American Drycleaner - Nov/Dec 2017

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Glow with the Flow

Is that fiber-optic textile for real? Yes, it is. Electronicfabric is happening already, as is biodata clothing. Not if but when it will hit your counter is the question. And will you be ready? Hear from drycleaning owners and fabricare professionals in your industry as they share opinions on the coming of this next big thing, the dawn of “e-fab.”

Tim Burke, Editor

Jeans and a Tee

We go live from the studio today as two fabricare experts express their views about all things casual. “Athleisure” fashion is the new normal, and defining what actually is “casual” is part of the discussion. Hear from Amin Bata, owner of Pepper Square Cleaners in Texas and president of the Southwest Drycleaners Association, and Lorynn Divita, popular speaker at drycleaning shows and associate professor of apparel merchandising at Baylor University, as they talk casually about all things casual in our world!

Tim Burke, Editor

“Business has never been better.”

“The support from CBS was great. Even before we signed up, they were responsive and flexible in their approach. They have helped our team become more efficient.”

“I don’t have to rely on anybody for information. I can see immediately what I have for inventory, orders and accounts receivable.”

Glowing

In the glow of our happy holiday season, the buying of presents and the making of charitable donations, we also pause to remember the challenging moments of 2017, and how much those events tested our will and pulled us closer together as neighbors and citizens in good fellowship to help each other out in so many ways.

Looking back at the challenges Mother Nature threw at us, we had wildfires and hurricanes this year. We were also saddened by tragic events such as in Las Vegas and in too many other places near and far. And some of us experienced the personal loss of friends and family, those we love, gone from us. But we stay strong for their memory, and we will be strong for our children.

Relish the holidays as a time to spread a little joy to the world around you in all sorts of ways, everyday. We have belief in ourselves, our friends and family, our community, and our beautiful country, the United States of America.

Personally, I’m lucky to have gotten to know so many of you in this field of fabricare and to share in stories from your livelihood and your life. You’ve become not only colleagues but friends. And one can ever have enough friends.

The two features in this issue are about smart fabrics and about the casual way we live and dress today. They are stories to make you think about your world, not just for today, but for tomorrow. Also, I’ve slipped in a special little piece you might enjoy, my take on the classic “A Visit from St. Nicholas” tailored for dry cleaning. It’s told with a wink! Hope you like it.

The year is winding to a close. Let me say this: I am awed by the charitable nature of you, and by your humility and the warm, fun-loving attitude you show.

The Clean Show and other shows this year brought me in closer contact with so many of you and I am better for those great and happy moments. You make this magazine exciting. Thank you so very much for reading and for participating!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Holidays to you all, and have a great start to 2018. Be healthy and happy and keep “spreadin’ the clean!” I’ll see you all next year. Keep doin’ what you do oh so well! ADC

American Drycleaner (ISSN 0002-8258) is published monthly except Nov/Dec combined. Subscription prices, payment in advance: U.S., 1 year $46.00; 2 years $92.00. Foreign, 1 year $109.00; 2 years $218.00. Single copies $9.00 for U.S., $18.00 for all other countries. Published by American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER, Send changes of address and form 3579 to American Drycleaner, Subscription Dept., 440 Quadrangle Drive, Suite E, Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Volume 84, number 8. Editorial, executive and advertising offices are at 566 West Lake Street, Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661. Charles Thompson, President and Publisher. American Drycleaner is distributed selectively to: qualified dry cleaning plants and distributors in the United States. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertising for any reason.

© Copyright AMERICAN TRADE MAGAZINES LLC, 2017. Printed in U.S.A. No part of this publication may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher or his representative. American Drycleaner does not endorse, recommend or guarantee any article, product, service or information found within. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of American Drycleaner or its staff. While precautions have been taken to ensure the accuracy of the magazine’s contents at time of publication, neither the editors, publishers nor its agents can accept responsibility for damages or injury which may arise therefrom.

Publisher

Charles Thompson

312-361-1680 cthompson@ATMags.com

Associate Publisher/ National Sales Director

Donald Feinstein 312-361-1682 dfeinstein@ATMags.com

Editorial Director

Bruce Beggs 312-361-1683 bbeggs@ATMags.com

Editor

Tim Burke 312-361-1684 tburke@ATMags.com

Digital Media Director

Nathan Frerichs 312-361-1681 nfrerichs@ATMags.com Production Manager Roger

Tim Burke

Your Curb Appeal

Does your drycleaning store have curb appeal? The most recent American Drycleaner Your Views survey asks the trade audience to tell us the answer to that question.

Two-thirds of respondents consider their storefronts to be eye-catching. Here are some of the individual responses to the survey question, “What is it about your storefront that attracts customers?”

• “It’s bright and cheery with neon hangers hanging from the ceiling and video screens.”

• “Clean store and parking lot; appealing, welcoming and looks professional.”

• “Nothing but the great customer service in it!”

• “We’ve been at the same location for 45 years.”

• “Special built neon logo window sign.”

• “Clean, white building with tan brick accents. Large lighted logo, LED lighted sign in green against white wall. Large glass from floor to ceiling. Cost: $9,000.”

• “Drive-through service!”

• “Clean and modern look. No clutter. We run a video of our operation and services on a constant loop. All front employees are in uniform.”

When asked, “How often do you update your storefront?” the graph shows that 18% do so regularly, 47% occasionally, but 35% either rarely or never.

Fifty-eight percent of survey respondents said that customers notice their store’s curb appeal.

Here are some of the comments that respondents say they receive from customers:

• “I get comments on the counters. They are curved counters, like an elbow shaped with mosaic tile design on the front and the same color yellow of my vehicles on the countertop.”

• “Nicer carpeting, better colors.”

• “They love that our look is exclusive to our company and that they can always find our stores because they always look the same.”

• “None, but wish they did.”

• “They want a drive-thru, but no room or money.”

• “We improved the community when we opened two years ago.”

• “Makes us feel we are entering a special cleaners.”

• “They always comment they feel much more comfortable coming into our store than our competitors. They also say it gives them confidence in our work.”

• “They do say how cool the inside looks. I’ve never heard anything bad about the outside. It’s not dirty or anything, it just needs a face-lift and painting.”

The survey also asked respondents who are planning store improvements to offer some details:

• “New carpet and counters. Drive-thru sliding glass doors.”

• “New counter, POS system, floor and wall refresh.”

•

“Complete remodel of the front at one store.”

• “Next on the to-do list is re-staining the floors.”

• “Nice canvas painting, wall color and lighting fixtures. It’s a little more modern and LED.”

The Your Views survey offers a current snapshot of the trade audience’s views. Qualified subscribers to American Drycleaner e-mails are invited to participate anonymously in the unscientific poll.

Editor

BBiometric shirts, mood dresses, and a lobby-filling bolt of “starry” fiber optic fabric that glows! Here they come: wearable-tech clothes, hitting your counter soon, or maybe even today.

Not yet a full-on commercial reality but getting closer by the month, e-fabric, let’s call it (e-fab for short), is practically here. These clothes have pockets for electronic devices, or further, sensors attached, or the ultimate, wires intertwined. Are drycleaning operators seeing any “electro-duds” yet?

