Fabricare2015.05-06

May/June 2015

THE MAGAZINE OF THE DRYCLEANING & LAUNDRY INSTITUTE

Why Your Business
Should Be On Social Media

Sending Marketing E-mails
Fight Stains with DLI’s New App
Dresses & Skirts Production Poster



25 Vol. 47 | Issue No. 3

CONTENTS 18 2D0&rleySpsrosdkeucitsiornts

COVER FOCUS 22 37
12 Is Your Business on Social Media?
FEATURES DEPARTMENTS
6 Annual Membership Meeting Invitation 5 From the President
14 Go Silver! 6 What’s Happening
15 DLI App Delivers Powerful Information 8 Recent Graduates
22 Industry Innovators
in Convenient Package
20 Dresses & Skirts Production Standards Poster TECHNICAL BULLETINS
38 Laundry as Art: Revolutions by Yvette Meltzer 25 How to Send Marketing E-mails

Industry Focus – No. 7
29 Exempt or Nonexempt Employees? -

That is the Question
Legislative & Regulatory - No. 31
31 Manchas de Azúcar Caramelizada en Lana
Fabrics & Fashions No. 558 (Spanish)
33 Damage to Stencil Prints
TABS - No. 453 (English, Spanish)
35 Color Loss in Wet Cleaning/Washing
TABS - No. 454 (English, Spanish)
37 Kay Unger Jacket
Not in Vogue - No. 111

MAY/JUNE 2015 3

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Gary Maloney – District Four – Director STAFF
Nu Yale Glacier Cleaners (812) 285-7400
Allan P. Johnson, III – President 600 E. Hwy 62, Jeffersonville, IN 47130 Publisher
Peerless Cleaners (361) 887-0005 [email protected] Mary Scalco | [email protected]
3434 South Staples St, Director of Communications
Corpus Christi, TX 78411 Michael McKernan – District Five – Director Harry A. Kimmel III | [email protected]
[email protected] NuTrend Cleaners (402) 734-4620 Designer
3144 North 84th St, Omaha, NE 68134 Kathy Guido | [email protected]
Greg Myers – President-Elect [email protected]
Southside Cleaners (863) 688-4747 Fabricare Vol. 47, No. 3 (ISSN 1084-6778)
901 South Florida Ave, Lakeland, FL 33803 Michael Nesbit - District Six - Director is published bi-monthly by the Drycleaning &
[email protected] MW Cleaners (281) 320-9807 Laundry Institute at 14700 Sweitzer Lane,
230 Spring Hill Dr, Suite 325, Laurel, MD 20707. (301) 622-1900.
Dave Beatty, CPD® – Treasurer Spring, TX 77386 | [email protected] All rights reserved.
Murrysville Cleaners (724) 327-6400 © 2015 Drycleaning & Laundry Institute.
3945 Old William Penn Hwy, Brad Ewing CED® – District Seven – Director Written permission is required to reprint
Murrysville, PA 15668 | [email protected] Nu Way Cleaners (970) 336-8883 articles from this publication.
P.O. Box 336952, Greeley, CO 80633 The subscription price for Fabricare and
David Machesney – Chair [email protected] The Journal of Drycleaning & Laundry Institute
Pratt Abbott Cleaners (207) 854-5405 is $65 a year to DLI members only. Periodicals
2 Eisenhower Dr, Westbrook, ME 04092 David Suber – District Eight – Director postage paid at Laurel, MD, and at additional
[email protected] Perfect Cleaners (310) 470-0330 mailing offices.
10531 West Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
John Dallas – District One – Director [email protected] POSTMASTER:
Fabricare House Cleaners (781) 337-4495 Send address changes to Fabricare,
32 Pond St, Norwell, MA 02061 Fred Schwarzmann – Allied Trades Director 14700 Sweitzer Lane, Laurel, MD 20707
[email protected] A. L. Wilson Chemical Co. (800) 526-1188 14700 Sweitzer Lane
P.O. Box 207, Kearny, NJ 07032 Laurel, Maryland 20707
Martin Young - District Two - Director [email protected] (301) 622-1900 | Fax: (240) 295-4200
Young’s Cleaners (704) 786-3011 http://www.dlionline.org
340 Church St, Concord, NC 28025 Mary Scalco – CEO & Corporate Secretary
[email protected] Drycleaning & Laundry Institute ADVERTISING INDEX
14700 Sweitzer Ln, Laurel, MD 20707
Leland Waite – District Three – Director [email protected] IWA Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Waite’s Cleaners (251) 473-4984 EZ Products International . . . . . . . . . 6
P.O. Box 7187, Mobile, AL 36670 Eco Solv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
[email protected] TransFirst . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
EZ Timers Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . 17
DLI DISTRICT COMMITTEE MEMBERS A.L. Wilson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Enviroforensics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Richard (Buddy) Gritz, CED® – Jess Culpepper, CGCP® – District Six – DCM
District Two – DCM Culpepper Cleaners Inc. (210) 684-2231 Advertising Information:
Presto Valet of VA Inc. (703) 998-6464 5203 Callaghan Rd, San Antonio, TX 78228 For information on advertising in
1623 Quaker Ln, Alexandria, VA 22302 [email protected] Fabricare or to receive a current media
[email protected] kit or rate card, call 1-800-638-2627.
Bobby Patel - District 8 DCM
Perry Bullard - District Three - DCM Kona Cleaners (949) 646-5110
Fabric Care Center (803) 632-3155 333 E 17th St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627 kona-
P.O. Box 549, Brunson, SC 29911 [email protected]
[email protected]
Joe Blaha - Allied Trades - DCM
Jeff Sitz – District Four – DCM GreenEarth Cleaning (303) 810-3508
City Cleaners (330) 864-9722 51 West 135th St, Kansas City, MO 64145
1608 West Market St, Akron, OH 44313 [email protected]
[email protected]
= Award of Excellence Awardee

What went wrong?

Can you tell what went wrong with this
garment? Find the answer on pg. 35.

4 FABRICARE

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Greg Myers

Don’t be like me!

T hat’s right, don’t be like me. Why? I just consumer brochures, website design, marketing e-mails,
bought two CLEAN show registrations and self-study courses, online training subscriptions, and
four on-site secret shopper evaluations and garment analysis.
charged them on the company credit card. What’s
wrong with that? I forgot, I get two CLEAN registra- If you attended the CLEAN show, I hope you had a
tions and two on-site secret shopper evaluations at no chance to stop by the DLI booth and look at the new
cost because of our DLI dues category. In fact, we got DLI app. The staff has been working very hard to get
registration at the Five Star conference in Cancun, two everything you need from your membership online and
CGCP renewals, and an Award of Excellence renewal at your fingertips. The app is just the next step in that
at no additional cost. We get so many benefits I can’t progression. As always, your opinions count. Let us
remember all of them. know you want and need from membership and we will
do our best to make those things happen. But, be sure
So, whatever DLI dues category you choose, be sure to use the benefits you already have. Don’t be like me.
you know the benefits. Then use them! In fact, go to
DLIonline.org and view the membership category Greg Myers
display. If you are in the Budget or Silver categories, DLI President
check out what you get in the next higher level. There Southside Cleaners, Lakeland, Florida
are a lot of services available at no extra cost for just a
little more in dues money. Services like marketing and

MAY/JUNE 2015 5

WHAT’S HAPPENING

ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
MEETING
This magazine is now available online. Click the top
June 19 at 4:30 p.m. link under Members Only to access the PDF flip book
version of the most current Fabricare. If you would
DLI’s Headquarters like to receive Fabricare in a digital only format,
please email Fran at [email protected].
Laurel, MD

6 FABRICARE

WHAT’S HAPPENING

DLI Presents Diamond Achievement
Award to Don Fawcett

DLI PRESENTED DONALD C. FAWCETT, OWNER OF

DEPENDABLE CLEANERS IN QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS,

WITH THE DIAMOND ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, THE

INSTITUTE’S HIGHEST HONOR, AT THE CLEAN SHOW

IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, THE WORLD’S LARGEST TRADE

CONVENTION FOR PROFESSIONAL DRYCLEANING

ENTREPRENEURS. Fawcett served as DLI’s District 1
Director from 2000-2004, was elected DLI President in
2003-2004 and served a term as Chairman from

2004-2005. Dependable Cleaners employs 230 people

in 16 locations.
DLI’s Diamond Achievement Award recognizes excel-

lence across all aspects of the cleaning industry and has

only been awarded a handful of times in the Institute’s

107-year history. During the past 50 years Fawcett served

as chairman of the Varsity group, the International DLI President Alan P. Johnson III (right) presents Don Fawcett of Dependable
Drycleaners Congress and rose to the rank of Captain in Cleaners with the Diamond Achievement Award, DLI’s top honor at Clean 2015
the U.S. Army and served for two years in Germany. in Atlanta.
Before that he earned an Engineering Management

degree from Norwich University in 1948.

