Q&A With Lynda, Rick, and Jordan: A Fabricare Specialist vs. A Dry Cleaner Round Three

Happy Friday, readers! For the last two weeks, Lynda, Rick, and Jordan have been helpful enough to break down the difference between a fabricare specialist and a dry cleaner. It all started based on the following question:

“In the last year, I have purchased some pricier dresses that I really want to last (considering they cost more than a lot of my other items combined!). After a quick google search, I see two kinds of cleaners—the typical dry cleaner, and “fabricare specialists”. What’s the difference, and why does it matter?” {Lauren, Chicago}

Because this is a question Lynda, Rick, and Jordan receive so often, they’ve broken the answer into three parts. Two weeks ago, they taught us what to look for in a fabricare specialist when it comes to skills, education, and knowledge of the craft. Last week, the family outlined key steps followed by the top fabricare specialists so you know what to ask for when choosing where to take your most valued clothing. This week, they’ll show us the extra effort that the best-of-the-best in fabricare specialists put forth.

Answer:
Our last two weeks have focused on what a quality dry cleaner should be doing--versus what many cleaners do not do. We’ve discussed the process your clothing goes through, the education of the staff, and the details you should be asking about when you choose a cleaner. And while there are many “fine” choices out there, only a select few quality cleaners go the distance in exceeding your expectations every single time. Below, we’ve listed some of the top things you should look for to make the decision process easier. Any fabricare specialist worth your best pieces should…

1. run quality checks conducted by senior managers on a daily basis that measure the results of their work against their standards of excellence, in an effort to continuously strive for perfection.

2. staff a full-service, experienced alterations department for all of your tailoring needs.

3. check every single client’s order to ensure all preferences and special instructions have been met and expectations have been exceeded at all stages of the process. (When you become a client at Davis Imperial, you fill out a full profile detailing your preferences for all of your clothing needs!)

4. run an environmentally responsible business, and be certified as an Environmental Drycleaner and a Four Leaf Green Cleaner by the Green Cleaners Council. (For more on Davis Imperial being a “green” cleaner, check out our post here!)

5. offer to conduct educational seminars for retailers, schools and organizations because they believe in the importance of understanding the difference between an ordinary drycleaner and a fabricare specialist--and how the choice you ultimately make can protect your investment in your wardrobe.

6. stay abreast of the latest fabric and fashion trends, as well as classic couture in order to be best educated on how to care for all garments.

7. give back and be involved in philanthropic and community organizations, understanding the importance of supporting the very individuals, organizations and companies that have been so supportive of them.

8. have unending passion for what they do, never wanting to stop learning and growing in their field of expertise.

9. offer luxe pick up and delivery service to your residence or office by bonded, uniformed and responsible client service representatives you can trust and who recognize that their first responsibility is the security of their client’s valued garments.

10. offer FabricareByMail™ for individuals, retailers, museums, hotels and corporations where a fabricare specialist’s level of services is not available in their area.

Most importantly, a true fabricare specialist will never take your business for granted and will always remember to say thank you for giving them the opportunity to service your fabricare needs. Davis Imperial is so honored that their clients choose them, and we hope this 3-part primer has given you a peek into what you deserve in clothing and garment care—if you’re not getting this type of service, find a quality cleaner who will deliver.

Wishing you and your loved ones good health and happiness always…

Thanks Lynda, Rick, and Jordan for this week’s installment!

And readers, don’t forget to submit any questions you have on Facebook or on Twitter @davisimperial, or you can email us at davisimperialblog@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you next week!

Q&A with Lynda, Rick, and Jordan: A Fabricare Specialist vs. A Dry Cleaner

Happy Friday, readers! So excited to have Lynda, Rick, and Jordan back again for another Q&A session—and this one will be a series of posts, as it is a question the Woods get asked repeatedly, and the answer is layered, detailed, and integral to understanding how to care for your quality clothing. To be honest, it’s one I had when I first learned about Davis Imperial. Essentially, I think it’s what any person asks when they starts truly investing in their closet.

Question: “In the last year, I have purchased some pricier dresses that I really want to last (considering they cost more than a lot of my other items combined!). After a quick google search, I see two kinds of cleaners—the typical dry cleaner, and “fabricare specialists”. What’s the difference, and why does it matter?” {Lauren, Chicago IL}

Answer: 

As you can well imagine, as a family owned and operated certified couture cleaner for over 56 years, many questions are posed to us each day. But the question that makes our top ten list of most frequently asked questions by a first time client is "What makes you different from the ordinary dry cleaner in my neighborhood?”

Instead of focusing on what the typical dry cleaner does not do, we think it is far more productive to discuss what a quality dry cleaner should be doing. By definition, fabricare specialists are true quality cleaners. Not ordinary dry cleaners. There is a difference. And it's not just one of semantics.

In a nutshell, we are not comparing apples and apples. It’s far more like comparing attending a cocktail party with appetizers and drinks versus sitting down to a full course dinner including dessert with the wait staff making sure that all your preferences, standards of excellence and expectations are met. Our goal is to clarify for our readers the importance of having a fabricare specialist process your favorite garments with a positive result. You may have both a $3,000 suit or dress and a pair of your favorite 15-year-old khaki pants in your wardrobe that have been perfectly broken in. Although there may have been a substantial price difference when purchased, they’re both invaluable in your eyes. At Davis Imperial Cleaners both garments are processed exactly the same way with particular attention to detail—just like every single piece that comes through the door.

