TD Guide to Clothing Care

PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT

You've made a substantial investment in your wardrobe. The more you know, the better off your wardrobe will be.  We've compiled and simplified some of the industry's most salient information. Need replacement buttons or collar stays? See our Help page.

CARE LABELS

Care labels can often be difficult to decode. However, a little symbol knowledge goes a long way.  Our care label is located at the bottom of the shirt's front placket.  Learn more about How to Care for a Shirt in this blog post. 

If you know these symbols . . .

Wash

Bleach

Tumble Dry

Iron

Dry Clean

and these codes . . .

KNITWARE CARE

Thomas Dean uses only 100% Zegna Baruffa extra fine merino wool to create our sweaters.   The result is a soft, close fit, light weight sweater, perfect for layering.

Storage

• Always fold sweaters.  Knitwear shouldn't hang on a hanger. 
• Clean sweaters before storing.  Food stains, perfume and body oils attract moths.
• Fold with sleeves on the inside to maintain shape.  Fasten zippers and buttons to avoid snagging.
• Store sweaters in a cool, dry place to avoid mildew.

Cleaning

• Follow care instructions to protect fibers and finishes.
• Before washing a sweaater, turn it inside out.
• Wash by hand or on the gentlest machine cycle.  Use tepid water and a gentle cleaner.
• Air dry a wet sweater on a clean, dry towel or drying rack at room temperature out of direct sunlight.

Maintenance

• Try to leave 24 hours or more between wearings, so stretched fibers can recover.
• In the event of piling, do not pull the pill off, instead, carefully use a pill-removing device.  We like The Sweater Stone.

How to Iron a Shirt

Thomas Dean uses a unique multi-process finish that strengthens the fabric, keeps it looking fresh all day, and makes our shirts easy to care for and easy to iron. 

If it's been a while since you familiarized yourself with the business end of an iron, read on.  Armed with a good iron and the right information, you can save time and money by taking clothing care into your own hands.

Tips before you start:

 Invest in a good iron and then protect your investment by using room temperature, distilled water to keep mineral deposits from forming. 

• Set your iron to the proper temperature.  Remember those codes - the more dots, the more heat!
• Prep the fabric.  If your shirt's been hanging out in the laundry basket for days, you might want to hit it with a light spray of water before beginning.
• Get steamed!  Turn on the iron's steam function and don't rush things.  Go brush your teeth while you wait! 
• Order is everything.  Iron the shirt in the order below, put it back on the hanger, let it hang out and cool while you put on your cologne.

 Iron a shirt in this order (it really does make a difference):

1. Collar - Face the collar face-down and iron from the outside toward the inside.
2. Cuffs - Iron the cuff from the inside
3. Sleeves - Iron the "inside" starting from mid-sleeve and working toward the top, then toward the cuff.
4. Shoulders
5. Right Shirt Front  - iron over the buttons from the "wrong" side, then flip it over and iron the front.
6. Shirt Back
7. Left Shirt Front  - finish with the button placket.

 If you prefer a visual, we like this video.