Current DLI President Alan P. Johnson III presented the award April 17 at the convention. Johnson cited

Fawcett’s leadership as an inspiration to the industry as a whole. “Don has always been very encouraging to

newcomers in the industry and has always had time to help colleagues,” Johnson said.
Fawcett stays current his family business but his daughter Christa Hagearty directly oversees daily operations.

Fawcett said this allows more time for him to enjoy his family (including 12 grandchildren) and enjoy maritime

pursuits such as racing and competitive fishing sports.

Show Your Pride in DLI Membership with
Official DLI Swag from Lands’ End

NOW YOU CAN SHARE YOUR PRIDE IN YOU DLI MEMBER-
SHIP WITH YOUR ENTIRE STAFF AND SHOW IT TO YOUR
CUSTOMERS. DLI partnered with Lands’ End to offer their
entire product line with embroidered DLI logos. Simply
visit http://business.landsend.com/store/dli/ and browse
their selection. Click “Apply Logo” to add DLI’s logo to
any item.

Then check out and pay as you would on any other on-
line store. DLI does not receive compensation for this
program. We merely wanted to make the logo available
so members could include the embroidered logo on a
wide variety of shirts, bags or other items.

MAY/JUNE 2015 7

RECENT GRADUATES

INTRODUCTION TO DRYCLEANING / FEBRUARY 23 – 27, 2015, 363rd CLASS * Premier Club ~Scholarship

FRONT ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): Ele Elizabeth Musa, Abuja Nigeria; Sheriece Hurd, Colorado Cleaners, Denver, CO; Maricela Sandoval, Puritan Cleaners, Richmond,
VA; Emmanuel Okpe, Clean Ace Cleaners, Lagos, Nigeria; Miriam Bedoya, Puritan Cleaners; Tina Stevens, Crazy Cleanerz, Cordona, TN; Kimberly Berry, Crown
Cleaners, Red Bluff, CA; Rhonda Mudrich, Murrysville Cleaners, Murrysville, PA; La Fondra Kenney, The Laundry Depot, LLC.; Meridian, MS.

BACK ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): Frank Kindermann, The Dapper Frog Cleaners, Lacey, WA; Brian Johnson; DLI Director of Education & Analysis; Ryan Brinlee, Wilburn,
OK; Jin Oh, Fairfax Cleaners, Centreville, VA; ~ Scott Lloyd, Durham Cleaners & Laundromat, Durham, NC; Brian Watson, Pratt Abbott Cleaners, Westbrook, ME; James
Kenney, The Laundry Depot LLC, Meridian, MS; Steve Melton, The Dapper Frog Cleaners, Lacey, WA; Brandon Maloney, Nu Yale Cleaners, Jeffersonville, IN; Dave
Howard, Tide Cleaners, Olathe, KS; Mike Wilson, Bibbentuckers Cleaners, Dallas, TX.

ADVANCED DRYCLEANING

COURSE / MARCH 2 – 13, 2015,
363rd CLASS

FRONT ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): Jin Oh, Fairfax
Cleaners, Centreville, VA; Ele Elizabeth Musa,
Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, Nigeria; Bobbi L.
Wartke, Imogenes Cleaners, Sheboygan, WI;
Emmanuel Okpe, Clean Ace Cleaners, Lagos,
Nigeria; Tina Stevens, Crazy Cleanerz, Cor-
dova, TN; Kristin Latta, Master Cleaners, Inc.,
Suffolk, VA; Alejandro Sada, International
Vale Investments, Houston, TX.

BACK ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT): Brian Johnson,
DLI Director of Education & Analysis; Kim-
berly Berry, Crown Cleaners, Red Bluff, CA;
Lai Nyok Pek, Pressto Asia SDN BHD, Bangsar
Kuala Lampur; Sian Thomas, US Naval Acad-
emy, Annapolis, MD; Ash Hopper, Wynnum
Brisbane, Australia.

DLI’s General Drycleaning Course combines the Five-Day Introduction to Drycleaning Course and the
Ten-Day Advanced Drycleaning Course. Students gain a solid understanding of nearly all aspects of the
drycleaning industry through a combination of in-class theory and hands-on experience.

FIVE-DAY INTRODUCTION TEN-DAY ADVANCED Or take both together and save
TO DRYCLEANING COURSE DRYCLEANING COURSE
FIFTEEN DAY GENERAL
Next Class: July 13-17 Next Class: July 20-31 DRYCLEANING COURSE

Geared toward individuals new to the This ten day Advanced Drycleaning Next Class: July 13-31
industry or with less than one year of Course is for individuals who have
experience. completed the Introduction Course or Silver, Gold and Premier member cat-
have hands-on production experience egories are eligible for discounts and
and knowledge of basic stain removal free seats. Call DLI’s Education
and finishing techniques. Department for more information or
check www.DLIonline.org for pricing.

8 FABRICARE

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Westbank Dry Cleaning wins
National Honor 2014 YES! Award

WESTBANK DRY CLEANING OF AUSTIN, TEXAS RECEIVED To be eligible for the 2015 YES! Award Carolyn Nankervis (right), president
in the drycleaning industry the following of Marketwise Consulting Group,
THE FIRST YES! AWARD ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18, 2015, AS criteria must be met: Inc. presents the Year in Service
(YES!) Award to William Charnes,
PART OF CLEAN 2015. William Charnes, CEO and Stacey • Minimum of three store locations CEO and Stacey Luster, trainer, of
Luster, trainer accepted the award. • All locations mystery shopped each Austin, Texas-based Westbank Dry
Cleaning at Clean 2015 in Atlanta.
Carolyn Nankervis, president of Marketwise Consult- month in 2015
ing Group, Inc., presented the award. She stated, • In addition to scoring Drop off, Pick
“The YES! Award stands for ‘Year of Exceptional Service.’
Nationally, Westbank Dry Cleaning scored the highest in Up and Cleaning Evaluation the shops
overall customer service and cleaning in 2014.” must include all four metrics of
counter service:
DLI partners with Nankervis’ company to provide – Use of name
mystery shopping services for member companies. – Use of conversation
For more information call 920-735-4970 or e-mail – Asking about spots/stains
[email protected]. – Cross selling
The cleaners with the highest OVERALL
To date, MarketWise Consulting has performed SCORE will be next year’s YES! Winner.
over 32,000 dry cleaning mystery shops across the
United States for over 250 locations representing 50
different cleaners.

MAY/JUNE 2015 9

RECEPTION SPONSORS

The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute and the Textile Care Allied Trades Association
thank the following companies for sponsoring the Clean Show 2015 Member Reception.

PATRON $5,000

SUSTAINING $2,500

A.L. Wilson Chemical Co. Sankosha USA, Inc.

Enviroforensics, Inc. Unipress

Fabritec International Xeros

Kreussler, Inc.

CONTRIBUTOR $1,000

BeCreative360 M & B Hangers

Cleaner’s Supply Memories Gown Preservation

E.J. Thomas and AristoCraft New York Machinery

family of Companies Seitz, The Fresher Company, Inc.

FabriClean Supply Union Drycleaning Products United

Green Garmento Fabricare Supply, Inc.

DONOR $500

American Drycleaner Fabricare Cleaners & Tailors National Clothesline Southside Cleaners
Culpepper Cleaners, Inc. Forenta Nu-Yale Cleaners Stry-Lenkoff
Parker Boiler Co.
Dynamic Equipment Indy Hanger Peerless Cleaners Team Systems, Inc.
& Consulting Katzson Brothers, Inc. Perfect Cleaners Tri-Supply Co.
Laun-Dry Supply Co. RMFA
EzProducts International, Inc. Murrysville Cleaners United Wire Hangers /
F.H. Bonn Company UWH Industries

TEAL = DLI Board Members RED = TCATA Board Members

STAIN REMOVAL TRAINING

IN YOUR HANDS

DOWNLOAD TODAY IN THE APP STORE

MAY/JUNE 2015 11

COVER FOCUS

4 Reasons Your Business
Should Be On Social Media

Networking Online Is Crucial, But It Needs To Be Done Right, CEO says

By Doug Vermeeren

WHEN THEY NEED TO MAKE PERSONAL CONNECTIONS “A lot of that time is spent sharing vacation photos,
debating politics or chatting about everyday events in
WITH THE REST OF HUMANITY, MORE AND MORE their lives.

AMERICANS ARE DOING SO VIA THE INTERNET. “But businesses are missing out if they don’t understand
how powerful online networking is, and how it can help
A 2014 study by the Pew Research Center showed that them connect with potential customers and other
74 percent of adults who go online use a social network- businesses they could form partnerships with.”
ing site, whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or
something else. Vermeeren says there are several reasons business
professionals are making a mistake when they fail to take
“It’s clear that nearly everyone makes an effort advantage of online-networking opportunities.
to connect some way through social media,” says
Doug Vermeeren, CEO of Business Networker • If you are not networking, you are not working.
(www.businessnetworker.com), an online site that Networking itself is nothing new. Business people have
helps small and independent business owners make
professional connections.

