dgown@iname.com
Why Should I Clean and Preserve My Gown?
You’ve invested in a special garment to be worn on a special day. If
not cared for, it will become yellowed and damaged with the passing years.
Hidden stains like perspiration, champagne or sugar will usually yellow in
less than five years if not removed. And improper storage can be as
damaging as doing nothing. Someday, your daughter or granddaughter will
probably wonder where it is. Give your gown proper care now and your gown
can be her gown in the future! Return
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What About the Care Label in My Dress?
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and similar regulatory agencies
in other countries, require that garments have Care Labels, in order to
inform consumers how to safely clean and care for their clothing. Rules
from the FTC mandate proper wording for care labels. The rules disallow
any manufacturer from requiring that any one care provider be the only
option for a consumer. Nor do the rules allow that a label give vague care
instructions that are not easily understood by consumers and
care-providers. Any damage that may occur due to improper labeling often
becomes the liability of the retailer, the manufacturer and/or the
drycleaner who handled the garment. But it is the consumer who loses, if a
precious item is damaged due to improper care. Return to
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What is Drycleaning?
Drycleaning is a professional technique of removing soil from clothing,
generally using a liquid solvent called “perchloroethylene” (PRC).
Drycleaning is called “dry” because PRC has no water (H20).
Drycleaning, and the elevated temperatures required to remove the PRC, can
cause melting or dissolving of delicate beadwork and other trims.
Drycleaning often misses hidden, water-based stains, such as perspiration,
champagne or sugar. Drycleaning is safe for coats, suits and skirts. But
not for most gowns. Return to Top of List
What is Wetcleaning?
First of all, Wetcleaning is NOT “washing”. Washing includes
agitation, extreme temperatures, alkaline detergents and wringing or
extraction of the water. Wetcleaning is a bath. Every gown is handled
individually, one at a time, by hand. It is completely safe for all types
of fabrics and trims, including sequins and teardrops, even silver lined
bugle beads. Wetcleaning will not dissolve the glues that are sometimes
used to place trims. And wetcleaning removes hidden stains such as
perspiration, champagne and sugar before they can show up as yellow or
brown streaks on your gown. Wetcleaning is the technique used by The
Smithsonian Institution during its recent restoration of the First Ladies
Gowns, and has been applauded by environmental groups such as Greenpeace
as being safe for humans and Planet Earth. Return
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List
What is Zurcion ®?
A name. Only a name. “The Zurcion Method” has been named as a
recommended method for handling certain wedding gowns. This has caused
confusion to many consumers, bridal retailers and professional cleaners.
Why? Because there is no such thing! Zurcion is a registered trademark of
Nationwide Gown Cleaning Co., a cleaner in the state of New York. This
company has used as many as six different names in the marketplace,
including Prestige, Continental and Gown Cleaning Services. (None of these
companies are in any way associated with Imperial Gown Restoration Co.)
Trademarks are nothing more than protected trade names of companies doing
business. Special or unique processes or substances are protected by
Patents, not trademarks. Zurcion does not qualify as a process or a
substance with the US Patent Office. By their own admission, Zurcion is
drycleaning. And Nationwide is the company that was named on “The Leeza
Show” as refusing to honor a warranty for a bride who received a damaged
gown. Return to Top of List
How Do I Choose the Right Gown Preservation Company?
Not by finding the closest drycleaner or the lowest price! There are specific questions you must ask before selecting a professional to handle
your gown. These are general questions that every consumer must ask. These
are the same Seven Questions that our president, gave to viewers when he was invited to be a guest on
NBC-TV’s in 1995. These questions
address important issues such as reliability, reputation and guarantees
(and the warranty loopholes to avoid). Remember, if you pay less, but your
gown is destroyed, you save nothing! You don’t go to a pediatrician for
brain surgery. Don’t use anyone but a bridal gown professional for your
bridal gown! Return to Top of List
What About the Price?
This is an important question. But it is only the most important question. A true professional will want to see your gown
before quoting a price. Gowns are made of different fibers, fabrics and
trims. Some gowns have no train, others have trains up to 20 feet long.
Some gowns have only hem soil, others have had an entire glass of red wine
spilled on the bodice. If any company quotes one price for all gowns, they
are providing one level of service for all gowns. Please read our list of
Seven Questions to understand how to select a gown cleaning company you
can trust. Remember, you save nothing if you pay less but your gown is
destroyed. Return to Top of List
What Happened on The Leeza Show?
Taped in August and first aired in September of 1995 (and several times
subsequently), Leeza Gibbons had a show on NBC-TV which featured seven
women who had been victims of various bridal scams. Four of these women
had been victimized by gown companies. One, Shelley Brown of New
Hampshire, had been featured in a story in The Boston Globe before
appearing on Leeza. Brown had her gown cleaned and preserved by Nationwide
Gown Cleaners (See: “What is Zurcion”, above). Brown told viewers that
when she opened her gown preservation box after four years, she found it
covered with yellow stains, blood and ink. She had the gown with her on
stage. When she contacted Nationwide with her “Lifetime Guarantee”,
they informed her that her guarantee was voided due to her having opened
the box. Steven Saidman, president of Imperial, then gave viewers the
questions that must be asked before selecting a gown preservation company.
Leeza then asked Saidman to assist her in unpacking her own bridal gown,
which had been sealed for several years. To the shock of Leeza and the
entire audience, she found that the box contained only her veil and
petticoat. Her “sealed and protected” gown box had no gown in it! Return
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Can I Break the Seal on My Preservation Box?
Why not? If you’ve come to believe that you damage your gown by
allowing air inside, you’ve been fooled by the greatest scam in America.
The seal did not protect Leeza Gibbons or that bride from New Hampshire on
“The Leeza Show”. Neither the First Ladies Gowns nor “Old Glory”
(the “Star Spangled Banner” flag from 1814) are in air-tight rooms at
The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. In fact, a sealed container
can trap moisture and cause mildew or mold. Professional textile curators
always recommend that a fabric be allowed to “breathe” in acid-free
packaging. So, why do so many “gown preservation” companies prohibit
you from breaking the seal? According to experts, to keep you from seeing
the gown! Remember, the only party protected by an unopened box is the
cleaner -- not you! Imperial is the only company giving you a 50 Year,
Replacement Value Warranty, even if you open your gown box at home! Return
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How Do I Use Imperial Gown Restoration Co.?
Easy! Call 1-800-WED-GOWN. Imperial will arrange with you for a
No-Cost, No-Obligation, fully insured free pickup and delivery of your
wedding gown from anywhere in all fifty United States and Puerto Rico.
Brides in Canada and the Caribbean may also take advantage of Imperial’s
quality for a nominal shipping charge. Imperial will provide you with all
packaging materials and handling charges so that you may receive a free
consultation and quote on having your gown handled safely and properly. Return
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