“Yes, I have heard of it,” relates third-generation drycleaning owner Dave Suber, who runs West Los Angeles, Calif.-based Perfect Cleaners, in business since 1924. “We have a few clients that are in the entertainment industry and have brought us some jackets and pants with wiring.

“I think it’s a high-tech gimmick-type clothing, some of the pieces did light up, and one had a smart pocket in the inside breast pocket to connect to the phone,” Suber

says. “What it actually did, I am not sure.”

Cleaning these smart clothing items will take some adjustment by the fabricare industry. Very fine care and hand-spotting will come into play.

Suber points out that these items will need to be inspected closely for wiring and batteries that are sewn into fabric, and a release on all items will be necessary.

“These items,” he relates, “will require special care from a high-end cleaner. Most items will have to be spotcleaned only. We have to be proactive in handling these items, as the manufacturers did not take into account the cleaning process when designing these.”

Smart shirts may someday be advanced enough to sense your mood, and reflect it outwardly in your clothing hues, but these garments won’t be able to talk to you and tell you how to clean them.

But, for instance, wearable tech is being tested and tried by college and pro athletic teams to deliver biodata from a small, pocket-size technology pack (continued)

By Tim Burke,

(Images by LumiGram)

(Image licensed by Ingram Publishing)

carried in the uniforms that players wear.

In one real-world example from an athletic analytics firm in Australia, called Catapult, the Buffalo Bills NFL team had their Dry-Fit Nike shirts made with a pocket in the back to hold the firm’s small device that, in so many words, helps dictate players’ day-to-day workload based on downloadable analytics.

In another example, a firm called LumiGram, a France-based company with the catchphrase “Light For Style,” produces and sells several lines of luminous fiber optic clothes, fabrics and textiles.

transportation and, naturally, sportswear are all mentioned as markets for smart textile technologies, it notes.

Right about now, as you think for a moment about “blinking-blouses” and “techno-trousers” hitting your counter, the words “hand-wash” might be flashing across your own cerebral “network.”

“I think at this point, most is washable since it is mainly in athletic wear,” relates Mary Scalco, CEO of Laurel, Md.-based Drycleaning & Laundry Institute (DLI), an organization which, according to its website, helps “member-professional dry cleaners succeed in the garment care industry.”

“What we have seen has the wiring encased, so cleaning should not be a problem,” Scalco says. “I would think, at some point, we could see devices that measure blood sugar for diabetics, heart rate for heart patients, calorie intake for dieters, etc.

“I would think most of these would have to be worn close to the skin, so they will probably be washable, but for commercial wash I would be concerned about the high temperatures and the alkalinity.”

A day is coming when e-fabric might allow you to place your takeout order with a mere flip of your collar to activate a signal carrying your pre-selected favorite. Clothing may even, someday, with the subtle touch of your pant leg or shirt sleeve, remotely start your coffeemaker, or your car!

E-fab, right now, seems to be only at the edges of our periphery for cleaning. But the potential looms.

Cambridge, UK-based IDTechEx writes in its research report E-Textiles: 2016-2026 that electronic textiles are on the cusp of rapid growth, predicting a $3 billion market within 20 years.

TECHIE-TEXTILES

What might we expect to see on the racks for smart clothing, sooner rather than later?

Then there’s London’s CuteCircuit company, which first brought out in 2002 the HugShirt, a shirt with electronic sensors that can, according to the firm, transmit the feelings of getting a hug to another HugShirt wearer anywhere in the world.

This firm currently produces various lines of glowing apparel and accessories, and has been, over the past several years, a presence at several international wearable technology shows, of which exhibitors and attendees seem to be growing.

For the past 10 years, Quebec-based CTT Group has worked with “technologies that add to textiles,” as its website indicates. Military, fashion, medical, protection,

Enter Ian Noble, owner of Rick’s Cleaners in Austin, Texas, with 16 locations and four plants: “Wearable fabric is on the rise. There are many companies ranging from mega manufacturers to startups that are incorporating ‘smartness’ into our clothing.”

He feels this smart clothing can be used to track “distance, heart rate, calories, play music, as well as many other things and usually transfers data through a Bluetooth connection with your smartphone.”

Noble also thinks that “riding the wave of the increased ability to monitor personal health and connectable devices, the smart wearable technology we already see online, should be somewhat more notice- (continued)

Out-of-the-Norm! Ian Noble, owner of Rick’s Cleaners in Austin, Texas, says this regarding the possibility of seeing smart clothing come across his counter: “It always favors the dry cleaner when the customer brings out-of-the-norm things to our attention.”

(Photo: Rick’s Cleaners)

able on the shelves of our retailers over the coming years.”

His father, Rick, opened the first store in Austin in 1987, and Ian was born the following year.

“I remember the fun memories growing up and spending time in the plant. This business is one that requires being on-site and extremely involved in the day-to-day operations in order to be successful,” he says. “Only later did I find out that’s what drew me to it.”

He took ownership of the company on Jan. 1, 2016, and considers himself a hands-on owner who oversees the daily operations of the business by working in the plants, stores and office daily.

this point,” Noble says.

“Most likely, if a customer brings a wearable tech item to the cleaners, they will be proud to tell us about it. This works to our advantage,” he notes. “It always favors the dry cleaner when the customer brings out-of-the-norm things to our attention.”

The first stop is always the care label. “I can nearly guarantee with 99.9% certainty that all wearable tech garments will be labeled ‘Do Not Dry Clean’ and that most of them will be hand-wash, hang-dry. Wet cleaning or hand-washing should be the only option,” he advises.

“If you do not want to mess with wearable tech, I would make it clear to your staff that, regardless of the label, you will not take it,” he cautions.

The items will often come with high price tags, he points out, and may be more susceptible to damage due to the advanced nature of the garment. This will ultimately put the dry cleaner at risk regardless of signing a release or not.

“As we all know,” Noble says, “having your staff get a signed release from the client is important, but even with fair warning, most of the time it still won’t change the sour feeling clients have toward your business after something becomes damaged.”

He goes on to relate that if you do decide to accept the items at your location or through your route business, “I would hand-wash all items and hang them to dry. I also suggest educating your customers by e-mail marketing or a website ‘FAQ’ so they understand the risks involved.”

When and if e-fab does reach the commercial market, what might be the cleaner’s role actually be?

He indicates to American Drycleaner that whether e-fabric takes off and becomes a staple in fitness and casual merchandise or not, it is important for drycleaning owners to be aware of it and begin to teach staff and inform customers about how it should be handled.

These e-fabs will have electronic threads woven into them. But there can be more to it. Groups such as Nanowerk and others are discussing nanotubes and other edge technologies that will one day make clothing smart, fashionable and comfortable.

How will drycleaning owners handle them?

“Our counter staff has not been trained on this, but they will be. I think we can keep training very simple at

Noble believes that the cleaner’s role will remain very minimal if and when wearable tech becomes common: “The more common items may be fitness-related, and commonly worn items such as polos and jackets may lag,” he relates.

Due to the cleaning restrictions and high price of the items, he believes that most people will do the work themselves at home in cold water and with minimal agitation, followed by hanging the items up to dry.

