Preserving Garments

2012-02-01T07:34:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Everyone! Let’s hope 2012 is a return to a more stable economy and less worries the world over. Foster-Stephens’ made it through our 75th anniversary with a lot of celebration and plans to move forward for the next twenty five years.
Our new website is now up and running and appears to be a success as we are seeing a lot more traffic than previously. We are also able to offer more choices for embroidery on our muslin items. All of our bags now come with muslin hangers as it is essential to have the proper kind of hanger for long term storage of gowns and other fine textiles.
We will be adding to our muslin line this year due to its popularity. One of the items will be small drawstring muslin bag for small accessories like straps, buttons or beads. These can also be embroidered as a means of handing out a goody bag at a wedding, for personalized gifts for the bridal party or to just hold something special from your wedding day.
We would love to hear from our customers. Please email us at info@foster-stephens.com with your suggestions and comments.

Preservation Testing in The Wall Street Journal

2011-07-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

I have talked about the different methods of preservation that are out there on my previous posts. The Wall Street Journal has done a wonderful article on the testing of four different preservation companies.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304760604576427881302862532.html?KEYWORDS=GOWN+CLEANING

The article talked about the “poor packaging” by one of the assembly line plants. I have yet to see an actual acid free box come out of one of these plants. This article called them flimsy which is not good for storage in a closet. The plant is wholesaling and needs to keep costs down. They also choose to shrink wrap the box. Is this to hide dirt and stains still left on the dress? The dresses tested here were unsuccessfully cleaned as discovered when opening the plastic and VOIDING the guarantee. They even offer to reseal for another fee!

There is no purpose to shrink wrapping the box except to keep people out of it. How can you change the folds around every 2 ½ years to prevent permanent creasing? How can you change the acid free tissue out every 10 years (if they are even providing acid free anything) or frequently check for any carmelization on the dress? What this plastic can do is keep moisture inside which will cause mildew. If there is a purpose to this method why does the Smithsonian not use it? Their textiles are much older than your wedding dress or child’s baptism gown that you wish to preserve.

If you care enough about your garment to have it cleaned and boxed then select a reputable cleaner. There are many across the country and we are happy to always recommend the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists. They use only archival materials for Museum Quality preservation and you can find them at www.weddinggownspecialists.com.

If you ever have any questions feel free to email us at info@foster-stephens.com.

Choose a Preservationist Carefully!

2011-03-22T11:20:00.000-07:00

The Wedding Season will soon be upon us. One of the last things a bride normally thinks of is who will clean her gown. She maybe planning on selling it or will decide later on or maybe she knows that this is one special part of her very important day that she cannot part with.

Either way, the time to look for a preservation specialist is before the wedding takes place. For success in removing most dirt and stains, the dress should be cleaned within 3 weeks after the wedding. This is very important if you are planning to sell the dress for a good price and it must look "brand new" or if you plan to keep it as a family heirloom.

The first question to ask the preservationist is if they will be doing the work inhouse. Some dry cleaners will mail off the dress to a company that does an assembly line style of cleaning and packaging. Your precious gown will receive no special care. This type of business will not care if you know that you spilled champagne on your sleeve or that your missing a bead on the left hand side of the bodice. These type of assembly line plants will use non-archival materials to package your dress because the wholesale work makes it necessary to cut costs.

If you buy the service through your bridal shop, ask to whom they are sending the gown as well. If they are using a local gown specialist then most likely they are not using these type of plants.

These plants will also shrink wrap your dress and send you literature that saids its the best way to preserve it. If that were true, then why do museums like the Smithsonian not do this? Air is important for preservation and sealing it in plastic can cause all kinds of problems like mildew. Most importantly, ARE THEY JUST TRYING TO KEEP YOU AWAY FROM YOUR DRESS. Is it actually clean? Is is repaired? Has the hem been properly whitened and freed from the dirt caused by dragging on the ground?