Today’s answer will focus on knowledge, skills, and evaluation. Under this category, a Fabricare Specialist should:

1. Have the fashion and fabric knowledge to recognize the investment you have made in your wardrobe and household items, and accept the responsibility to protect your investment. That can only be successfully accomplished if the cleaner has the technical skills and experience, along with a combination of old world techniques and state of the art equipment and computer technology.
2. Be vigilant about security. At Davis Imperial, from the time a garment is received or delivered, it is bar-coded with a removable tag so that garment location in our facility can be immediately determined, as well as the stage of care it is at, and when it will be ready—just like tracking a package.
3. Offer a detailed inspection, including the reading of the care label upon arrival at our facility. It should also include the option to examine a garment under full spectrum light which may reveal a variety of both visible as well as invisible stains and/or fabric damage so that they can be properly addressed.
4. Properly evaluate and test fine fabrics, embellishments and trims to properly select the correct process to remove a stain (such as utilizing gentle solutions that do not strip the fabric of dyes or damage the details).

Davis Imperial follows all of these steps to ensure every garment that comes into our space is treated like the most important garment we’ve received--because, in essence, it is. And next week you’ll find out just how delicately and thoroughly we handle each piece through our second-to-none process. We can’t wait to share with you.

Wishing you and your loved ones good health and happiness always…

Thanks Lynda, Rick, and Jordan for your always informative answers and for stopping by to share with us!

And readers, don’t forget to submit any questions you have on Facebook or on Twitter @davisimperial, or you can email us at davisimperialblog@gmail.com

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you next week!

getting a peek behind the seams

Hello! My name is Brooke, and for just over a year now, I have written a blog called Always a Bridesmaid, which essentially covers everything weddings. Along the way, I've discovered countless incredible resources for brides, their party, and wedding-goers at large; from bridal boutiques to florists to dessert shops that would make a gal's mouth water. The wedding world in Chicago, like most communities once you infiltrate them, actually becomes quite intimate, and word-of-mouth is paramount. 

Over and over, one name seemed to keep popping up among brides and shop-owners: Davis Imperial Cleaners. Which, to be honest, didn't make a lot of sense to me--why were women gushing about a dry cleaner?  To me, they all seemed similar--neon signs in the front, pleasant employees working behind the desk, usually one seamstress on hand that always seemed to be hiding in the back room, and a wave of heat when you walked through the front door. In Chicago, cleaners are almost as plentiful as Starbucks, and if one doesn't work for you, there's always the competition down the street. 

So in hopes of bringing the best of the Chicago wedding and fashion world to my readers, I ventured out to Davis Imperial to see first-hand what the fuss was about.  Even from its exterior, the space looks nothing like a typical dry cleaner--elegantly crafted signage (no neon here!) displayed names like Chanel, and the windows themselves housed fashion that would fit perfectly within the walls of a high-end boutique. It's no wonder, as I discovered the visual merchandiser behind the displays held long-standing jobs at Neiman's and Armani. If a merchandiser seems out of place within the average idea of a dry cleaner, get used to it; once you experience the Davis Imperial difference first hand, the accolades they've been receiving--making "best of" lists in books such as CS, Chicago Magazine, CS Brides, and Esquire Magazine's: The Big Black Book-The Style Manual for Successful Men--are no surprise.

The difference is in the detail paid to every single service the Woods deliver. Lynda, Rick, and their son Jordan Wood are the tour de force behind the company, a business founded by Lynda's parents who opened the doors over 55 years ago. Somehow, they manage to strike a delicate balance between a luxury brand (take one look at the packaging the clothing is sent home in and the "welcome kit" clients receive when engaging their services, and you'll see there's no better word fit to describe them) and a family business, providing the style-obsessed of Chicago a trusted resource for all the most important events in their lives. The Woods don't just care about the bottom line, they care about the lives and the experience of their clients, treating them like family and never settling for less than the best.

Discovering the Davis Imperial name is like learning a vocabulary word you never knew before--once you hear it, suddenly it's everywhere. The influence of the brand and the family infiltrates the city's fashion and bridal world, and the stories aren't just about clothing care, they offer a peek into the life of a family and of Chicagoans everywhere. Which is why I am so honored to launch this blog that allows everyone to learn firsthand the Davis Imperial difference, and bring exclusive fashion and bridal events, tips, and tricks to readers. Not only that, but Lynda, Rick, and Jordan will be stopping by every Friday for a Q&A session, answering everything and anything you want to know about the world of clothing, weddings, style and fabricare.

Thanks so much for reading! And please, if you have any stories you'd like to share, questions to ask, or topics you'd love to read about, email me at davisimperialblog@gmail.com. To learn more about the Davis Imperial difference, click over to their site.

p.s. Now you can follow Davis Imperial on Twitter and friend them on Facebook for blog, event, and deal updates.