“This is common practice already for many that clean their fitness apparel at home,” he says. “For female consumers specifically, brands such as Lulu Lemon, Athleta and Nike are already done this way.”

But if it did hit your counter, how would

Smart Cleaning! Ian Noble, owner of Rick’s Cleaners in Austin, Texas, thinks it will be interesting to see how the adaptations of new garments will affect the ability to clean them, and their longevity. (Photo: Rick’s Cleaners)

a care label read on, say, an iridescent, light-up blouse that contains electronics? Only the future will tell.

E-FAB

Lighted garments have been seen on the runways of fashion shows for years. Creative and show-stopping, they have given designers new ways to market. But they’re getting more advanced.

It’s pretty clear e-fabrics are going to be produced not only for their services but for entertaining.

The uses will without a doubt astound us. Humans have a knack for stretching innovations to lengths beyond belief. Why not clothing? Why not mood-driven color changes on your tie or scarf?

“Smart fabrics have been researched and developed to a greater or lesser extent for over a decade, and while it is forecast to make a tremendous impact on the tech, fashion and households industries, to date that expectation has not been realized in the marketplace,” says Nora Nealis, National Cleaners Association (NCA) executive director.

The future of smart fabrics, she mentions, their likely uses and market penetration, was featured in speaker Lorynn Divita’s presentation to fabricare audiences on the topic of fashion trends this year.

“To date,” Nealis points out, “cleaners are seeing a few ‘smart’ garments, usually in ski and outer wear, and mostly designed as a facilitator for other tech gear such as iPods and Fitbit.

“These items generally carry washing instructions, and cleaners need to hone their wetcleaning skills if they are going to be prepared to process them in greater number.”

According to Alan Spielvogel, NCA’s technical director, “the ‘smart’ textile garments NCA has seen in its garment analysis lab have mostly been submitted by members who experienced dye crocking or similar defects, not failure of the tech features.”

NCA reports that it has been closely watching the R&D on smart textiles, especially Google’s Jacquard project and the millions of dollars being granted to institutions like Cornell, MIT and others.

“What these researchers are looking at developing ranges the gamut from permanently clean textiles to health-related monitoring,” says Nealis.

“Whether their dreams will ever be realized is open to

discussion, but it’s a safe bet that in the future, cleaners and launderers will be seeing decorative fabrics and garments that in some way, shape or form incorporate smart tech,” she adds.

Given the unexpected market response to Google Glass, “nothing in mass marketing is certain,” she continues, “but strangely enough, the fabricators NCA has spoken to particularly predict a market for household fabrics that would respond to voice commands and lower lights, increase volumes, activate an alarm, turn on the television, as well as applications in the healthcare industry, textiles and workwear.”

She notes that the NCA doesn’t believe that cleaners will see an onslaught of tech-enabled textiles in the near future, but believes its day will eventually come.

As far as care goes, Nealis points out that the focus of care labels to date has been on laundering or spot cleaning, so again NCA encourages members to become comfortable in enhanced wet cleaning.

“If and when the day comes that smart fabrics permeate the athleisure wear, fashion, decorative and/or household fabrics,” Nealis says, “wet cleaning and laundering are going to play a major role in the professional care.”

ALL LIT UP

Let’s “crystal-ball” e-fab’s future.

Imagine your first time dealing with e-fab: a customer comes to your store in the falling light of evening, glowing all the way to your front door, showing off her latest, most stylishly luminescent coat, slipping (continued)

Wired Up! West Los Angeles-based Perfect Cleaners has clients who bring in clothing with wiring to be cleaned, says owner Dave Suber. (Photo: Perfect Cleaners)

it off, tossing it on your counter and asking you to dryclean it. Can you?

The mass market capability of wearables is really an unknown right now.

Noble believes that “the niche of people interested in this is relatively low enough to keep dry cleaners comfortable for quite some time. We may need to adapt our practices in the future, but it is too soon to fully prepare for it now.”

He thinks it will be interesting to see how the adaptations of new garments will affect the ability to clean them and their longevity.

“Although I’m defined as a millennial by my age, 29, rest assured, there has been zero mention of smart clothing by my friends, family or peers. I believe the focus will be on the advancement of wearable devices and their capabilities before diving all-in on fabrics.”

American Drycleaner caught up with David Cotter, CEO of the Textile Care Allied Trades Association (TCATA), located in Fairfield, N.J. (but moving to Tampa, Fla.), to ask him about these “concept clothes” and where this trend might lead.

“It’s good that we’re looking at this area and seeing what might be coming down the road,” says Cotter. “So that dry cleaners and members of allied trades can begin to think about how they might one day have to care for these technologies.

“We can ask ourselves,” he adds, “how to best position our companies to fit what could be a viable market someday, and how we can best profit from this potential opportunity.”

Could you clean e-fabrics now? Would you rewrite your release form to include smart wear?

“Hah,” you might say. “Never gonna happen.” But wait. Experts are working on it.

Levi’s and Google’s Project Jacquard division have collaborated to produce a new denim coat with touchsensitive electronic wiring embedded into the sleeve so wearers can access their iPhone.

In development for a year, the new Commuter Trucker Jacket, as it’s been called, is due for release anytime now and has a price tag around $350. Video clips have been seen on YouTube since the spring showing a bicycle rider rubbing his shirt cuff to select music playlists or manage phone calls.

Other uses for the clothing-and-technology symbiosis come to mind.

For patients who need regular or even immediate medicine dosages, this tech could one day prove a lifesaver. Think critical care solution during late nights, weekends,

or if the patient is in a locale that a doctor or ambulance can’t reach quickly in an emergency.

And this might only be “the tip of the lapel” for textile technology.

Already, there are specialized LED-lighted safety vests, and there are companies selling lighted clothing lines with names like Emazing Lights and Electric Style.

Aerospace and the Department of Defense use wearable devices in many areas, from soldier-worn systems, to electronic packs worn by astronauts. Vests with connectivity for biofeedback, featuring performancemonitoring technology, are now being adapted for athletes by companies like Zephyr.

Potentially, e-fabrics may not only be functional but entertaining. For instance, one day you might twist your shirt button to auto-dial a phone number. Or gently rub your left shoulder and project your Facebook page onto your sleeve — but maybe that will come to be known as “Bodybook.”

E-fabric connectivity can add a whole new dimension to social media. For instance, might not the wearers themselves become the media platform? Flashing video and messages across their apparel?

We’re obviously in the realm of science fiction. But like the handheld communicator device of the 1960s Star Trek television show that inspired your cell phone, sci-fi to science to mainstream can, and often does, happen.

The day is coming when you’ll be reminded while out at a party not to slap your back pocket too hard, as you might accidentally set off your burglar alarm at home.

When fiber optics and smart clothes cause a noticeable “glow” in retail revenue, wearables will have arrived. And cleaners are sure to be a key part of the new style trend for fabricare. ADC

On the show:

By Tim Burke, Editor

<Fade in: stylish, soft, jazzy intro music.>

Announcer’s voice: “The world is having a love affair with relaxed-fit clothing and a relaxed-fit lifestyle!