12 FABRICARE

COVER FOCUS

always found ways to connect with potential customers could serve as a resource to help businesses identify
and clients, whether by joining organizations, playing a customers, strategic alliances and joint-venture partners.
round of golf or working the tables at a Chamber of
Commerce breakfast, Vermeeren says. “These days, It’s important to
social media is replacing real-world relationships,” he
says. “That can have the downside of removing the understand that not
personal touch, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
A good business-networking site can help you all sites are created But businesses are missing out if they don’t
keep that personal touch in both your online and
live networking.” equal or serve the understand how powerful online network-
• The customer and you. No matter how good the idea
behind your business is, all business transactions still same purposes, Ver- ing is, and how it can help them connect
require two essentials: you and a customer, Vermeeren meeren says. Some with potential customers and other busi-
says. Networking in general helps you identify some of are great for connect- nesses they could form partnerships with.
those customers, but online networking can do so even ing socially. Others
more quickly and efficiently, helping you cast a wider
net than you could by dropping in on a local business- might be good for – Doug Vermeeren
networking function.
• An extra problem solver. The better networked an job recruiting. But
individual is, the more solutions they have access to
in order to solve challenges that affect their businesses, businesses also need
Vermeeren says. It’s the old “two heads are better than
one” concept extrapolated many times over. “Someone to be able to build professional relationships online, and
probably has already dealt with a problem similar to one
you are facing now,” he says. “Being able to draw on have those relationships evolve and eventually turn into
their experience could save you a lot of time, trouble
and money.” mutually beneficial transactions.
• Social media is more than social. In the past, much of
the networking through social media was designed for “Yes, online networking is important,” he says. “But you
connecting on an entertainment or personal level,
Vermeeren says. Some businesses have come to realize also don’t want to waste your time. You need to make sure
what a powerful tool social media can be for them, he
says, but they had to try to adapt to sites that weren’t your online-networking experience is allowing you to
necessarily designed with their goals in mind. That’s
why Vermeeren saw the need for a networking site that build strong relationships with other business owners to

help make your business grow.”

About Doug Vermeeren
Doug Vermeeren is an internationally renowned public

speaker, author, movie producer and director. His life
coaching strategies help those from all walks of life, with
clients including business executives, celebrities, profes-
sional athletes and more. He has written three titles
contributing to Guerilla Marketing, the best-selling
business book series. His most recent venture is the launch
of Business Networker (www.businessnetworker.com), a
social networking site for small and independent business
owners that helps people make professional connections
and provides a simple solution for online retail.

DLI Can Handle Yelp!,
Google+ and Google

Places for you.

Call 800-638-2627
for more information.

MAY/JUNE 2015 13

DON’T MISS THE APP OR ANOTHER ISSUE,

GO SILVER

Download DLI’s app on8 the Apple App Store (Android Verion coming soon) and enter your
Silver, Gold or Premiere Member Number to unlock and use.

• Two free analyses and reports on • Free Drycleaning Performance
any items at DLI’s Lab each year Evaluation test swatch & report

• Free 24/7 access to the DLI Online • Free Laundry Performance
Encyclopedia of Drycleaning Evaluation test swatch & report

• Monday Morning Marketing weekly • Free Secret Shopper Telephone
marketing e-news evaluation

• Monthly Heads Up! for this Problem • Discounts on nearly all other
Garment alerts DLI services

• Free DLI Certification registration • Plenty more
& renewal

AT ONLY $79/MONTH SILVER IS OUR MOST POPULAR CATEGORY

CALL NOW FOR A QUICK UPGRADE 800-638-2627

14 FABRICARE

FEATURED

DLI NEW App Delivers

Powerful Information
in Convenient Package

DLI’S NEW IOS APP (ANDROID VERSION COMING THIS FALL) OFFERS
A STAIN REMOVAL SOLUTIONS TOOL AND TABS LIBRARY FOR
IPHONE, IPAD OR IPOD TOUCH. It is free to all U.S. DLI Silver,
Gold, and Premiere and International members but not available
to anyone else. Download it free and unlock it with your DLI
Silver Member number. DLI plans to offer continual updates to the
app so it will grow in breadth of functionality and information.
Moving forward, DLI plans to add more stain solutions and
new bulletin libraries. If you are not a DLI Silver, Gold or Premiere
member, join or upgrade today at www.DLIonline.org/
Membership-Information.

NO MORE GOING BACK AND FORTH FROM
THE COMPUTER TO THE SPOTTING BOARD.

MAY/JUNE 2015 15

FEATURE

Disaster Management: the Dreaded
Water Pump Failure

By Bruce Grossman, Industry Consultant

THE DISASTER FOR THIS MONTH WILL BE THE FAILURE loosen and eventually fail — in many cases this is the prob-
lem area. Using a flashlight, observe if there is any melted
OF THE WATER PUMP. This pump supplies coolant to insulation or bluing or discoloration of the wires or con-
the still and refrigeration condensers of the drycleaning nectors, if so replace them. IF YOU ARE NOT EXPE-
machine. In order to cool the condensers a liquid called a RIENCED IN WORKING WITH ELECTRICITY
“coolant” is forced through the coils of the condensers by HIRE AN ELECTRICIAN FOR THE FOLLOWING
a pump. In systems using a water tower the coolant is PROCEDURES. Remove the cover to the appropriate
water; in systems using a chiller it is either water or a mix- breaker panel and switch off the breaker controlling the
ture of water and anti-freeze called “brine.” In water tower pump. Make sure screws holding the wires in place are se-
installations the pump is sometimes located on the roof curely tightened down. Using a flashlight observe if there
near the tower or on the floor near the drycleaning ma- is any melted insulation, bluing or discoloration of the
chine; in chillers the pump is generally inside the enclosure wires or circuit breaker connections or the area where the
housing the refrigeration components. circuit breaker attaches to the power busses in the breaker
box. Another harbinger of doom is frequent pump motor
Before we get into managing this type of disaster, I’d shutdown due to the motors internal protective thermo-
like to offer a few words on prevention. These pumps sel- stat. If this is the case follow the same steps outlined in
dom fail without giving ample warning of an evolving the previous paragraph and in addition MAKE SURE
problem. If the circuit breaker in the electrical panel that THE LOUVERS THAT ALLOW AIR TO FLOW
controls the pump trips frequently it is a sure sign of loom- THROUGH THE MOTOR ARE FREE OF LINT,
ing disaster. If you are not afraid of electricity this would DUST, OR OBSTRUCTIONS. You can drastically
be the time to set the breaker for the pump to the off po- shorten the time this internal thermostat requires to reset
sition, remove the protective electrical plate at the rear of by obtaining a bag of ice, placing it inside another strong
the pump, and take a good look at the wire connections plastic bag, and laying it on the far end of the pump
at the pump. There is precious little room for the wire con- motor. Remember, this is only a temporary solution. The
nections in the end of the pump and pumps vibrate caus-
ing the screw connections or push-on connectors to

16 FABRICARE

following goes for all equipment. DO NOT USE THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS AS
SWITCHES TO TURN EQUIPMENT ON AND OFF! This practice results in de-
grading the breaker’s
performance and sometimes will keep the breaker from tripping at the right current
levels. Each machine should have a disconnect close by, use this for switching instead of
the breaker. The next pump killer is excessive head pressure.

This could be caused by a number of factors (see my article the January-February
2015 Fabricare) and will be indicated by a high reading (45 PSI and above) on the pump
outlet pressure gage, if you have one installed. Also the sound of the pump starting
up will be different under high head pressure. Trying to describe sounds is near
impossible but the best way I can is to say that when starting the pump the sound will
take longer to even out (sorry best I could do). Causes of this problem often lie in the
bypass valve being shut or not sufficiently opened or the clogging of strainers going
into the drycleaning machinery.

Ok, we’ve done our best to avoid the problem, what to do when the pump goes down
in order to keep running the drycleaning machine? We give the drycleaning machine a
“coolant bypass.” You’ll need two lengths of garden hose, preferably with an inner
diameter of ¾-7/8”. One length that will reach from a water source like a hose bib
outside the plant or to a faucet or valve inside the plant to supply cold water; the
other length that will reach outside through a door or to a toilet or sink to drain the
used water. In addition 2 adapters from the garden hose-type fitting to pipe-type fittings
will also be required.

Now, let’s take a look at what’s available at the drycleaning machine end. First you’ll
need to shut the valves going to the water pump on both the supply (high pressure) and
return (low pressure) side to prevent the city water that will be flowing from bypassing
the drycleaning machine. On properly designed and installed cooling water systems
there should be connections for pressure gages and thermostats as well as other possible
locations where you can break into the cooling water supply and return line to attach
these hose connections. If not, you will need to open unions, break into the piping, and
install tees to allow the hoses to be hooked up. If you are in the unenviable situation of
having to install tees, also install hose bibs (these are the valves that you connect garden
hoses to) and you will have a permanent emergency connection for future use.