Use a preservation specialist who will pack the gown in front of you after cleaning. Make sure they use archival materials only. Check the gown periodically by wearing cotton gloves. Listen to your preservationists instructions on where to keep the gown in the house. All of this will add up to a beautiful family heirloom and a wonderful memory of your wedding day. If you plan on selling, make sure they hang it in a proper archival style bag that will still protect it from unltraviolet rays and contaminants in the air.

The Gimmick of Shrink Wrapping

2010-10-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

If you are a bride to be or a new bride preparing to take your dress in to be cleaned and preserved, please beware. It is very frustrating for me in this year of 2010 to hear that cleaners such as wholesale, assembly line plants that clean gowns, are still selling a service that includes this method. Buyer beware! Think of your grocery store. Years ago, many items were shrink wrapped to keep in freshness. Since inside packaging has improved, I cannot think of a single box that is still wrapped in plastic at the market. The only items I can think of that are still shrink wrapped are items in which the manufacturer WANTS to keep YOU out. Those items are CD's and DVD's where they want to prevent theft or prevent you from a return upon opening. Bottom line is to keep you from whats inside.
That is the true reason why your gown may still be shrink wrapped depending on whom you take it to. Some dry cleaners will send it out to a third party to be cleaned. Some refuse to honor their warranty if you break the seal. What are they fearing? Some may have just refused to change to a modern approach. When I first started in this business in 1995, Leeza Gibbons had her own show and she was doing a segment on preserving gowns. She brought her own preserved gown to the studio and opened it in front of a live audience. When she tore off the shrink wrap, she discovered that her gown was not inside. The only things it contained were her veil and petticoat. Unfortunately, I have heard similar stories over the years. Wrong dress, dirty dress, missing veil etc. Not all of the places are out to scam you but why bother with shrink wrapping if it serves no purpose and hampers you from properly caring for your gown?
First and foremost, your gown needs to be properly cleaned. Second, the container used for your gown should be acid free or archival. I have not seen a large facility who shrink wraps use an archival type of box yet. Third, it is important where you store it at home. Attics and basements are bad because of vast temperature and humidity changes. In a closet or under a bed, away from your registers and light is the best. Check your gown approximately every 18 months to 2 years. Be sure to wear cotton gloves so that you do not transfer hand oils to the fabric. Check for any carmalizing spots and yellowing. Change the folds on the gown to prevent permanent creasing. It is a good idea to change the acid free tissue every 5 years as well. The paper in a Foster-Stephens' box has a life expectancy of 1000 years but the box and tissue are what is obsorbing chemicals and pollutants from the air to protect your gown. A muslin cover makes a nice addition for protection and will help the tissue last much longer. And remember, your gown needs to breathe. Do NOT wrap it in plastic. Do museums? Absolutely not. Why would you. Shrink wrapping is just an old gimmick to make a bride think her dress is being kept "fresh". It has nothing to do with "preservation" and may in fact hinder the application by trapping moisture on the inside of the plastic which will promote mildewing of your dress. It also creates an environment that has an electrostatic charge. It will also cause permanent wrinkles.
So if you are a bride seeking to clean and preserve your dress, make sure you can handle your dress when you choose so that it may be checked and cared for. Preservation is a long term process. The length of this process is for as long as you plan on keeping your precious memories.

Foster-Stephens' 75th Anniversary

2010-10-07T07:20:00.000-07:00

2011 is a big year for us. In 1936, Elmer (Bill) Jones began the business by selling marketing signs to dry cleaners. He first opened with a small building on Christina Ave. on the southside of Chicago. In 1968 he moved to a larger facility in Skokie where we remained for 41 years. We are now located in Elk Grove Village near O'Hare Airport. 75 years after Mr. Jones opened shop, we are the biggest Preservation Box manufacturer serving the industry in the world. We have the largest, most comprehensive line available. We have many new exciting things for the coming year. Lets look back on 1936:

- Construction of the Hoover Dam was completed.
- In violation of the Treaty of Versailles, Nazy Germany reoccupies the Rhineland.
- Bruno Richard Hauptmann is convicted of kidnapping and killing Charles Lindbergh III and is executed in New Jersey.
- Italy annexes Ethiopia.
- Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell is published.
- The 1936 Summer Olympics open in Berlin, Germany, marking the first live television coverage of a sports event in world history.
- President Franklin D. Roosevelt attends the dedication of Thomas Jefferson's head at Mount Rushmore.
- The first edition of Life Magazine is published.