Welcome to Jeans and a Tee. Our show today is on fabri care’s view of casual wear.

“Sure, we all still enjoy the special feeling that comes with getting ‘decked out.’ But the casual look is every where, and it might be here to stay. Or is it? Let’s find out. To take us on this journey today, we’ll need a little help.

“Let’s welcome your host for today’s show, American Drycleaner (ADC), who will ask two people from the fabricare industry how they feel about all that is casual: where it’s led us so far, where it’s at currently, and where it might be leading us to. OK, everybody get comfortable, and take it away, ADC!”

ADC: “Thank you, announcer. Hello and welcome everybody. Today, we’re asking two professionals from

fabricare to get comfortable on our ‘virtual couch,’ and share their feelings on casual wear. So let’s get ‘casual’ with them right now and get right to it!

“Meet our first very special guest, Mr. Amin Bata, owner of Pepper Square Cleaners in Dallas, Texas, and president of the Southwest Drycleaners Association (SDA).”

<Loud applause as the guest comes over, takes a seat and gets comfortable on the couch.>

American Drycleaner (ADC): “Hello, Mr. Bata, and welcome to our show today. Can you briefly tell us about yourself, your job, and your company?”

Bata: “Love to. I began in the business working in a package plant in 1985 as a presser and bought my first package plant in 1988. This became Pepper Square Cleaners. Out of my five siblings who went into the cleaning business, I’m the only one left (continued)

We talk casual wear with two from fabricare

(Photo: ©iStockphoto/simonkr)

(Photo: Jon Tyson/Unsplash)

LIFESTYLE GARMENT CARE EMBRACES POSEIDON WET CLEANING; LAUNCHES WASH/DRY/FOLD SERVICES

A new name. A fresh brand. A state-of-the-art plant. Lifestyle Garment Care (formerly Roth Cleaners), in Midland, Mich., is transforming. Paul White, a veteran textile care expert, purchased the business from his father 30 years ago. Since then, he’s witnessed major industry changes; among them the emergence of wet cleaning and its potential in today’s society. “We wanted our business name to represent who we are and what we do,” said White. “We provide ‘Garment Care to fit your Lifestyle’.”

Spurred by enthusiasm to grow wet cleaning revenue, White outfitted a section of the new plant with a mix of Poseidon Textile Care Systems® (Poseidon) softmount wet cleaning machines and dryers. “The technology for wet cleaning has improved so much, we could operate without a dry cleaning machine,” said White. “We always do what we think is professionally best for each garment.”

We can wet clean, dry and finish a suit in one hour. Poseidon allows us to wet clean challenging garments like wool suits and wedding gowns without worry.

Lifestyle Garment Care now processes 80 percent of all incoming garments using the Poseidon wet cleaning machines; the remaining 20 percent is dry cleaned. Programmability makes it possible to wet clean everything from silks, wools and cashmeres to cottons, linens and synthetics.

- Paul White, Owner Lifestyle Cleaners

Poseidon Wet Cleaning Machines offer 20 pre-programmed cycles and up to 79 individually modifiable cycles. All variables are programmable, including water temperature by degree, wash rotation speed and duration, wash rotation combinations, water levels, bath cool-down by degree, and extract speeds up to 400 G-force. Operators

POSEIDON

just load, select a program number and press start. Chemicals are automatically injected, according to White. Items move from wet cleaning into the Poseidon Dryer, and finally, to finishing. The dryer features moisture-sensing technology, drum-rotation control and timed reversing to safely dry virtually any item type, including gowns, coats, dresses and sweaters. “Items come out of the dryer soft and wrinkle free with just enough moisture that the presser doesn’t have to do much with it,” said White. This saves time and energy over traditional dry cleaning. “We can wet clean, dry and finish a suit in one hour,” said White. “Poseidon allows us to wet clean challenging garments like wool suits and wedding gowns without worry. It allows me complete control over my equipment and my destiny.”

Amped about the future, White will soon debut Lifestyle Laundry Care — an offshoot of Lifestyle Garment Care — that caters to area residents looking for wash/dry/fold

services, pickup and delivery.

Operating out of the same location, Lifestyle Laundry Care wash/dry/fold will complement White’s already booming garment care/dry cleaning business, which is the largest in the Great Lakes Bay region. In doing so, Lifestyle Laundry Care will further harness the potential of the company’s Poseidon wet cleaning equipment.

Once launched, White expects wet cleaning revenue to significantly increase current sales volume. In a single shift, his Poseidon equipment has the potential to serve 30 families and process 1,600 pounds of wet cleaned wash/dry/fold laundry per day. Read full story at poseidonwetcleaning.com

poseidonwetcleaning.com 800-482-3400

working in the business. My plant serves retail and deliv ery customers. About half of our business is route, within a 20-mile radius of our plant. My son just started working for me and started college, too. He says he loves the busi ness!”

ADC: “Thank you for sharing, Mr. Bata. Now let’s get to our topic. So generally speaking, how are we defining casual wear in today’s drycleaning world?”

Bata: “Polo shirts, golf shorts, spandex yoga pants for ladies. Jeans with and without holes and tears. The new word in ladies fashion is ‘athleisure,’ which is athletic wear and leisure wear all in one. In men, it’s the Duck Dynasty look.”

ADC: “Give us a glimpse into how you handle casual garments at your operation. Walk us through. Do you launder them? Wet-clean? Dry-clean? Are these faster pieces to do? Is it mostly pickup and delivery?”

Bata: “Predominantly, we wet-clean, although greasy, fatty-stained garments go into the drycleaning machine. Generally, casual garments are faster pieces to process. Source of casual garments is anyone and everyone who doesn’t want to process them at home and has the eco nomic means to use our service.”

ADC: “Talk about how much casual wear business you do. And how does it compare to your drycleaning volume?”

Bata: “Good question and hard to answer accurately unless we get seri ous about counting what is casual and what is formal, or dress, wear. If I had to guess, about one-third is casual with two-thirds still comprising dress wear.”

ADC: “Have you seen growth in this area? And are you going after this busi ness segment more? Doing marketing/ apps/website?”

Bata: “Definitely seems like the casual trend is currently growing, most places you observe. Looking slovenly seems acceptable in more places than not. We have not made any specific efforts in attracting more casual wear but need to start if this trend continues.”

ADC: “Can you tell us about a chal lenge in dealing with casual wear, and also a success story with casual wear?”

Bata: “The challenge has been trying to create more demand for professional cleaning and justifying a dry cleaning price for a garment that is serviceable at home. The value proposition remains the luxury of time rather than necessity and that seems to be the reality of the crowd who patronizes us with casual wear. A success story is that it cycles back to us more frequently, as casual pieces are generally lighter in color.”

ADC: “Would you say casual wear is the way of the future?”

Bata: “I hope it is not the way of the future, for all our sakes. I have to believe that people, in general, will soon wake up to the fact that dressing up, rather than down, has tremendous value.”

ADC: “Well, thank you very much, Mr. Bata, for shar ing your views with our audience today. Now let’s meet our second guest on the show. Here she is, give a special warm welcome to Ms. Lorynn Divita, associate professor of apparel merchandising at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.”

