The Alternative: Sponging & Pressing

The best way to keep wool’s fibres vibrant and encourage them to retain their shape is to employ an old technique used on Savile Row every day: ‘sponging and pressing’. First, a damp clothes brush is used to lightly brush the suit (always downwards, never perpendicular to the fibres), removing any surface debris. This raises the suit’s woolen fibres, making them appear more full-bodied, and priming them for steaming.

Next, a steam iron is used to thoroughly clean the suit. The great thing about wool is that it’s very springy, so with a little encouragement – i.e. a good sponging and pressing – it returns to its original shape, or at least close to. Although it can be difficult to find a cleaner that provides a good sponging and pressing service, taking the time to track one down is worthwhile for extending your suit’s lifespan. You could try your hand at the process at home, but some things are best left to the experts.

For those of you plagued by shiny spots on your suits, steam should be your first port of call for minimizing the issue. Suits develop shiny spots as a result of wear and friction between fibres. While steaming won’t completely rectify the problem, it will work to dull the shine, so either invest in a powerful steam iron or steamer for home use, or give your cleaner strict instructions.

Steaming can be used to reduce shine spots

It’s also worth noting that steaming at home is best done with a garment steamer, rather than an iron. While professional pressing with an iron isn’t a problem when done by the experts, ironing at home can often lead to the development of more shiny spots due to the friction between the iron and suit. If you must iron at home, be sure to use a press cloth as a barrier to protect the wool.

Suit Storage

One of the easiest ways to keep your suit looking its best is to simply have a good rotation in your wardrobe – in other words, give it a break! Being made from wool, a natural fibre, a suit needs a little R&R every now and again to retain its structure.