Best Tips for Storage: Remember Clean, Cool, Dry & Dark does the trick!

Before putting ANYTHING textile based away, make sure it has been laundered or dry cleaned. Body oils, perspiration, invisible tannin stains, dead skin cells, etc. are all magnets for moths and other destructive pests. Slight discoloration is another risk. - Always store textiles (table linens, clothes, bed covers, etc.) in a COOL, DRY, DARK and WELL-VENTILATED space.

Avoid the attics, basements, garages and closets located on outside walls. Attics and basements can experience dramatic fluctuations in temperature throughout the day. They can also be quite dusty, damp, and poorly ventilated. The garage tends to be dirty and has an unregulated climate. In addition, chemicals in the air from automobiles can create a hazardous atmosphere for textiles. Closets on outside walls can be susceptible to temperature extremes, especially when the homeowner is away on extended vacations.

- AVOID PLASTIC STORAGE CONTAINERS. Plastic can emit fumes that will damage dyes and/ or fibers. If you are hanging your garments for long term storage, protect it from dust or dye sublimation using an unbleached cotton or muslin cloth. If you are packing your garments away select an acid free storage box or a clean suitcase, and be sure to place acid free tissue or unbleached muslin between each item.

Is wedding gown preservation really necessary?

Wedding gown preservation is an important step that is sometimes overlooked after your vows have been exchanged. To properly store and keep your gown remaining in the same condition that it was in when you walked down the aisle, we recommend having your gown preserved with a reputable dry cleaner that specializes in garment preservation. As the only member of the Association of Wedding Gown Specialists in Tarrant County, we offer an unparalleled level of excellence when cleaning, preserving and restoring wedding gowns of any age.

With Kite’s you can trust that your gown is in the best, most experienced hands in the industry. Gowns are inspected inch by inch upon arrival to identify the individual steps needed to treat your gown. After cleaning, your gown is thoroughly inspected for missing beads, sequins, or tears. All necessary repairs are completed before pressing and the final inspection. For brides with a vintage gown, further attention to detail is given to treat delicate fabrics.

Our cleaning team treats your gown with an anti-sugar process to prevent invisible stains from appearing years later. Sugars from cake or champagne can be invisible after standard cleaning. Only Kite’s anti-sugar process completely removes remnant sugars, which caramelize over time and can leave your gown with yellow stains that are extremely difficult to remove later on.

For safe storage after the wedding, Kite’s utilizes MuseumCareTM preservation techniques which clean and protect your gown to retain its original elegance for years to come. These techniques meet the Smithsonian Museum’s guidelines for the preservation of historic garments. Every preservation comes with a lifetime guarantee that is honored internationally and includes free member services when the gown is to be worn again.

Without the preservation process, your wedding gown may yellow and deteriorate with age, and the last thing you want to reminisce on your wedding day is a damaged gown! You spent countless hours searching and thinking about the perfect gown to wear for your special day, so treat your gown to the care that it deserves by scheduling a free consultation with our Wedding Gown Specialists today by calling 1-866-811-1554 for an appointment!

Avoid Moth Damage when Storing Seasonal Clothing

“The wasting moth never spoiled my best array; the cause was this, I wore it everyday” ~Alexander Pope The good Mr. Pope had it right three hundred years ago when he observed that by wearing his favorite clothes on a regular basis he never suffered their loss from moth damage. There are a couple of reasons this is true. First, the simple act of wearing the garment frequently will disturb the peace and tranquility the moth larvae (the real culprit behind moth damage) need to thrive. The tiny little critters will be brushed away by your routine activity. The second reason it's true, is that, as Martha Stewart says on her Basics of Mothproofing blog, moth larvae dislike bright light, so they rarely attack frequently worn clothing. In short, the moths lay their eggs in dark places where they hope they will be undisturbed.

On the other hand, the fact that these garments are frequently worn does make them prime candidates for moth damage when you put them away for 'the season'. As all the experts agree, trace perspiration, body oils, food spills and other nutrients picked up by clothes attract and nourish these pests, and when your clothes are sitting idle for the season it makes for a hearty moth larvae meal! That's why we echo Martha's advice and urge you to wash or dry clean EVERYTHING before you pack up your winter clothing for storage. Changing your closets for the season is also a good time to weed out the unused and unwanted. 'when in doubt, throw it out.'

As added protection we sell moth repellant garment bags here at Kite’s which help keep moths away. In addition, if you want to avoid dealing with the seasonal storage struggle altogether, we offer on-site, temperature controlled clothing storage. We'll clean and store your clothes here with FREE Pick-Up and delivery included. Once you are ready for your items, we will clean them once again if needed, and bring them directly to you!