Amin Bata, owner of Pepper Square Cleaners in Dallas, Texas, and president of the Southwest Drycleaners Association (SDA), talks about his cleaners’ handling of leisure wear. (Photo: Amin Bata)

(Photo: ©iStockphoto/tiridifilm)

“Generally, casual garments are faster pieces to process.” — Amin Bata

AN ASSET WORTH OWNING!

BY WAY of GREENEARTH CLEANING

John Patterson worked 20 years to build Complete Cleaners in Trussville, Alabama. And build it he did. From top to bottom. From the inside to the outside. He created a business by paying attention to every detail and by understanding the value of owning an asset that is sustainable over the long term. And because of his vision, he began using GreenEarth exclusively in 2001. Alex Yearout worked in dry cleaning for 10 years and then worked with John, at his side, for two. And thus Alex was able to recognize the value of the asset that John had built. A solid business, with loyal customers and employees, delivering great service. Alex seized the opportunity to buy the business from John in 2014 when the opportunity was presented to him. And Alex is committed to continuing in John’s tradition of maintaining and building an asset worth owning – over the long term.

<Loud applause once again as she comes over, takes a seat and gets comfy on the couch.>

ADC: “Hello, Ms. Divita, we’re glad to have you on our show today. Please, if you would, briefly tell our au dience about yourself and your job.”

Divita: “I am an associate professor of apparel mer chandising at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where I have been a member of the faculty since 2002.

“I have taught all sorts of courses related to apparel: a textile science laboratory, a retail math course, an apparel quality course and others, but my great love has always been fashion forecasting. I’ve taught forecasting for six years and the textbook I co-authored, Fashion Forecast ing, 4th edition, came out in 2015. Forecasting changes so fast that I’m getting ready to start revising the book, but the constant change is what makes it fun.”

ADC: “So, how are we defining casual wear in today’s world?”

Divita: “The definition of casual wear is changing rapidly for consumers. When Levi’s launched its Dockers line in 1992, they really created the casual business wear category and at the time, casual wear meant a more relaxed alternative to suits, but still tailored.

“More recently, with the rapid rise in popular ity of the athleisure category, consumers have redrawn the line in the sand to now include items like jeans and T-shirts, which previous ly would have been con sidered too informal to be considered casual wear.

At the university where I’m a faculty member, in some departments, the professors wear jeans to teach and no one thinks anything of it, while fac ulty in other departments still wear more traditional work attire.

“Instead of cotton pique knit polo shirts, some men wear polo

shirts made from performance fabrics such as Dri-Weave and other fabrics used in athleisure wear with their khakis and no one questions their professionalism. My students tell me that they ‘feel so dressed up’ when they wear jeans, which is a real shift in mindset.

“For our purposes, I’d describe casual wear as the vast area between semi-formal wear and athleisure, which leaves a lot of room for interpretation to be sure! The fact that this is so subjective does cause a lot of confusion for consumers when trying to determine what attire is appro priate for an event.”

ADC: “Talk about how much casual wear volume there is being cleaned today compared to dry-cleaned garments.”

Divita: “This changing definition of casual wear and its increased acceptability in all kinds of social and pro fessional situations means that the category itself is bigger than ever before, so it is going to represent a larger por tion of items which require cleaning.

“Changes in consumer tastes and innovations in techni cal and performance fabrics have made it possible that a consumer could have an entire wardrobe

Lorynn Divita, associate professor of apparel merchandising at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, shares her views on today’s casual wear and fabricare. (Photo: Lorynn Divita)

“For our purposes, I’d describe casual wear as the vast area between semi-formal wear and athleisure...”

— Lorynn Divita

(Photo: ©iStockphoto/tiridifilm)

that does not contain any items that are labeled ‘Dry clean only’ except for formal attire.”

ADC: “In your opinion, are drycleaning operations going after this growing business segment more? Doing enough with their marketing, apps and websites?”

Divita: “Many young people today value experiences over owning a lot of things, so having the free time to do things is the most valuable commodity to them, and they are very willing to outsource jobs they don’t like. The New York Times ran a story in July that was titled Want to Be Happy? Buy More Takeout and Hire a Maid, and I know many young people who agree with that sentiment.

“Fabricare fits this need perfectly, it is one of the original outsourced chores! But I don’t think that dry cleaning has succeeded in getting young people to view their services in the same way they would view takeout or a maid, and that is where they need to extend their efforts.

“My students have told me they have never gone in a dry cleaner’s storefront because they ‘don’t know what to do’ — they are intimidated by the idea of going in to a storefront and aren’t aware that dry cleaners also launder and press clothing. When I tell them they do that, they think it sounds pretty great!

“Dry cleaners need to work to remove any barrier to someone using their service, so offering pickup/drop off services, text or app pickup requests, and other services are going to become a necessity.

“The fact that you can drop off dirty laundry and pick up washed, dried and folded is the message that needs to go out to the younger consumer, and they already get too many e-mails and don’t read most of them, so the message is going to have to be through apps and Instagram and Snapchat and staying on top of any changes in the social media consumers are using.”

ADC: “You must see a lot in the fabricare world. Can you relate what challenges dry cleaners face in dealing with casual wear, and also where their successes are?”

Divita: “Because of the influx of cheap clothing imports, fabricare now seems like it is more expensive relative to the purchase price of the clothing, which is tough for dry cleaners because none of their costs have gone down.

“I think the dry cleaners that will have the most success are those that emphasize the diversity of services they offer — by promoting wet laundering services as a

way to get new customers looking for convenience and outsourcing of a chore they don’t want to do, and then by educating them of the benefits of dry cleaning to convert them to users.”

ADC: “Would you call casual wear the way of the future? And how might that directly affect all in fabricare?”

Divita: “A small but highly engaged group of consumers is starting to demand transparency in how and where their clothing is made, and embrace the idea of paying more for items that provide a strong value. Interestingly, a lot of these companies are based in San Francisco, brands like Everlane and Cuyana that show all of the steps made in the production process.

“This increased connection to our clothing will hopefully extend to care, because if a consumer purchases a product with the idea it is something they will have for a long time, they’ll be compelled to take care of it in the best way, and that is where dry cleaners can make an impression.”

ADC: “As we wrap up today’s chat, any last thoughts to share on this topic?”

Divita: “I always tell my students, ‘Just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.’ While I know some people don’t like just how casual our society has become, they can’t afford to look away or deny that this is how the majority of people dress now, and that is exactly who we want to target, the majority.”

ADC: “That’s it for us here today on the show. We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into our casual-wear world featuring two voices from fabricare. To our two guests, thank you very much for sharing. And to our audience, we remind you that this is a good moment to pause and look over your current casual-wear business for new marketing ideas and growth opportunities. Thanks to all for being with us today.”

<Loud applause as the guests and the host stand and, smiling, shake hands.>

Announcer’s voice: “This is your announcer saying thank you for joining us on Jeans and a Tee.”

<Stylish, soft, jazzy outro music... fade out> ADC

(Photo: Jon Tyson/Unsplash)

“A good moment to pause and look over your own casual wear business.”