Okay, now we’re all hooked up and ready to go. Turn on the water and make
sure you’ve got flow through the drycleaning machine when it’s in dry mode (many
machines will prevent water flow when not required). You may not be able to distill and
dry at the same time. However, at least you can operate while awaiting a new pump.

On the subject of new pumps, in many cases, there is no need to replace the entire
pump requiring lots of pipe disassembly and re-assembly. If you order exactly the same
model pump it is usually possible to unbolt the motor/impellor side from the
raceway/piping side and just bolt on the new motor/impellor side onto the old
existing raceway/piping side. The next logical question is in that case why purchase the
entire pump?

The answer is I’ve never been able to obtain a completely assembled motor/
impellor assembly, without the raceway!

EZtimers has a new program available for obtaining illustrated instructions of
these procedures. Contact [email protected] for information.

Bruce Grossman is the Chief of R&D for EZtimers Manufacturing. EZtimers is the manufacturer of the new
RETURN TANK SENTINEL. This versatile device essentially ends lost production incurred by boiler shut down The
Sentinel controls both the level (replacing that ancient and problematic ball-float valve) and temperature of the water in
your boilers’ return tank preventing return pump failure caused by high return tank water temperature. In addition, steam
trap failure detection, check valve performance monitoring and precise boiler compound dosing is accomplished by the
RETURN TANK SENTINEL controller. The SAHARA and DROP IN THE BUCKET line of high purity
separator water MISTER EVAPORATORS are also part of our EZtimer product line. See our Ad in this issue and
for further information on EZtimers products visit www.eztimers.com Please address any questions or comments
for Bruce to [email protected] or call 702-376-6693. © 2014 by BRUCE GROSSMAN all rights reserved
under International and Pan American copyright conventions.

MAY/JUNE 20151717

FEATURE

What is Quality?

By Don Desrosier, Tailwind Systems, Inc.

WE ALL WANT TO DO A QUALITY JOB. Some cleaners em- tion of need; getting you to believe you need their prod-
phasize it, some cleaners simply assume that it happens uct or service. (Pet Rock?) Some products endure because
and others use it as a justification for low productivity. of the buyer’s habit. (Why do I have a landline at my
But what is it? It is much easier to identify what it is not. house?) Or they sustain because it seems like the right
Double-crease on a pair of pants? That’s low quality. Er- thing to do. (Why do businesses buy Yellow Pages ads?)
rant wrinkle on a dress shirt? Poor quality. Stain remain- Frankly, the only reason to provide a customer with “qual-
ing on a garment. Low quality. Or maybe it’s okay if ity” is so that they enjoy your product enough to want it
the garment has a “sorry” tag, but not okay if it does not? again and again. Presumably, you have mastered the art
of making a profit with the service/product that you pro-
Maybe you opt for ‘perfection’ so you let your pressers vide so the repeat business, for which you strive, is fruit-
and your other staff members work more slowly, assuring ful. Otherwise, why bother?
a quality level that is a cut above. If you scan your con-
veyor or storage rails (and I encourage you to do this), you But what is quality? Again, it’s easy to know what it is
may get a good idea of where your quality stands. No not. Stains, wrinkles, two creases for the price of one. But
creases, no stains, no lint. That must be perfect quality. if a customer brings in a wrinkled dress with a stain on it
Batting 1.000! and you remove the stain and press it properly, does that
make you a quality cleaner? Do you get a gold star? No.
Are businesses built on quality? Not really, I’m sad to You are a “standard” cleaner. If the stain remained, you’d
say. Some businesses are good at marketing the percep-

18 FABRICARE

FEATURE

&DrSesksiersts

hourly production standards

Download a PDF of this uPtiielcietsy pperreshso, utrhrweiethpusftfesa, manadirstfienaimshirero,n
and other free DLI posters
in the Members Only D rnaysculteniatdnuirtneyg 2832065--1-2p039la0ciponlil,ntatueoinndnldi,nslrkieenirdsetssnesksdirrtes sses
Section of DLIonline.org. L
I
international

be a poor cleaner, but if you remove the stain, you’re a • Got Windex?
quality cleaner. • How about a dress-code for Customer Service Staff?
• Your drivers should be even more professionally
No.
It’s more complicated than that. Giving the customer dressed. Dress shirt, dress pants, necktie.
exactly what they expect – no more, no less – does not • Your delivery vans must be spotless. Every day.
define quality. Consumers generally evaluate all dryclean- The list could go on and on. Hopefully you see that.
ers as more or less equal. This is an unfortunate reality, When a customer leaves your place with the warm feel-
but it means you must exceed their expectations — which ing that you are a quality drycleaner, its probable they
may not be as difficult as you might think. don’t know exactly why. But if you examine every little
In order to give the impression of quality…. No, let me thing that you do and do it just a little bit better than you
say that in a different way. In order to display your fea- have to, you will know why.
tures and thereby impress your customers with your brand Tailwind Systems, Inc. offers management consulting
of quality, quality must be all around you, not just hidden and workflow engineering for professional drycleaners &
under the poly. Everything you do; everything related to launderers worldwide. Learn more at www.tailwindsys-
your business; everything you touch, should be a cut tems.com.
above. It should ooze quality. It’s not that hard. The se-
cret will not be in avoiding double-creases, it will be show- Don Desrosiers has been in the drycleaning and shirt laundering business
ing your customers that you do everything just a little bit since 1978. He is a workflow engineer and a management consultant
better than your competitors. It’s all basic things that may who provides serves to shirt launderers and drycleaners in the United
have fallen through the cracks. States, Mexico, and western Europe through Tailwind Systems. He is
• Your plant should be spotless. a member of the Society of Professional Consultants and the 2001 recipient
• Your call office should be as welcoming as your living of DLI’s Commitment to Professionalism Award. He can be reached
at 186 Narrow Avenue, Westport, MA 02790 or at his office
room. by fax (508) 636-8839; by cell (508) 965-3163; or e-mail at
• Signage must be professional. No loose-leaf paper [email protected]. He has a website at www.tailwindsystems.com.

signs with curled edges and yellowing scotch tape.

MAY/JUNE 2015 19

Dresses
& Skirts

hourly production standards

Pieces per hour with steam air finisher,
utility press, three puffs, and steam iron

Drycleaning 20-29 plain dresses
Laundry 8 -10 cotton, linen dresses
Institute 36 plain, unlined skirts
25-30 lined skirts
international

FEATURE

Industry Innovators

By Ian P. Murphy, Special to Fabricare

The drycleaning industry in America has never been driven by just one company or just one operator—widespread
innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit keep it going. But inside this highly individualistic industry, many companies
stand out as forces that have contributed greatly to drycleaning, through all of its changes and challenges, in the past,
present and future. These are just a few of the companies that evolved alongside the industry and helped it survive
and thrive along the way. These are Industry Innovators.

BRAGARD, INC.: Bragard introduced its Grand Chef smock in 1976,
Couture Quality for Cuisine and soon the company was asked to design the red,
white, and blue collar of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de
Henri Bragard started his company in the Vosges France uniform, which signifies excellence in the
region of France in 1933, eager to provide uniforms French culinary arts. Bocuse continues to wear the
that combined the finest fabrics and designs in Bragard line.
exceptional style and comfort. His first customer was
a painter who lived near his family’s grocery store. Today, the company is a leader in the uniform
Bragard sewed him a professional painter’s smock. industry, offering a complete line of cutting-edge
styles for food service professionals. Bragard produces
Bragard got on his bicycle in search of new cus- dozens of lines of chef uniforms, including the orig-
tomers, finding more painters needing workwear and inal Grand Chef Collection of jackets, pants, and
expanding his line to include butchers’ aprons. Soon, aprons, in a superior Egyptian cotton fabric. The
he had a busy workshop in the back of the family company recently introduced two new collections:
home, and his wife, Simone, trained in fashion B-Everyday—affordable, everyday uniforms for
design, was sewing not only smocks and aprons, but regular use, and B-Original, a custom-tailored line
also fancier uniforms for the restaurant trade. of avant-garde designs for companies wanting to
uniform employees in style.
Their son, Gilles Bragard, and his wife, Monica,
inherited the business and helped it expand by Bragard also supplies restaurant and server
introducing its couture-level designs to luxury hotels. uniforms, and offers custom embroidery in-house,
Through a collaboration with star chef Paul Bocuse,