It was also the birth year of ENGLEBERT HUMPERDINCK, BUDDY HOLLY, JOHN MCCAIN, ROBERT REDFORD, DENNIS HOPPER, ALAN ALDA, BURT REYNOLDS, URSULA ANDRESS, JOHN MADDEN, GLEN CAMPBELL, RUTH BUZZI, KRIS KRISTOFFERSON, MARY TYLER MOORE, DICK CAVETT, MICHAEL LANDON AND BUDDY GUY.

Muslin Accessory Bag

2010-06-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

We now carry the small Muslin Accessory Bag so that you can store other items with your garments you are preserving. These accessory bags are 18” x 12” with a 1” gusset. They have a convenient white plastic zipper for easy closure.
If you are storing your wedding gown you may want to pack a tiara, veil, shoes, garter, gloves or purse in with your dress. With our Muslin Accessory Bag your items will be stored safely.
If you are storing your child’s christening outfit you may want to pack in a certificate, candle, cross or bible.
For a prom dress you may have a dried flower, jewelry, shoes or photo.
So many different additional items can be packed safely in our storage bag. Store your precious memories carefully and use our new Muslin Accessory Bag inside your Preservation Kit.

Destination Weddings

2010-01-12T13:04:00.000-08:00

More and more brides are planning a destination wedding. Instead of having a “Wedding Day” it becomes the “Wedding Event”. For a new bride, a one day celebration can become a more memorable sequence of days with family and friends arriving with plenty of time to spare for rest, relaxation and celebrating at a chosen local.
Whether you pick a location for sun and surf like Mexico or Hawaii or for the lights and excitement of Las Vegas, the Destination Wedding can save a bride and groom plenty of money as well.
No matter where the bridal party is traveling to, the wedding gown/ensemble will need to look fresh and unwrinkled for the ceremony. Airlines no longer let brides carry on their gown to be stored in a cabin closet. It will have to be checked as baggage or brought aboard as a carry on to be stored in an overhead compartment. If you feel confident enough to check it, you will need one of our large Keepsake Preservation Boxes. They come with their own shipping carton and handle to help you carry it with you. If that does not seem like an option, Foster-Stephens can provide just what you need to bring it safely with you.
Our 072GH All Tyvek Double Handle Garment Bag will handle any size dress and is easy to carry with you. No one will be able to see the dress and it has a special pocket for identification. For simpler dresses we recommend our Treasure Preservation Kit. Your dress will fit in nicely and you can carry it aboard and store it in the overhead bin above your seat. All of our Keepsake Preservation Kits come with packing instructions.
Once you arrive, try these quick fixes for wrinkles: Hang your gown on the bathroom door, close the door and run the shower on hot until the room is filled with steam. This will relax most wrinkles. Also, travel with a portable hand steamer.
Whether your dream wedding is on a beach, at a castle or near your home, Foster-Stephens’ can provide the perfect storage solution for you. Your life is filled with many special memories…..each one is worth preserving!

Happy New Year to All!

2010-01-12T12:40:00.000-08:00

Foster-Stephens’ would like to wish a happy and prosperous year to all of our customers.

2009 was a good year of change for us. It was necessary for us to move to a larger facility near Chicago’s O’Hare Airport in May. The last time we had moved was 1968 when we went from the Southside of the city up into the northern suburbs. Everything went pretty smoothly and some much needed “cleaning” finally got done.

By September 2009, we had acquired the storage box line of one of our competitors that we had always admired. We had always had a friendly relationship and a mutual interest in the integrity of our products. Purchasing the Keystone Treasure Chest Line was a great asset to Foster-Stephens’. By expanding our product line to now include acid free chip board boxes we are servicing many more distributors in our industry.

