are not split too finely are usually very durable and dependable.  Pig skins will shrink!  Extremely thin skins, no matter what animal, may easily tear, especially on a skin defect such as on a vein line.  Unfortunately, there is no way to know how a skin was handled in manufacture.  A reputable professional leather cleaners will handle your garment with care and attention, but cannot correct a problem that may be inherent in the skin or garment.

   Having said all of this, and maybe scaring you right out of your leather coat, most leather and suede garments that we process come back fine. The company we use has been in business for generations and knows what they are doing. Hope that answers your questions.

(If you have a question for our experts, just email us at editor@reehorstcleaners.com)

December is a month filled with Holidays and good cheer – except what happens when the eggnog is spilled on the tablecloth or candle wax lands on the carpet.  We’ll look at these problems, plus share a favorite Holiday breakfast recipe.

             A Child's Thanksgiving Prayer:

          The pilgrims came across the sea
                 to find new land in which to be.

           Indians were there
                  to ease their stay

           Together they made
                  Thanksgiving Day

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