22 FABRICARE

cutting the cost and time necessary to deliver custom- new, 155,000-sq.-ft manufacturing facility in Syracuse
made uniforms to culinary professionals. Now in its third to provide customers with complete solutions. Recent
generation of family operation, Bragard has eight inter- introductions include SmoothFlow batch tunnel
national offices in addition to its North American office washers, Delta self-contained thermal ironers, and the
in Long Island City, New York. SafeLoad shuttle system, which helps protect against
wash-aisle injuries.
G.A. BRAUN, INC.: Innovating from the Get-Go
The company enjoys worldwide brand recognition
Syracuse, New York, was already a worldwide hub for while offering domestic customers easy access to
the production of the soda ash used in manufacturing original parts and service—achieving an on-time
soap when a team of laundry experts formed a company delivery average of 98.6%. Its equipment is used
to build a line of quality equipment to match. Ever in hospitals, hotels, cruise ships, commercial, and
since, G.A. Braun dedicated itself to making innovative industrial laundries, and government and correctional
machines to help industrial laundry plants improve facilities worldwide.
productivity and profitability.
Braun was the obvious choice for NorthStar Mat
In the 1950s, the company introduced its first Service when it replaced a number of machines recently.
washer/extractor, the Unit Wash, adding electro- “One plant we visited had over a dozen open-pockets
mechanical controls and automatic supply injection [that were] getting the job done, no matter what,” says
soon after. In the ‘60s, Braun introduced suspension- John Sloan, president. “After seeing that, I knew Braun
mounted machinery and top/side-load machines, which was the only choice. The Braun team went above and
take advantage of gravity to help load and unload. beyond to help us get our laundry revamped, set up and
Braun also introduced the world’s first pass-through running as smoothly as possible.”
machine to help healthcare facilities separate clean and
dirty areas and prevent the spread of deadly bacteria. OSTREM CHEMICAL CO.:
Canadian Chemical Specialists
In the 1970s, Braun introduced another first for laun-
dry equipment—microprocessor controls. By the 1980s, Based in Edmonton, Alberta, with offices in Vancouver
Braun was promoting the first “smart” laundry system, and Calgary, Ostrem Chemical is a leading manufacturer
the Washnet NT, which allowed operators to automate of laundry and other cleaning chemicals, as well as one of
loading, cycle programming and materials transport Western Canada’s leading manufacturers of private-label
from a desktop computer. Braun was later the first products. The company’s in-house sales specialists and
equipment company to develop software running on production team work with clients to create timely,
Microsoft Windows. cost-effective solutions, blending detergents based on
customer needs.
Over the years, Braun diversified to bring laundry
operators high-speed finishing equipment, textile Ostrem’s comprehensive product development
dyes, and dryers. After buying out the Norman Dryer extends to private-label sales, and the company’s art
Company in the 1980s, Braun introduced PT Series department can produce packaging start-to-finish for a
pass-through dryers. single set-up charge. The company boasts that it can fill
any container from a 500-ml bottle to a tanker truck.
Since the turn of the century, Braun has renewed its
commitment to research and development, opening a Ostrem prides itself on quality, meeting ISO 9001

continued on page 24

MAY/JUNE 2015 23

FEATURE

continued from page 23 Since, Tingue, Brown & Co. has grown to be a lead-
ing global supplier of quality finishing products for
requirements and encouraging employees to use the ISO modern commercial laundries. The company develops,
framework to foster teamwork and continuous improve- manufactures, and stocks hundreds of different items
ment in quality, service, and effectiveness. The company for every type of flatwork ironer to boost throughputs,
also strives to eliminate hazardous ingredients while cut maintenance costs, achieve energy savings, and
maintaining product effectiveness, delivering products promote worker safety.
with minimal effect on the environment.
Three generations of Tingue family leadership have
In 2014, the company introduced new products pioneered advancements in flatwork accessories; nearly
including a liquid enzyme presoak and detergent, an every apron, pad, cover, and belt in use worldwide traces
environmentally friendly laundry detergent that uses its existence back to a Tingue, Brown & Co. innovation.
protease enzymes to remove food and organic stains, Even the sling systems and plastic carts that are essential
VegeSol methyl ester-based industrial degreaser, and to laundry handling today were Tingue, Brown & Co.
Gluticide 15 antibacterial boiler treatment. The company innovations, the Saddle Brook, New Jersey-based
also offers a citrus-based tar remover, air fresheners, company says.
janitorial products, dishwashing formulations, floor
cleaners, and more. With more than 30 sales representatives throughout
North America, Tingue, Brown & Co. brings every
TINGUE, BROWN & CO.: From Felt to Finish customer new approaches to solve problems, extend
ironer life, and boost worker safety and productivity.
In the late 19th century, William J. Tingue, his Its salespeople are not only skilled in assessing
brother, John, and their partner, William Brown, sold maintenance needs, but are also experts in specifying
everything from the fine upholstery used in luxurious the ideal products for each process and installation,
Pullman passenger railcars to felt fabrics for piano keys dedicated to helping every customer succeed.
and printing presses. In 1902 the company entered the
laundry business, after the finish on work produced by Ian P. Murphy is a freelance writer and editor based in Chicago. He served as
a commercial laundry upset William’s wife, Lillian. the editor of American Drycleaner magazine from 1999-2011.

Tingue knew if his wife was unhappy, other customers
were probably unhappy. He suspected the problem
could be solved by installing better felt pads on flatwork
ironers. After convincing a commercial laundry to test
Tingue, Brown & Co. felt pads, the company got its first
laundry order.

24 FABRICARE

BULLETIN

FocusINDUSTRY NO. 7

By Harry A. Kimmel III, DLI Communications Director

How to Send Marketing E-mails

Sending messages to your customers is easier than you might think

Sending marketing e-mails has become a tried-and-true prac- Some companies focus on
tice in recent years. It’s a very simple, effective, and minimally- sales only: “50% off XYZ”
intrusive way to reach your customers and costs very little usually featuring a deadline
compared to conventional direct mail. If you’re collecting of only a few days to spur
e-mail addresses from your customers when you collect their action. Companies typically
other information, you are ready to get started. If not, it’s very issue several of these mes-
easy to add that line to your system. Each POS system has its sages a month with different
own method of exporting data, please consult your program’s offers.
documentation or representative for more information.
Other companies focus on
Reaching Out the soft-sell by offering useful
information to keep the com-
Contacting your customers requires having something to pany’s name top-of-mind.
say. What do you want your customers to know? What is your The idea with the soft-sell is
intention? Is it important enough for them to care? to instill a level of trust in
your customers and get them to think, “Well, I do need such
and such,” or “That’s right, it is time to pick up my order.”
DLI’s Great Impressions newsletter service is based on this
methodology. DLI staff sets up the messages and sends to your
list for you but provides useful information and no hard sales
language. It is available for $399 for a year to Budget and
Silver members, free to Gold and Premier members.

Online Services

There are plenty of ways to get your message out to your
customers. Inexpensive online services simplify the process.
A few popular examples include:

• Constant Contact
• Mailchimp

MAY/JUNE 2015 25

BULLETIN

NO. 7 • Stream Send companies will require an e-mail address and name before
• AWeber providing access to a PDF or video they know customers will
• MailGet want to see. By doing this they now have the legal ability to
• iContact send marketing e-mails to these people. Called “warm leads,”
These services typically charge a scaled monthly fee based these customers have established an interest in the company’s
on the number of e-mail addresses in your list. Some products or services by willingly providing this information in
services offer thresholds, for example Mailchimp allows exchange for something they want.
users to send 12,000 emails to a list of 2,000 for free with no
credit card required. Using this you could send up to 12 It is also imperative to include an opt-out or “unsubscribe”
messages to 1,000 people free. link. Most online e-mail providers include this feature with
their service.
Legality
Subject Lines
U.S. Anti-Spam laws generally prohibit sending unsolicited
messages to members of a purchased e-mail list. Volumes have been written about how to write effective
subject lines. The best advice here is to keep it short, simple
In order to send marketing e-mail pieces it is generally and to the point. Your subject line is critical for legal reasons,
accepted that a business must have established a working to gain the readers’ attention, and to get your message past
relationship with the intended recipient. This usually means SPAM filters. The subject line must reference the content of
a purchase has been made or the person has voluntarily the e-mail in order to comply with anti-SPAM laws. Your
given their e-mail address in exchange for something else, such subject cannot promise something and then not deliver it.
as a piece of information or to enter a contest. A common way
for drycleaners to collect e-mail addresses is to ask at the A free, online subject line tester can determine if your mes-
counter when a customer provides other information such as sage will get through the SPAM shield set up by most Internet
name, phone number, and address. Route customers are also Service Providers (ISPs) and users. DLI currently uses
good targets. http://www.localnews.biz/subjectLine/ValidateSubjectLine.asp

Offering a piece of information potential customers might In the early days of e-mail marketing no message was
want is another way to collect e-mail addresses. Many rejected. Then SPAM rose in prevalence. ISPs set up SPAM
filters to help reduce the amount of unsolicited mail and
governments began regulating the content of bulk, unsolicited
e-mail. If a user set their SPAM filters to the “Strong” setting
only messages with the proper credentials would get through.

Some e-mail reader programs allow users to train the system
as to what is Junk Mail and what is good. In the first few days
or weeks of use, the user identifies Junk items and the program
gathers data on usage. Once enough data is collected the
program generally does an acceptable job at filtering messages.
However, no SPAM filter is perfect. Sometimes important
messages go to the wrong place. Most users have learned to
quickly scan their Junk Mail boxes.