China: ‘Open for Business’

Texcare

Asia vibe: Companies eye expansion to newly welcoming region

Photos and words by Tim Burke, Editor

Peace!

American Drycleaner,

Flashing the peace sign is a way to say hello in a newly welcoming China as two smiling young exhibitors from a local company greet American Drycleaner Editor Tim Burke at Texcare Asia 2017 in Shanghai. The show featured exhibitors such as Firbimatic, Colmac, Forenta, Jensen, Millennium, and more.

Show Faces! Albert Lee (left), owner, J’s Cleaning, from New York was “impressed with the growth” of Texcare Asia. Also pictured is Roman Prado, president of Unisec. The region’s burgeoning business and China’s welcome mat to international companies wanting to open plants and/or expand operations couldn’t have been more apparent.

Local Flavor! Someone who does business in China, Joe Kaminsky (center), GM at Hialeah, Fla.-based Everstrong, chats with Associate Publisher and National Sales Director Don Feinstein (left) and American Drycleaner Editor Tim Burke at his company’s Texcare Asia booth. Says Kaminsky: “China is probably the most capitalistic country in the world.” His company makes bags, towels, linens, carts and more at plants worldwide. The longtime veteran of doing business in China notes, “You don’t need a trading partner here to do business.”

Glitter-Up! The well-lit skyline of Shanghai, China, rises into the night and makes a great photo from “The Bund,” a bustling and friendly “strand” type walkway along the Huangpu River. China looks open for business, a message exemplified by the busy, productive Texcare Asia show staged here at the end of September.

Open for Business! This “Retoucherie” (means dry cleaner), in the Shanghai Pudong district, is a good representation of clean, tidy, welcoming China. Locals may not know the English language but they make up for it with smiling faces and polite attitudes toward all. Exhibitors at Texcare Asia confirmed the message that show organizers Messe Frankfurt and the China Light Industry Machinery Association put out: China is arriving on the international scene and welcomes business.

Walk Like a Star

They say much is accomplished with a forceful personality. Look at our WW2-era President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who in his first year pushed through 200 significant pieces of legislation.

Which brings me to my focus on how to prepare for and comport yourself at your next business meeting. Put another way, demeanor and bearing can make a difference.

Let’s consider a meeting with a landlord in which you are negotiating a 10-year lease for a new drop store location. Compare these two approaches:

In the first approach, the prospective tenant walks into the meeting adjusting his tie while trying to carry a coffee container. He sits down, and begins to spread out his notes. The two individuals, tenant and landlord, begin to talk out their negotiation.

As each issue comes up, the tenant ruffles through his papers to find the necessary documents. Frequently, he

gulps down coffee. One time he reaches for the coffee, and it spills onto several laid-out papers. The landlord has to retrieve paper towels to wipe up the mess. They go on with their talks.

The landlord states his demands. The tenant talks about a few of them. The landlord barks back. The tenant loses his head and begins to yell about unfairness. Finally, the landlord reiterates his demands. The tenant, sensing the landlord’s iron will, capitulates and the two make a deal.

Unfortunately, the deal favors the landlord. Perhaps that’s because of the tenant’s perceived weakness. Dare we say lack of character?

As you know, in human interactions, perspective is everything.

In the second approach, the prospective tenant walks in dressed in neat, casual clothes, carrying a package of material. He sits, organizes his material into five file folders, and looks up, shaking hands with the landlord. The landlord presents his case, finishing with his demands.

The tenant calmly responds, stating what

Howard Scott

(Photo by Mike Wilson/Unsplash)

he needs. The two men argue back and forth. The tenant pauses for a full minute. The landlord continues talking. Both parties mark off a few things on their documents. The landlord stands to go.

The tenant asks him to sit. They talk some more. The prospect says: “Look, we’ve both made compromises, but this last point, please give it to me. If you do, we have a deal. Most important, I will be an excellent tenant for years to come.”

The landlord starts to rise, but sits and puts his head down. “All right, I agree,” he responds. An agreement is reached. The two men shake hands and walk out.

In each negotiation, which party obtains the better deal?

Who commands the encounter? Who is the stronger party? Who does the manipulating? Which approach is yours?

Here are pointers for conducting meetings:

Don’t walk in holding coffee. It’s a distraction. It’s unnecessary. It reduces the nexus of power. Interestingly, bringing coffee into meetings has become a totemic gesture, saying, in my opinion, “Hey, we’re friends, we can do this without much fuss. You don’t want a battle, do you?” Better to come from strength than hoped-for friendship.

Don’t wear a suit. I know — wearing a suit is what company presidents and corporate CEOs doff to conduct business. But you’re not the president. Besides, suits add a layer of formality/pretension that detracts from honest negotiating. Be yourself. Come in wearing neat, groomed casual wear. Be cool in your costume so that your “personhood” has maximum force. Be organized. That means you must plan ahead. Work on your presentation several days before the meeting and the night before, organize your paperwork (what you are

bringing) so that access is easy.

Consider what you want from the meeting. For example, you want to pay no more than $2,500 a month for the premises and want a long lease — at least 10 years. This is the minimum lease arrangement that you will accept.

Also, figure out where you can compromise, what you might sacrifice in order to get something else. Such as: you will agree to a rental increase escalation clause if property taxes increase more than 4% a year over a period of three years.

Evolve a strategy that will allow you to bridge the compromise, in order to move on.

Consider what proof you will need to bolster your points, such as an excellent credit record and 30 years in business.

M EETING TI PS

Early in the meeting, make your case. Cite your business history,

American Drycleaner,

Be a tough, but not belligerent, negotiator.

your credit rating, your recent success, your community involvement, the firm’s value to area retailers. For instance, point out that, as a dry cleaner, you provide a most-needed service to all residents in the marketing area.

Be quiet. Let others speak. Answer their points with brief answers. Keep your own counsel. Stare intently at the landlord. Main tain a tightly wound posture.

That is, come off controlled, focused, and imperturbable. Concentrate on your goals. In fact, have a sheet in front of you with your goals printed out, in bullet (•) points, in order of decreasing importance.

Strategize. As the landlord talks, mentally formulate a strategy to better the offer. For example, the landlord wants $5,000 a month rent, you want to pay no more than $4,500. It might go as follows:

“As I said at the beginning of this conversation, I will not pay any more than $4,500 rent. So let’s see if we can make a deal.

“You offer a 12-year lease at $5,000 a month. How about this? I pay $4,500 per month for four years, then $4,900 per month for four years, then $5,300 per month for four years. Over the 12 years, you collect $706,000. This breaks down to $4,903 a month.

“So I get my $4,500 per month, at least to start. You get just about $5,000 a month. And because I’m willing to do what you want, you are willing to give me a tiny break of under $100 reduction a month.”

What this offer shows is that both sides can compromise. But you’re doing it by restructuring his offer, so that it works for both parties. Both get some of what they want.

Pause before making major decisions. Pausing puts a sort of mental pressure on the landlord and shows that you’re not in a hurry to wrap up the negotiation. Often, the

landlord interprets your silence as hesitation, and might be inclined to better the offer. Effective pausing unhinges negotiators.