Have your Silks and Linens Cleaned with Care!

In the hot days of summer you’ll want to feel cool.

Clothes made from silk or linen are not only beautiful, comfortable, lightweight and attractive; they will also help keep you cool in hot weather.

Did you know?

Ever since the Chinese cultivated silkworms many centuries ago, silk fabric has been considered a thing of beauty and the fabric a precious possession.

Did you know?

Linen is one of the earliest fibers to be made into string and cloth. It comes from the flax plant, which grows all over the Mediterranean region. Linen is well known for wrinkling, and in a special way, that’s part of its unique attractiveness.

Silk and linen garments require special care. If cared for properly, they can last for years and remain in excellent condition. Dry cleaning makes your clothes last longer and helps maintain the original texture of the fabric. Soil and stains left in a garment can act as an abrasive and can cause garments to wear out more quickly.

Wear your silk and linens with pride and leave the care of these precious fabrics to our specialists at Kite’s Custom Cleaners.

Store your Garments like the Museum Pros!

Did you know that the textile conservator at the Metropolitan Museum takes great care to keep conditions at a constant 68 degrees Fahrenheit with a humidity of 55 percent; a built-in air conditioner and air purifying unit ensure that there is no change in the condition of the air?

Individual pieces are protected by unbleached muslin, cotton batting and acid free tissue. Routine maintenance on all systems, as well as the artwork are conducted annually to make sure everything is working right and in good condition.  If that doesn't speak to the importance of proper conditions for storage and maintenance, I give up!

While you might not want to go to the lengths that the Met does to protect its treasures from the atmospheric conditions that can harm it, there are still some steps you need to follow to protect your wardrobe for out of season storage:

First: Never store anything (garment, draperies, rugs, comforters, etc) without first dry cleaning or laundering it.  Even if the item looks, feels and smells clean, the fact is it has perspiration, dead skin cells, body oils and a host of other proteins that are a magnet for moth larvae, silverfish, dust mites and other insects that can seriously damage your clothes.

Next:  Pick a place to store the garments that is cool (around 68 degrees Fahrenheit is perfect), dry (about 55% relative humidity is ideal), dark, and has superb air circulation and air changes.  This pretty much rules out attics, basements, storage bins and closets on outside walls.

Last, but not least- don't pack the clothes tightly or cover them in plastic.  Your fabrics need to breathe. Protect them from airborne dust, dirt and particulate by covering them in unbleached muslin or a clean, unbleached white sheet. 

Remember, we also offer On-Site Garment Storage.  If you are short on space, feel free to ask about our climate controlled storage facility. We'll clean and store your clothes for out of season storage and handle them as your personal treasures deserve to be handled. FREE Pick-Up is also available! Once a new season rolls around and you are ready for your items, we will clean them once again if needed, and arrange FREE delivery for you!

The Man Who Invented Dry Cleaning

As we begin Black History Month, we celebrate Thomas Jennings, the first African-American to receive a US patent for his invention of the ‘dry scouring’ process which trail-blazed the way for modern day dry cleaning methods.

From the National Inventors Hall of Fame:

Jennings, a skilled tailor and successful businessman in New York City, was disappointed in conventional methods of cleaning, so he experimented until he found a successful method that did not harm clothes. In 1820, he applied for a patent and it was granted in 1821. Under the Patent Act of 1793, an individual had to sign an oath declaring that he was a citizen of the United States. Jennings, being a freeman, was a citizen and so was awarded the patent.

With the success of his business and patent, he became a leader in the abolitionist and civil rights movement in New York City. He was a founder and trustee of the Abyssinian Baptist Church, assistant secretary for the First Annual Convention of the People of Color in Philadelphia in 1831, and helped organize the Legal Rights Association in 1855, raising challenges to discrimination, and funding and organizing legal defenses for court cases.

When Jennings died, Frederick Douglass wrote about his death. He noted the importance of the patent Jennings received and that the patent recognized him as a "citizen of the United States," a designation at the time that shocked many.

Thank you Thomas Jennings for your major contributions to the dry cleaning profession, and our society!

Kite's Wedding Gown Specialists Winner of 2021 WeddingWire Couples Choice Awards!

Fort Worth, January 19, 2021. -- Kite's Wedding Gown Specialists was announced as a winner of the 2021 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards®, an accolade representing the top wedding professionals across the board in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism reviewed by couples on WeddingWire, a leader in the $200 billion global wedding planning industry.