There are many dos and don’ts to the art of Subject Line
writing. The best way to learn is to plug your proposed subject

26 FABRICARE

BULLETIN

line into a tester and revise it until it comes back green across Don’t send overnight. Most office workers start their NO. 7
all the categories. Over time you’ll learn what filters look for days by opening their inbox and scanning for anything of
and how to avoid using those terms. The short course involves importance to them and their work. Sales messages are often
not capitalizing the first letter of each work and avoiding disregarded, forgotten, and quickly buried in the day’s deluge
common SPAM terms such as “Free”, “Buy”, “Now,” “Sale,” of to-dos and correspondence.
and “All,” among a host of others. An Internet search can be
very helpful in providing more information on this topic. Mondays – not so good. Coming back from the weekend
means sifting through piles of junk to see what you may have
Frequency missed late Friday – more so if you took a vacation day Friday.
This means people are in a hurry going through an
Purchasing just one item from some stores can result in a abundance of junk mail and your message is likely
never-ending deluge of marketing e-mails, frequently coming to get skipped and buried. DLI got
in more than once each day. This must be working for some around this by actually
of the larger companies or they would have ceased this creating a new series
practice long ago. DLI sends messages about once or twice a to be sent only on
day but very few of them are sales-based. Mondays that contains zero
sales pitches and only the
Many users decide this is intrusive and prefer fewer occasional product
messages. Some companies actually offer a decreased sending mention.
option so users can receive messages less frequently.

Timing Matters

There is no right time to send a marketing-based e-mail
message. Fact is, most people don’t really care. While the
sender and subject line are vastly important, when your
message arrives also has a lot to do with how many of your
recipients will actually open it. The traditional advice has been
Tuesday to Thursday between 8 and 10 a.m. However things
are always in flux in the online world and several companies
have found success in challenging this.

Forget Fridays. In general, the
majority of your readers will be
thinking about the weekend and
overcoming any obstacles they may
face before lighting out of the office.
For that matter, don’t bother send-
ing during the weekend since your
readers are less likely to bother
checking it during their days off –
even on their telephones.

MAY/JUNE 2015 27

BULLETIN

NO. 7 Conventional wisdom says fewer people check their e-mail frequent customers, we’d like to say thanks with a special
often on weekends. Since many people keep an e-mail inbox offer,” would work well on the top 20% of a drycleaner’s most
open all day for their work they are more likely to see your frequent fliers. In this case it might be best to consider not
message if it comes in during business hours. Of course there offering a discount on what they would have given you
are exceptions to these rules of thumb and as society contin- anyway but an offer to clean something they don’t normally
ues to change so will the conventional wisdom. bring for free. If your records say comforters are down, such an
offer could include 25% off bedsets or something similar.
The Motivational Power of a Deadline
Closing the Deal
Inertia applies to human psychology as it does in physics:
once at rest, they tend to stay at rest unless acted upon by Marketing e-mails can prove to be extremely effective if they
some force. That force is the deadline in your message. Don’t get the right message to the right people. At the very least the
give them too much time to think or talk themselves out of message will be seen to be coming from your company. Even
acting on your call to action. Many items have been purchased if the message is deleted instantly, you have touched that
that would not have without a strong incentive and a firm customer. Providing links to gateways to something of
deadline to back it up. value to the prospective customer can help you create a list of
warm leads for a follow-up offer.
Also: the more exclusive the offer seems the more likely it
is to be accepted. For example, “Since you are one of our most

28 FABRICARE DLI TIES ARE

JUST THE
RIGHT STYLE

DLI produced a line of
high-fashion ties for member
cleaners. The ties are available
in red, green, blue and silver

for just $20 each.

Call 800-638-2627 for
more information.

28

BULLETIN

Legislative NO. 31
&Regulatory

By Raleigh F. Seay “Sandy” Seay, Jr., President and Alexandria LaRocca, Associate Consultant. Seay Management Consultants

Exempt or Nonexempt Employees? -
That is the Question

Willie Woebringer, the Wage and Hour investigator, was A Summary of Exemptions From
investigating a wage and hour complaint at the local toy dis-
tribution center. A former employee, Tom DoLittle, claimed Overtime and Timekeeping
the company should have paid him overtime, instead of the
same salary every week. Woebringer told the company that The Executive Exemption covers employees who perform
DoLittle was right and the company owed him $18,500.32 management responsibilities that involve supervision. This
in overtime covering the past two years. “What do you mean, includes many executives, managers and department super-
overtime!” the company representative asked incredulously, visors who supervise the equivalent of two or more full time
“We paid him a salary and salaried people don’t get employees and whose primary duty involves supervision
overtime!” “This one does,” said Woebringer, “you have and management. These employees must receive a guaran-
him misclassified. He should be nonexempt, not exempt.” teed salary, not subject to deduction. Employees who have
“What in the world are you talking about?” groaned the limited supervisory duties and who perform a significant
exasperated, irritated and frustrated company representative, amount of non-exempt work are usually not exempt, such as
reaching for an industrial strength pain reliever and a glass lead persons, line coordinators, head tellers assistant man-
of water. agers, and others.

One of the fundamental payroll questions employers face The Administrative Exemption covers employees who per-
is whether an employee is “exempt” or “nonexempt.” form management responsibilities that may not involve su-
Nonexempt employees must (1) keep a daily time record, pervision of employees, but may involve the management
(2) receive at least the minimum wage for each hour worked, of assets or a specific management function. These em-
and (3) receive overtime compensation for all hours worked ployees must also receive a guaranteed salary, not subject to
in excess of 40 per week. Exempt employees don’t have to deduction. The exemption includes controllers, purchasing
do those things. We pay exempt employees a salary and agents, graduate accountants and teachers, and requires the
they work whatever hours are necessary to get the job done. use of significant “discretion and independent judgment.”
In essence, these employees must be decision makers them-
It would be wonderful if we could classify all employees selves or must develop sophisticated reports and recom-
as exempt, as this would eliminate many payroll issues and mendations on which others rely in making decisions.
make compensation planning and budgeting much simpler. Executive secretaries and Administrative Assistants are usu-
However, the Department of Labor will not allow us to clas- ally nonexempt.
sify employees in this way. To the contrary, the position of
the Department of Labor is that all employees are nonex- The Professional Exemption covers employees who are gen-
empt, unless management can prove they are exempt. To be erally regarded as professional and who possess extended
classified as exempt an employee must meet the exemption learning or a specialized degree, such as teachers, physicians,
tests that are enforced by the Department of Labor. There Registered Nurses, CPA’s, consultants, certified general en-
are five exemption categories with specific tests under each gineers, Respiratory or Physical Therapists and Medical Tech-
category. In summary, here are the five categories: nologists. Technicians (radiology, ultrasound, EKG, et. al.)
are almost always non-exempt.

The Outside Sales Exemption applies to employees who are
engaged in sales activity outside of the workplace. Inside
sales employees are by definition non-exempt.

MAY/JUNE 2015 29

BULLETIN

NO. 31 The Technical Exemption is relatively new and applies to cer- What Will Be the Effect Of This Change?
tain employees in Information Technology or Management
Information Services. This often includes the Manager of Employees who are currently exempt, and who are mak-
Information Technology, systems analysts, programmers and ing less than this new figure, whatever it may be, will need
software engineers but does not include technicians. to have their salaries increased, if they are to remain exempt.
Examples could include department supervisors in a medical
The Salary Test, Mentioned Above, setting, teller supervisors in financial organizations, store
managers and supervisors in restaurants, and first line su-
Increases in 2015 pervisors in production plants.