If there is no agreement, end the discussion and ponder the negotiation overnight. The delay might get the landlord to “up” the offer. It also gives you time to think up some oth er combination — rental price, length of lease, terms of lease, remodeling

to craft an agreement. Come back the next day with that counteroffer.

Be a tough, but not belligerent, negotiator. It’s an occasional job that affects the bottom line for years. ADC Howard Scott is a former business owner, longtime industry writer and drycleaning consultant. He can be reached by writing him at Danc ing Hill, Pembroke, MA 02359, by calling 781-293-9027, or via e-mail at

’Twas the Night Before Christmas and all thru the shop, Not a tailor was working, not even a mop. The clothes were all hung on the racking with care, In hopes that kiosk customers soon would be there;

The garments were nestled all snug in their wraps, while visions of clean shirts danc’d in our caps, And Mama in her ’kerchief, and I in pressed pants, Had just planned our store’s party with a nice winter’s dance—

When out on the drive-up there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the office to see what was the matter. To the drive-thru window I flew like a fiend, Moved open the sliding door, and threw up the screen.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and call’d them by name.

“Now Washers! Now Dryers! Now Pressing and Cleaning, I have a Red Coat, Cap and Pants that need to be gleaming! To the dirt on his collar! To the dirt on his hat! Now wash away! Wash away! Wash away all that!”

Our machines—how they hummed! Our finishers, how merry, His clothes cleaned like roses, smelling fresh like a cherry; Our tight little shop cleaned all his garments with a bow, While he watched from the counter, so happy right now.

We spoke not a word, but went straight to our work, And cleaned all his stockings, then turn’d with a jerk, We handed him back all the raiments folded and clean, And giving a nod, he heartily approved of our scene.

He sprung to his car, to our team gave a wave, And thanks we all smiled, his clothes we did save: But I heard him exclaim, ’ere he drove his machine— “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good clean!” ADC

Adapted by Tim Burke, December 2016, from the famous poem.

(Photo: Unknown, but he left little footprints in the snow!)

Drycleaner,

Get to Know....

Nick Chapleau

Owner, Starchup

Tell us where you were born, grew up, and reside today.

“I was born in South Bend, Ind., where I grew up. I live in Chicago now.”

Hobbies (that you’ll admit to)?

“I’m more of an aspiring hobbyist. I like to golf, play guitar, and read, but between running a company and caring for my wife and newborn twin girls, it’s hard to find time!”

What gets you excited at work?

“My favorite part about work is

solving problems. I spend my day solving problems for customers, employees, and partners, and I love it.”

Lastly, tell us a secret (keep it clean) nobody knows about you.

“My go-to karaoke song is The Best is Yet to Come by Frank Sinatra.”

ADC

(Readers: Do you want to take part, or know someone who does? E-mail tburke@atmags.com.)

Nick Chapleau

New solvent arrives in U.S.

SENSENETM is a new cleaning solution developed by Dusseldorf, Germany-based SAFECHEM and Dow for textile cleaning based on modified alcohols.

Currently, five machines are running the solvent in the U.S., more than 100 Columbia/ILSA machines are in operation with the product, and Seitz was named as North American distributor, SAFECHEM says.

According to the company, the solvent “convinces all senses with its performance, pleasant smell, and touch of textiles, cleaning in a gentle way.”

“Today with five machines in operation with SENSENE in the U.S., I am enthusiastic about this new solvent,” says Stephen Langiulli, president, Columbia/ILSA.

ILSA (Columbia’s parent company) has been the initial machine manufacturer cooperating with SAFECHEM to test the solvent. It was introduced to the North America market at the Clean Show in Las Vegas in June.

The first U.S. cleaner running the solvent is Clio, Mich.-based Jan’s Professional Dry Cleaners, and owner Jan Barlow says, “I have high expectations of what SENSENE modified alcohol can be for dry cleaners.”

www.safechem.com | +49 211 4389-300 (or) www.seitz24.com/en | 813-886-2700

T wo R otarians, 85 years, work to do

The Zengeler family of Illinois just reached another milestone with its support of Rotary International: the two Zengeler leaders have been active Rotarians for 85 years combined, the company notes.

Bob Zengeler, the former president of Zengeler Clean ers, became a charter member of Libertyville (Ill.) Ro tary 55 years ago. Tom Zengeler, Bob’s son and the current president, is a charter member of Libertyville Rotary — Sunrise. That chapter was formed in 1987, giving Tom 30 years of service.

“One of the hallmarks of Rotary is that they continu ously look for new ways to improve the well-being of people throughout the world,” he says.

“One high-profile example was their (continued)

Tom Zengeler (left), president, Zengeler Cleaners, and his father, Bob Zengeler (former president), have combined to log 85 years of Rotary Interna tional service. (Photo: Zengeler Cleaners)

leadership in the fight to eradicate polio worldwide,” he points out. “A three-decades long battle that has brought the world closer and closer to eradicating this debilitat ing disease.”

That effort recently received a giant boost, Zengeler notes.

“Going forward, the Gates Foundation will match two-to-one, up to $35 million per year, every dollar Ro tary commits to reduce the funding shortfall for polio eradication through 2018,” says Jeff Raikes, the foun dation’s chief executive officer.

The joint effort, called “End Polio Now — Make History Today,” comes during a critical phase for the “Global Polio Eradication Initiative.” The estimated cost of the initiative’s 2013-18 is $5.5 billion, Zengeler writes.

If polio is allowed to rebound, within a decade, more than 200,000 children worldwide could be paralyzed every year, according to Zengeler.

‘Made I n Green’ for kids’ clothing

These days, parents are not just concerned about quality and price when buying children’s clothing, reports OEKO-TEX®, which according to its website is a world wide, independent, testing and certifica tion system for raw, semi-finished, and finished textile prod ucts.

(Image provided by OEKO-TEX® with the permission of Rebecca Nelson/Getty Images)

It notes further that: “They also want to have the good feeling that their purchase decision was right with regards to sustainability.”

The “Made In Green” label by OEKO-TEX, it writes, “creates clarity with this: Labeled articles are harmless to health and sustainably produced,” according to its guidelines.

To simplify the selection of Made In Green labeledproducts for retailers and companies, the company says it offers through its website its Buying Guide free of charge.

Leonard hires Curtis

Leonard Automatics welcomes Jesse Curtis to the team as a design engineer, the firm re ports.

Curtis’ responsibilities include new product development design for the company.

look at engineering challenges.”

In addition, the company notes, “Jesse understands quality and process control. Jesse graduated with a bach elor of science degree in mechanical engineering from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.”

Next four Clean Shows to visit familiar venues

New Orleans, Atlanta, Orlando and Las Vegas—those are the locations of the next four Clean Shows as se lected by the event’s Executive Committee, reports show management company Riddle & Associates.

Morial Convention Center in New Orleans will be the site of Clean 2019, as announced during Clean 2017 in Las Vegas. That show will take place June 20-23, 2019.