We designed this website to help service all those people that have a garment or a keepsake that means so much to them and they do not know how to properly store it to last for years to come. So many people did not even know that a proper “preservation” box or bag exists. They were throwing their precious memories into shoe boxes, plastic bags, brown cardboard boxes and rubber maids. Since we are a family business operational for the last 74 years, we put great emphasis on families, traditions and memories. They are priceless!

Here is to wishing all of you a happy, prosperous, healthy 2010 with your families

A New Solution - Muslin Garment Bags

2008-11-20T07:12:00.001-08:00

Whether you are a costume archiver, a housewife or a veteran, your special garments need special care.

Maybe it is your wedding gown picked up eight months before the wedding, or your first born childs delicate christening gown or your grandfather, long time deceased whose army jacket is now in your protection: Foster-Stephens’ muslin garment bags offer another option for storage of these precious keepsakes.

Our muslin garments bags can be hung in your darkened closet and will take up less space than the traditional boxing method. Our muslin garment bags will buffer against atmospheric changes such as humidity levels. They will combat fumes and smoke and filter dust from damaging your textiles. You have made an investment in a special garment for a special occasion or your have a special keepsake filled with memories of a special person or special time.

Protect your investment properly with the right storage material that Foster-Stephens’ can provide you. NEVER leave your garments in the plastic poly bag in which you bought them.Our muslin garment bags are sized to fit all types of items. From our 38” Muslin Christening bag which is perfect for all baby and small children clothes to our 42” Suit Bag which is also great for jackets, leather coats and special linens. Our longer muslin bags are 62” and 70” and are perfect for every garment from your wedding gown to your winter coat.

We have two size muslin hangers for children and adults. These hangers are essential for preservation because they do not contain any kind of metal or foam. They are muslin with a filling consisting of batting which will not break down. They have pearl buttons to hold straps in place.

Treat your special memories with care and preserve them properly. They are well worth the investment!

Treasure Hunters

2007-01-26T09:02:00.000-08:00

How much is a wedding dress worth? Most of the time the value is in the eye of the beholder or in this case, the bride. I mean lets face it. Whether you spend $500 or $20,000 on the dress, just like a brand new automobile, as soon as you drive it off the storeroom floor, the value plummets. Its value is now in how great it looks on the bride on her wedding day and how great her pictures end up turning out. Most brides do not buy the gown with the thought of throwing it on Ebay and selling it to the highest bidder. Alterations have been made to a specific physique and it has monetary value only to the bride who can look at it year after year and reminisce about her wonderful day in the spotlight. Unless she has since divorced. Then it maybe found at the bottom of the trash compactor. I have even talked to many dry cleaners that are stuck with dresses because the bride and groom were getting divorced before someone ever got around to picking it up.

Over the years, Foster-Stephens’ has gotten many phone calls about these “found treasures.” I have received phone calls from people just moving into a new home and finding this boxed treasure in the attic. Our name is on the bottom of the box so they track down our company. They inquire as to how much the dress is worth and would I like to buy it back? I have to politely say that no, I really am not in the market for a dress right now, that has been sitting in an attic of all places, in whatever size for whatever reason! They are surprised and shocked that their get cash quick scheme hasn’t panned out like they thought it would.

There are then the treasures that have been found on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. Again, these poor dresses have been found by a caring soul who wondered what was in the big white box. They have also found our name and looked up our phone number to inquire how to return the gown to its rightful owner. I do not know what truck these dresses have bounced off but we do not know who has cleaned and boxed that gown. Someone is missing they’re wedding gown from their special day and is probably devastated. These gowns probably find their way to the local pawnshop where they sit waiting for someone else to think it is special again.

So if you were a bride, are a bride or hope to be a bride soon, please take care of your special wedding dress by having it cleaned and preserved and by storing it in a safe place within your home. Trust a professional to clean it for you and remember to move it with you as you upgrade your living quarters. As long as you remain happily married, YOUR dress will be a treasure from your wedding day for always.