An employee whom you wish to classify as exempt must Employees who are currently exempt and who are paid a
meet each of the several exemption tests. For example, the draw against commission or salary plus commission, must
executive exemption requires an employee to have the au- have their draw or salary increased to the new level. An ex-
thority to hire and fire or offer recommendations that are ample is a sales manager in an automobile dealership who
given particular weight. There are four or five tests for each is paid on a commission basis with a guarantee of $455 per
exemption, depending on the exemption, and the employee week. This Sales Manager may, in actuality earn much more
must meet each of the tests, in order to be exempt. than $455 but the dealership must change the record to re-
flect the new guarantee. Other examples in automobile
One of the tests for exemption is the salary test. To be ex- dealerships will require examination, such as service man-
empt, an employee must receive a guaranteed salary of at ager, body shop manager and others. Route supervisors in
least $455 per week, not subject to deduction. In other service industries like pest management, laundry and
words, an employer may not make deductions from the drycleaning, dust control, uniform and linen rental will need
salary based on hours of work, production, work schedules, to be examined, as well, to ensure the guaranteed salary part
etc. This was increased from $155 per week in 2004. This of the pay plan meets the new standard.
current guaranteed salary test of $455 is going to increase
significantly in 2015 – the two questions are, (1) when will The DOL announced their investigations will target not
the increase become effective and (2) how much will it be? only the exempt/nonexempt question, but also the issues
It’s important to note that this is an administrative change of independent contractor/employee, unpaid interns, and
that the Department of Labor has the authority to make – volunteers, as many of these positions may be misclassified,
it is not an issue that will be voted on by Congress. as well. The DOL is emphasizing these classifications this
year so it is important to be sure all employees are properly
To answer the first question, the Department of Labor classified to avoid an exposure that could require you to pay
(DOL) recently announced that proposed increases to the back wages and penalties.
salary test will be released in February 2015. This salary in-
crease proposal will be published in the Federal Register with In conclusion, this new change will have a fairly signifi-
a designated time for public comment, probably 30 days, cant impact on most pay plans in the U.S. and will require
following which the DOL will publish final regulations to each employer to conduct an up to date exempt/nonexempt
become effective later this year. Our sense is that we should analysis. If you would like Seay Management to provide
look to the Fall of 2015 as an effective date, although it this service for you, please contact us at [email protected] and
could be earlier. The salary increase may come in several we’ll be very glad to talk with you about this key issue. This
steps, rather than one full jump. service will be automatically provided to Seay Management
retainer clients who receive an annual Human Resources
To answer the second question, we don’t yet know how Management Audit. Please contact your Seay Management
much the salary levels will increase because the DOL has not consultant if you have any questions about the exempt/non-
released that information, but we can make an educated exempt regulations, or if you have any other question about
guess, based on previous comments, the history of these kinds Human Resources Management.
of changes and minimum salary levels for certain states.
Some observers have predicted an increase in the range of Remember, if you have an employment issue or challenge,
$900-$1,000 per week. This is certainly possible in the current and you need an answer right away, and you want the very
climate but, at Seay Management, our feeling is that the in- best Human Resources Management advice available, you
crease will be in the $600-$750 per week range. For example, need to call . . . The Seay Team!
the minimum salary level in California for 2015 will be $720
per week and in New York will be $600 per week so it seems
reasonable to suggest that that the new federal salary level
might be somewhere close to those numbers.

30 FABRICARE

BULLETIN

&FABRICS FASHIONS

By DLI Research Department
Mas marrón
Manchas de Azúcar Caramelizada en Lana
(baja en porcentaje de reflectancia)
Investigaciones han demostrado que hay dos tipos de de color fueron repetidas cuatro veces más.
manchas de azúcar: NO. 558 SPLos procedimientos de prueba fueron realizados a

1. Aquellas formadas en lana y seda temperaturas de 140°F/60°C, 158°F/70°C, 176°F/80°C,
2. Aquellas formadas en algodón, rayón y acetato cuando 194°F/90°C y 212°F/100°C. La figura 1 muestra los resulta-
dos. El término “ mas marrón” en el eje vertical de la gráfica
un alcalino está presente indica la obscuridad de la mancha de azúcar en las telas de
Las manchas de azúcar en lana son muy difíciles de remover lana blancas según las medidas del reflectometro.
después que han sido fijadas por calor, haciendolas parecer de
color marrón. Las manchas son bien visibles en número de marrón “5”
pero no tan visibles bajo ése número. Por supuesto, el color de
Las pruebas hechas por el Instituto estudiaron los efectos la tela afectaría la visibilidad pero en esta prueba únicamente
del tiempo y la temperatura en manchas de azúcar aplicadas a se usaron telas blancas y algun descolorido fue notable en un
telas de lana blancas. número de marrón de “3”. Manchas de azúcar caramelizada
son bien amarillentas-marrón cuando el número de marrón
Procedimiento de la Prueba oscila de 15-20.

Retazos de tela de lana blanca fueron sumergidos en jugo de Prensado
toronja enlatada, una azúcar reductora. Los retazos de lana El estudio además examinó como las temperaturas en
fueron colgados por 30 minutos en un horno de temperatura
controlada la cual simuló un tiempo normal en secadora. prensados fijan manchas reductoras de azúcar en la lana.
Después del calentamiento, los colores de los retazos fueron Otro grupo de retazos de lana manchados fueron expuestos
medidos en un reflectometro para ver que tan marrón se a 176°F/80°C por 30 minutos en el horno. Después los
habían puesto. La exposición al calor y procesos de medidas

25

212°F (100°C)

20

15 194°F (90°C) x
10 x

5 x

FIGURA 1 x 176°F (80°C)

MARRÓN VISIBLE POR ENCIMA DE AQUÍ

x 158°F (70°C) x
x
x x 140°F (60°C)

1 234 5

No. Periodos de calentamiento de 30 minutos

MAY/JUNE 2015 31

NO. 558 SP 15 194°F (90°C) x
Mas mar 10 x
(baja en porcentaje d
BULLETIN

x

x

retazos de lana fueron vaporizados por 5 segundos en unMaARRÓNazVIúScIBaLrE. P(OvReEaNClIaMAfiDgEuAraQU2Í ). Te1m76p°Fe(r8a0t°uC)ras y grados de marrón

prensa de utilida5d. No hubo descolorido de marrón aprecia- trazados en la gráfica indican que a una temperatura de
ble en las telas de lana a esta tempxeratura. Experimentación
adicional demostró que planchado en una prensa dexutilidad 140°F/60°C descolorido1s58m°Fa(r7r0ó°Cn) noxaparecieron en la lana
blanxca aún después dxe cinc1o40p°Fe(r6i0o°Cd)os de calor. Cinco secados

regular no va a poner las manchas caramelizadas de azúcar en repetidos a 160°F/70°C no va a causar descolorido visible.

la lana de color marrón. 1 2 N3ota: Luego de c4inco lavados en s5eco en un sistema oper-

Sin embargo, una prensa de cabezNaloc.alPieenrtieoodounsadpelacnachleantamadieonatoprdopeia3d0ammeinntuetmosanchas solubles en agua incluyendo

de mano con temperaturas normalmente en los 300°F/149°C, manchas de azúcar de este tipo se habrían removido de las

hicieron que aparecieran manchas de azúcar caramelizada telas de lana.

marrón-amarillentas luego de 15 segundos. Afortunadamente, Resumen del estudio
las operaciones de lavado en seco típicas no utilizan prensas
de cabezal calientes o planchas de mano para acabados en telas Manchas caramelizadas de azúcar en la lana se pueden fijar
de lana. en una secadora a altas temperaturas pero no por acabados al
vapor. Si las temperaturas son mantenidas a 160°F/70°C o
Temperatura de secado menos, las manchas de azúcar caramelizada no se van a fijar en
Los investigadores reordenaron los datos del estudio para las telas de lana.

sugerir los efectos de la temperatura del secado en manchas de

25

Mas marrón 5 VECES (150 MINUTOS) x

(baja en porcentaje de reflectancia) 20 CALENTADOx 2 VECES (60 MINUTOS)x

15 CALENxTADO

10 CALENTADO 1 VEZ (30 MINUTOS)

MARRÓN VISIBLE POR ENCIMA DE AQUÍ x

5

x

140°F/ 150°F/ 160°F/ 170°F/ 180°F/ 190°F/ 200°F/ 212°F/
60°C 65°C 93°C 100°C
70°C 76°C 82°C 88°C
FIGURA 2
Temperatura en °F / °C

32 FABRICARE

BULLETIN

TABS NO. 453

TEXTILE ANALYSIS BULLETIN SERVICE

By Jim Kirby, DLI Textile Analyst

Damage to Stencil Prints

What Is The Problem? There is an objectionable curling of the
white polka-dot print when this blouse
After drycleaning, the surface design is now curled and was drycleaned, as labeled.
puckered.
The lettering on this jacket has
What Does It Look Like? become stiff and puckered after
drycleaning.
Stencil print designs are made using pressure to apply color
and resin particles to the surface of a fabric in the desired Who Is Responsible?
pattern, usually letters, numbers, polka-dots, stripes or other
geometric shapes. If the pigment or binder used in the The drycleaner has no way of pre-determining or preventing
printing process is altered during cleaning, the design may damage to such designs on garments that are normally
become stiff and puckered, sometimes even blistered and/or drycleaned. All fabric surface designs must be able to
cracked. In some cases, only certain sections of the print withstand the normally accepted and/or recommended
design may be damaged. care process.

What Caused It? Therefore, the manufacturer should be held responsible for
using a printing method for the design that could be damaged
The chemical coloring agents used for stencil designs are by proper professional drycleaning.
formulated with pigments, binder, and a plasticizer (a type of
softening agent) to keep the print supple, smooth, and Is There A Remedy?
pliable. Some softening agents are removed during normal
drycleaning and thus, the print can stiffen, shrink, curl, and Once the design has hardened, puckered, and/or cracked,
crack. The durability of the design to acceptable drycleaning there is no remedy.
can be compromised by deficiencies in pigment quality,
binder type, softener solubility, fabric compatibility, and the
printing process itself. When a mishap occurs in one of these
processes in manufacture, the stencil print design can be
damaged during later cleaning.