Leonard Vice President Jay Frushtick says, on the hiring of Curtis, “We’re excited to have Jes se join our team. As a recent engi neering graduate, he brings a fresh

In addition, the Executive Committee announced the dates and locations through 2025, including: June 10-13, 2021, at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center; May 18-21, 2023, at the Orange County Con vention Center, Orlando, Fla., which previously hosted the Clean Show in 1999 and 2005; and June 9-12, 2025, at the Las Vegas Convention Center for the sev enth time.

ADC Jesse Curtis

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Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake St., Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661-1410 Cook County. Contact Person: Charles Thompson, 312-361-1700. 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake St., Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661-1410 Cook County. 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Charles Thompson, American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake St., Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661-1410 Cook County. Editor: Tim Burke, American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake St., Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661-1410 Cook County. Managing Editor: Bruce Beggs, American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake St., Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661-1410 Cook County. 10. Owner: American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake St., Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661-1410 Cook County. Charles Thompson, American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake St., Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661-1410 Cook County. Bruce Beggs, American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake St., Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661-1410 Cook County. Donald Feinstein, American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake St., Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661-1410 Cook County. Nathan Frerichs, American Trade Magazines LLC, 566 West Lake St., Suite 420, Chicago, IL 60661-1410 Cook County. Suhler Family Investment Office LLC, 200 Long Neck Point Rd., Darien, CT 06820 Fairfield County. 13. Publication Title: AMERICAN DRYCLEANER. 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September 2017. 15. Extent and Nature of circulation: (average number of copies each issue dur ing proceeding 12 months=”X”) (Number copies of single issue published nearest to filing date = Y”) (a) Total Number of Copies (Net press run): X=18,417, Y=18,438. b. Legitimate Paid and/or Requested Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail). (1) Outside County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541. (Include direct written request from recipient, telemarketing and Internet requests from recipient, paid subscriptions includ ing nominal rate subscriptions, employer requests, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies.) X= 11,754, Y=11,904. (2) In-County Paid/Requested Mail Subscriptions stated on PS Form

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Her Escort’s a Dummy

10 YEARS AGO. Oil prices are soaring as winter weather blows in. Crude oil for November delivery breached the $90 per barrel mark in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange — the highest since futures were introduced in 1983. The threat of a Turkish attack on Iraqi Kurds is also pushing crude prices up. Traders worry that an escalation in the cross-border conflict will cut oil supplies from Iraq, holder of the world’s thirdlargest reserves.

35 YEARS AGO. You think co-op promotions between cleaners and grocery stores are far-out? An auto dealer and a dental clinic promote each other in a town in Ohio. Persons who test-drive a car can get their teeth cleaned free — right in the auto showroom. … According to preliminary findings of a recent survey of dry cleaners in the Houston area, 56% now use perc rather than petroleum-based solvent. Houston is deep in the heart of Texas oil country, where petroleum solvents have long been favored, but current cost factors and fire ordinances evidently influenced the shift, according to the Greater Houston Cleaners and Laundries Assn. … According to a recent survey by Research and Forecasts Inc. of New York, about 60% of the public wants more environmental cleanup even if it means companies have to charge more for their services; 55% support pollution standards even if it means some factories have to shut down; and 70% believe that government regulations of business usually does more harm than good.

50 YEARS AGO. Her Escort’s a Dummy. An inflatable man-sized, man-like figure, which sells for about $5, is now available in stores to accompany women driving home at night. … Do you have trouble talking your workers into taking their vacations? Probably not. But how about your supervisors? Your department heads? Your managers? Or yourself? One employee in six skips his vacation, a recent study shows. Many of these non-vacationers are executives who are literally addicted to work, the poll, taken by Northwestern

National Life Insurance Co. in Minneapolis, reveals. Some are overly conscientious and feel guilty about taking time off. Others actually prefer to work; they don’t know what to do with leisure time. Still others have no choice; they’re ordered to “put off” their vacation because of a heavy workload.

75 YEARS AGO. Wartime Spotting Course! The National Association Institute will offer four-week courses, instructing solely in the practical phases of spotting, wet cleaning, and dry cleaning. The present 12-week general course is an ideal one for normal times because it includes both the technical and practical phases of every department of drycleaning plant practice. But these are not normal times, and the special four-week wartime spotting courses will emphasize the department which seems to be giving the greatest difficulty — spotting. The special students will spend most of their time in the spotting and wetcleaning departments. They will have enough drycleaning instruction to give them the important tie-up between the two departments. … Capt. S.N. “Smitty” Abrams has been assigned to the Air Transport Command training center at Las Vegas, N.M. … Since 1941, the number of licensed plants in California has dropped from 1,164 to 820, according to the secretary of the California Drycleaning Association.

— Compiled by Tim Burke, Editor

To read more of American Drycleaner’s chronicling of the industry over the years, visit www. americandrycleaner.com.

December 1967

Save Space Without Compromising Quality or Value

When you’re looking for a boiler to fill your steam or hot water needs watch out for a “Big Foot.”That’s right! Big Foot is lurking out there, but not at Parker Boiler. Parker Boil er makes a line of small watertube boilers designed specifically for reduced floor space Even though the square footage that a “Big Foot”boiler may occupy is sometimes less; when consideration is given to manufacturer’s required clearance for maintenance and service, the Parker Boiler footprint will consume significantly less floor space. When a power burner is installed on the top of a vertical boiler, at least 11 feet of clearance may be required for removal and service of the burner and pressure vessel. We don’t know how many buildings have 11 feet of clear space above the boiler, but we do know that Parker Boilers require much less space than the “Big Foot” recommended clearance*. That adds plenty of room for your feed system, air compressor, chemical feeder, water softener, and air vacuum. So if you need a dependable, quality boiler, foruse in smaller spaces, just call your local Parker Boiler representative today.

When you’re looking for a boiler to fill your steam or hot water needs watch out for a “Big Foot.”That’s right! Big Foot is lurking out there, but not at Parker Boiler. Parker Boil er makes a line of small watertube boilers designed specifically for reduced floor space Even though the square footage that a “Big Foot”boiler may occupy is sometimes less; when consideration is given to manufacturer’s required clearance for maintenance and service, the Parker Boiler footprint will consume significantly less floor space. When a power burner is installed on the top of a vertical boiler, at least 11 feet of clearance may be required for removal and service of the burner and pressure vessel. We don’t know how many buildings have 11 feet of clear space above the boiler, but we do know that Parker Boilers require much less space than the “Big Foot” recommended clearance*. That adds plenty of room for your feed system, air compressor, chemical feeder, water softener, and air vacuum. So if you need a dependable, quality boiler, foruse in smaller spaces, just call your local Parker Boiler representative today.

DETAIL: Compare Clearance

DETAIL: Compare Clearance Requirements:

For Parker Boiler and a Typical “Big Foot” boiler in a standard 9’x10’

For Parker Boiler and a Typical “Big Foot” boiler in a standard 9’x10’ boiler room. Boiler, Blow-Off Tank, Chemical Feeder, Floor Sink, Water Heater, Air Compressor, Air Vacuum, Boiler Feed System & Water Softener

5930 Bandini Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90040 Tel: 323-727-9800 www.parkerboiler.com sales@parkerboiler.com

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