Sun Fading

If you are practicing to become the next Tiger Woods, you may notice unusual discoloration on your golf shirts. Most often, this damage will appear as general fading and/or speckled spots on the chest, upper body and shoulder areas. This discoloration is commonly referred to as 'sun fading' or 'light fading'. It results from repeated exposure to bright sunlight. Moisture from perspiration accelerates the discoloration and contributes to the speckled appearance.   If you look at the underside of the collar or even the reverse side of the fabric, the original color is still there. Also, golf shirts are usually tucked in to the waist of pants and the lower areas will appear much darker when compared to the faded body of the shirt. This fading is not limited to shirts and may develop on pants, shorts and even on hats. Don't play golf or other outdoor sports? Your clothes can still be discolored by light fading. To minimize this damage: •   Don't leave your clothes hanging in the back window if you pick them up from ZIPS before you go to work in the morning. •   If you plan on being in the sun all day, such as at a theme park or working in your garden, wear lighter colors. They reflect the sun so you stay cooler plus the dyes will not fade as readily as darker colors such as red, black and blue. •   Be careful when selecting bright colored silk garments for outdoor events such as a summer wedding or party. The dyes in silk fabric fade more readily than the same color dye on a cotton shirt.  If you notice this type of discoloration on relatively new items, you should return them to the place of purchase. It is expected for your garments to be exposed to moderate light and the dyes should be durable to this normal condition of use.  If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at zipscustomercare@321zips.com.

Look Out for this defective Tahari dress

The Drycleaning & Laundry Institute issued a warning today to all dry cleaners and consumers for a defective dress from Tahari.

Black trim is bleeding onto the
rest of the dress 

This Tahari brand dress is tan & white with black trim made of cotton, polyester, and spandex.  The care label states “dry clean only”, but during the normal dry cleaning process in GreenEarth brand solvent (ZIPS does not use this solvent), the black trim bleeds out a rust color component onto the rest of the dress. 

Since 1972 the Federal government has required all manufacturers to provide at least one safe cleaning method. Since the dress was unable to withstand the manufacturers recommended cleaning method the garment is defective and should be returned to the store or manufacturer.

Rust color is a component of the black trim

Manufacturer:          

Tahari Levine LLC


 501 Broad Ave.


Ridgefield, NJ 07657


Ph. (201) 943-5000, Ext. 2208


Fax. (201) 943-3744

DLI also pointed out that Tahari is not knowingly or continually producing defective goods.  While this particular dress is defective, that does not mean any other garments from Tahari are defective.

What causes the random brown stains on the front of my shirts?

Yellow, tan and brown stains may 'mysteriously' appear on garments after they have been washed and dried or stored for a long period of time.

Invisible stains can discolor or turn brown with age through oxidation. Imagine spilling ginger ale on a white t-shirt. When the area dries, you really won't be able to see the stains. If you leave the stain for one week, it may appear pale yellow. After one month, the same stain may appear tan.  Six months later, you could be looking at a brown stain.

To view a short video from ZIPS TV on Invisible Stains or other education topics, Click Here.

Once discolored, it can be difficult to remove Invisible Stains.  When washing at home, pre-treat the area with common household stain removing products, and wash in the hottest water possible for the color of the fabric.

Next, try a specially formulated product for home stain removal, such as Carbona Stain Devil for beverage stains. These home care tips should only be followed for washable items.  DO NOT USE ON LEATHER, SUEDE, SILK, ACETATE, CARPETING OR UPHOLSTERY.  Before use, test for colorfastness on an inconspicuous area.

Of course you can take the garment(s) to your local ZIPS Dry Cleaner and let us do the dirty work for you.

- Chris Allsbrooks