Can It Be Prevented?

Yes, there are many types of softening agents that can be mixed
in the coloring solution that can be used for printing fabrics
that are not adversely affected by drycleaning solvents.
Only the manufacturer can prevent such print damage by
formulating all components of surface design materials and
methods of application that are completely durable to repeated
drycleaning processes.

MAY/JUNE 2015 33

NO. 453 SPb u l l eB U L L E T I tN i n

TABS

TEXTILE ANALYSIS BULLETIN SERVICE

By Jim Kirby, DLI Textile Analyst

Daño A Grabados De Plantillas

Cual Es El Problema? Hay un rizado desagradable en el dis-
eño de lunares blancos cuando esta
Después de limpieza en seco el diseño de superficie ahora blusa fue limpiada en seco como indica
está rizada y arrugada. la etiqueta.

Como Se Ve? Las letras en esta chaqueta se
han puesto rígidas y arrugadas
Los diseños de grabados de plantilla son hechos utilizando después de limpieza en seco.
presión para aplicar color y particulas de resina a la superfi-
cie de una tela en un patrón deseado, normalmente letras, Quien es responsable?
números, lunares, rayas u otras formas geométricas. Si el
pigmento o fijador utilizados en el proceso de impresión se El encargado de limpieza en seco no tiene forma de prede-
altera durante la limpieza el diseño puede ponerse rígido y terminar o prevenir daño a tales diseños en prendas que son
arrugado, así como algunas veces incluso con burbujas y/o normalmente limpiadas en seco. Todos los diseños de la
agrietados. En algunos casos solo ciertas secciones del diseño superficie de la tela deben ser capaz de soportar los procesos
impreso se pueden dañar. de cuidado normalmente aceptados y/o recomendados.

Que Lo Causa? Por lo tanto, el fabricante debe ser considerado respons-
able por utilizar un método de impresión para el diseño que
Los agentes químicos colorantes utilizados para diseños de podría dañar durante limpieza en seco profesional.
plantilla son formulados con pigmentos, fijador y un plastif-
icante ( un tipo de agente suavizador) para mantener el Existe algún remedio?
grabado liso y flexible. Algunos agentes suavizantes son re-
movidos durante limpieza en seco normal y por lo tanto, el Una vez que el diseño se ha endurecido, arrugado y/o
grabado puede ponerse rígido, encogerse, enrizar y agrietarse. agrietado, no hay remedio.
La durabilidad del diseño a limpieza en seco aceptable puede
ser comprometida por deficiencias en calidad de pigmento,
tipo de fijador, solubilidad del suavizante, compatibilidad de
la tela y el proceso de impresión en si mismo. Cuando ocurre
algún percance en alguno de estos procesos en la fabricación,
el diseño de grabado de plantilla se puede dañar durante
limpieza posterior.

Se Puede Prevenir?

Si, hay muchos tipos de agentes suavizantes que pueden ser
mezclados en la solución colorante que se pueden usar para
telas de impresión que no son afectadas adversamente por
solventes de limpieza en seco. Únicamente el fabricante puede
prevenir tales daños de impresión formulando todos los
componentes de los materiales de los diseños de superficie y
métodos de aplicación que son completamente duraderos a
procesos de limpieza en seco repetidos.

34 FABRICARE

BULLETIN

TABS NO. 454

TEXTILE ANALYSIS BULLETIN SERVICE

By Jim Kirby, DLI Textile Analyst

Color Loss in Wet Cleaning/Washing

What Is The Problem?

Sometimes when articles are either washed or wet cleaned
using proper procedures they fade to a lighter shade and/or
the dye becomes streaky.

What Does It Look Like?

After washing or wet cleaning there is fading of color that
can be uniform or uneven and splotchy. There is a noticeable
shade variance and/or dullness from the original color. The
edges and seams of the item may also have a more pro-
nounced color fading and appear chalky or frosted. In other
instances, the dye fading will be accompanied by streaks.

What Caused It? This shirt faded and streaked during the washing process.

This adverse dye fading is due to fabric dyes that dissolve in Who Is Responsible?
acceptable washing or wet cleaning procedures. Dye bleed-
ing and eventual color loss can be objectionable after just The manufacturer must be held accountable for dyes that
one laundering or in some cases it is more progressive fade during normal washing or wet cleaning procedures due
and only becomes noticeable after several professional wet to a mishap during manufacturing. The launderer cannot
cleanings or washings. predict or prevent dye disturbance on washable items
containing water-soluble dyes.
Can It Be Prevented?
Is There A Remedy?
The cleaner cannot predict or prevent dye fading on items that
are non-colorfast. On fashions which are labeled and/or There is no means to restore dyes that have faded, frosted,
designed as washable, all original component colors and any streaked and/or chafed to their original condition.
attached trim must be completely colorfast to the proper
care procedure, thus only the manufacturer can prevent such
dye problems by properly setting the colors during the original
fabric dyeing process.

MAY/JUNE 2015 35

BULLETIN

NO. 454 SP TABS

TEXTILE ANALYSIS BULLETIN SERVICE

By Jim Kirby, DLI Textile Analyst

Pérdida De Color En Limpieza/Lavado En Humedad

Cual es el problema? Esta camisa se ha rayado y desteñido durante el proceso de lavado.

A veces cuando ciertas prendas son lavadas o limpiadas en Quien es responsable?
humedad utilizando procedimientos apropiados estos se
descoloran a una tonalidad más clara y/o el tinte se hace El fabricante debe ser considerado responsable por tintes que
entreverado. se descoloran durante procesos normales de lavado o limpieza
en humedad debido a percances durante la fabricación. El
Cómo se ve? encargado del lavado no puede predecir o prevenir problemas
con el tinte en artículos lavables que contienen tintes que se
Después del lavado o limpieza en humedad hay un desteñido disuelven en agua.
de color que puede ser uniforme o desigual y manchado. Hay
una variación notable en el matiz y/o embotamiento del Existe algún remedio?
color original. Los bordes y costuras del artículo pueden tener
también un desteñido pronunciado de color y parecer No hay medios para restaurar tintes que se han desteñido,
gredoso o escarchado. En otras ocasiones el desteñido del escarchado, rayado y/o escoriado a su condición original.
tinte va a estar acompañado de rayas.

Que lo causa?

Este desteñido adverso del tinte es debido a tintes de telas que
se disuelven en procedimientos de lavado o limpieza en
humedad aceptables. El sangrado del tinte y pérdida de color
eventual puede ser desagradable luego de tan solo un lavado
o en algunos casos es más progresivo y se hace notable úni-
camente después de varios lavados o limpiezas en humedad
profesionales.

Se puede prevenir?

El encargado de la limpieza no puede predecir o prevenir
descolorido de tinte en prendas que son no-desteñibles. En
prendas que son etiquetadas y/o diseñadas como lavables todos
los colores de los componentes originales y cualquier adorno
añadido tienen que ser completamente resistentes al desteñido
en procedimientos de cuidado apropiados, por lo tanto,
únicamente el fabricante puede prevenir tales problemas con
los tintes al ajustar los colores apropiadamente durante el
proceso original de teñido de la tela.

36 FABRICARE

BULLETIN

NOin VTogue NO. 111
By Jim Kirby, DLI Textile Analyst

THERE MAY BE SOME DIFFICULTY PROCESSING THE GARMENTS FEATURED HERE. Members have indicated that the damage
occurred even though these garments were cleaned according to the care label’s instructions. The garments shown are among
the current top repeaters received in DLI’s International Textile Analysis Lab and are selected on the basis of the seasonality and
timeliness of the problem. DLI has contacted these manufacturers to work with them on resolving these problems. The
bottom portion of this bulletin details the status of this work. As these garments are currently on the market, however, and since
we have seen repeated examples of damage, you may want to discuss these potential problems with your customers.

Manufacturer: This dress lost its shiny gold
Kay Unger accent during drycleaning and
RN: 92432 became dull as compared to
the uncleaned matching jacket.
Manufacturer Contact Information:
Kay Unger New York
230 West 38th St.
New York, NY 10018
Ph. 212-302-5556/917-470-9705

or (877) 212-8450
www.kayunger.com or email to
[email protected]

Description: An acrylic & nylon blend shiny
gold finish cocktail dress with bolero jacket.

Care Instructions: The written care instruc-
tion states: “dryclean only”. There are no
international cleanability care code symbols.

Problem: During professional drycleaning
of the dress the gold pigment surface finish
dissolved causing severe loss of the shiny
gold effect.

Response: The customer service department
at Kay Unger has been made aware of clean-
ability deficiencies in some of their metallic
surface finish fashions and they always state
they will stand by all their unique fabrications.
Anyone with a problem can contact them
directly using the information above to find
out how to acquire replacement or restitution.

MAY/JUNE 2015 37

Revolutions by Yvette Meltzer