Wet-Clean Suit - literally wash and wear

[carebear]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/26/nsuit126.xml

Video on the page

Wet-clean suit that saves on dry clean bills
By Graham Tibbetts
Last Updated: 2:03am BST 26/04/2008

With its fashionably narrow lapels and slender cut it is the kind of suit that looks good in any setting, from City boardroom to sophisticated nightclub.

But this two-piece pinstripe can also be found somewhere its rivals cannot; thanks to British style and Australian innovation it can be worn and washed in the shower.

The two-button outfit, carrying the name of John Pearse, Soho tailor to Sir Mick Jagger and George Clooney, is a first for the fashion world.

Made mainly from fast-drying Australian merino wool by the Japanese firm Konaka, it is aimed at the businessman who is required to remain fully suited in the sweltering heat and humidity of an Asian summer.

The idea is that at the end of a gruelling day, the suit can be hosed down in the shower then hung to dry, regaining its shape, creases and freshness overnight and saving on costly dry cleaning.

It is currently only available in Japan but the team behind the fabric is lining up a partner to launch a version in Britain later this year. After being kitted out with a "Shower Clean suit", my first impressions were that the fabric was crinkly and lightweight to the point of being diaphanous - ideal for a carriage on the Tokyo underground but less practical in a London gale.

Although evidently designed for the diminutive Japanese office worker - fastening the 28in trousers required a large intake of breath - the cut was superb and the sleek, tailored lines, belie the competitive Japanese price tag equivalent to £250.

Subjected to a lengthy blast of hot water, it maintained its shape through vigorous scrubbing and lathered up nicely with the help of shower gel and a sponge.

The secret of the suit's quick drying fabric lies in its water-repellent finish. An amino acid found in hair, nails and skin is used to help keep its shape.

Although dripping like a dish cloth immediately afterwards, within two hours it felt merely damp.

The following morning the jacket and trousers had returned to their original pristine, well-pressed condition, despite some lingering dampness.

Just remember to use a waterproof wallet.

 

[ShoreRoadLady]

Cary Grant would've appreciated this suit in Charade!

 

[Musclebuzz]

The reporter in the video demonstrating the suit doesn't wear an undershirt???

 

[Jovan]

Neither did James Bond.

Quite interesting. I still don't like my suitings being touched by ANY synthetic fabric, but I'm sure there's a market for this.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I think it's a step in the right direction... now if they would make it in a heavier fabric and in a three piece we're set.

 

[carebear]

I shouldn't think the fabric thickness is a necessary part of the technology working. Shedding water is shedding water after all.

So, if it catches on, one would hope they'd make them for milder climates.

I know there are already home alternatives to dry cleaning regularly, but they all take a lot more work than this would seem to.



If only some new, hungry, up-and-coming made-to-measure suit entrepreneur would do some research on the fabric cost for the American market. Hmmm...

 

[John in Covina]

I have seen an episode of Huell Howser where they visit a couple of Dry Cleaners that have brought in special WET CLEANER technology from Europe that cleans better and is less of a hassel with disposing of the Dry cleaning chemicals. The pressing technology that comes with the wet cleaning is what allows it to work so well.