Preserve Your Gown and the Planet

BY SALLY LORENSEN CONANT

What if you could ensure the beauty of your wedding gown and help safeguard our planet’s beauty, too?

The Association of Wedding Gown Specialists has established a ReforestationFund that will help support the Arbor Day Foundation, the perfect partner to help make a positive impact in nature and celebrate weddings. For every gown a member of the association preserves, they will plant a tree in a forest of great need.

The Association is proud of its long-time ecofriendly commitment. As president Kyle Matthews of Janet Davis Cleaners in Berkley, Michigan, noted, “Our Association was the first to try to calculate the carbon footprint of cleaning and preserving the wedding gown from travel to and from one of our members to the cleaning of the gown and the manufacture of the wedding chest to preserve the gown. In 2009 we began funding reforestation projects worldwide, and our MuseumCare preservations are unique with regard to our commitment to our environment.”

Established in 1987, the Association, a notfor-profit trade association with members in nine countries, is a network of cleaners who specialize in the meticulous care of wedding gowns, specialty garments, and fabrics. Members share a common vision: to elevate their brands and become the trusted drycleaners in their respective communities. Members also understand the unique challenges and opportunities that come with handling delicate and cherished items such as wedding gowns and other luxury garments and cherished heirlooms.

The Association’s mission is to empower members with the knowledge, resources, and support needed to excel in this specialized field. However, the preservation guarantee is truly an international warranty because each member honors the guarantee of every other member no matter where in the world they may be.

The organization’s trademarked MuseumCare preservations are Endorsed by the Association of Bridal Consultants, the professional organization dedicated to wedding planners and professionals worldwide, and are also recommended by many designers and manufacturers.

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest member nonpro dedicated to planting trees. Together with their members, partners, and programs, they have helped plant more than 500 million trees in neighborhoods, communities, cities, and forests throughout the world.