In 2020, the rise and spread of COVID-19 unfortunately impacted the wedding industry and the hundreds of thousands of small businesses who bring weddings to life every day. However, wedding vendors worldwide continued to guide their couples through wedding planning and the challenges of the global pandemic. In celebration of local wedding vendors nationwide and overseas, the 2021 WeddingWire Couples’ Choice Awards® recognizes the wedding professionals who excelled in supporting to-be-weds despite unprecedented challenges resulting from COVID-19.

To determine these distinguished wedding professionals, WeddingWire analyzed reviews across more than 20 service categories—from venues and caterers to florists and photographers—to find the most- and highest-rated vendors of the year. The winners exhibit superior professionalism, responsiveness, service and quality when interacting with the millions of couples who turn to WeddingWire to help with their wedding planning process each month.

Wedding professionals who win WeddingWire Couple’s Choice Awards® are members of WeddingPro, the leading B2B wedding brand. As the largest marketplace and community for wedding professionals, WeddingPro connects businesses with more than 13 million unique monthly visitors who are planning weddings on WeddingWire and The Knot, as well as with hundreds of thousands of pros in the industry. Through its online marketplaces, educational programs and community-building events, WeddingPro is dedicated to helping wedding professionals build relationships with couples and pros that grow their businesses.

Kite's Wedding Gown Specialists is honored to be one of the top vendors in Fort Worth on WeddingWire. For more information about Kite's Wedding Gown Specialists, please visit us on WeddingWire. To learn more about the Couples' Choice Awards®, visit www.weddingwire.com/couples-choice-awards.

Proper Care for your Yoga Pants: Namaste the Right Way!

A nice pair of yoga pants can be a big investment. With workout season upon us, and yoga pants becoming an item of daily wear during these times, it is important to know how to properly care for your yoga pants to expand their longevity and keep them looking great:

1. Skip the Heat-Synthetic materials such as spandex should always be washed in cold water. Also always avoid the dryer and allow your yoga pants to air dry.

2. Wash Alone-Always wash yoga pants and leggings only with other yoga pants, leggings, or work-out tops made with synthetic materials. Cotton items such as t-shirts should be specifically avoided to stop pills (little lint balls) from forming. Also, remember to wash the pants inside out.

3. Be Gentle-Choose the gentle cycle to avoid excessive abrasion or stretching from high-speed spinning.

4. Less is More-avoid using large amounts of detergent. Too much soap can make yoga pants stiff, sticky and also attract bacteria, odor and cause skin irritation.

5. Say NO to fabric softener- Athletic clothes have a property called wicking that pulls moisture from your skin causing it to evaporate while you are working out. Fabric softener prevents wicking which will leave your sweat trapped between your skin and the pants which is a recipe for discomfort or overheating while you are on the mat.

6. Wash After Every Use-Whether you are drenched from hot yoga or didn't break a sweat while wearing yoga pants for everyday tasks, clothing that is worn directly on your skin gathers bacteria and creates yeast spores that will continue to multiply until the garment is washed. Leaving them in a gym bag or hamper can accelerate growth so be sure to wash them as soon as possible.

   Proper care of your yoga pants can make them last longer and keep you posing in those asanas for the long haul! Namaste!

10 Things to do After your Engagement

Love is in the air! A whopping 40% of engagements take place between Christmas and Valentine’s Day, so chances are if you are reading this you are one of the lucky girls that received an extra special gift over the holidays, or you may soon be a newly engaged bride!

Whether you are already donning that beautiful rock on your finger or hoping you soon will be, here are some great rules of thumb to keep in mind of what to do after you are freshly engaged:

1. Celebrate with your new fiancé! Pop a bottle of champagne, disconnect and retreat somewhere to savor this moment with your love. Wedding planning will be in full swing soon enough. First take the time to connect and truly celebrate this milestone in your relationship.

2. Call your close family and friends to tell them the news BEFORE you announce it on social media. Facebook is the last place that your Grandmother should find out about your engagement. With all of the excitement and adrenaline the first thing you may want to do is post it for the world to see. However keep in mind that those closest to you deserve to know before your old friend from 3rd grade who you haven’t talked to in years sees it on their timeline. Share the news with your loved ones first so that they can celebrate your happiness with you!

3. Relax! Have a spa day (and a manicure) Grab your fiancé and take some time to unwind! Your fiancé has more than likely been anxious and stressed leading up to the moment that they popped the question. A day of self-care and relaxation will be good for the both of you. In addition you can take this time to get your hands picture perfect, they will be on display quite a bit in the coming days as you show off your new ring!

4. Take pictures! Schedule a professional session or have an impromptu photo-shoot with the help of a friend or a timer and tripod to take pictures of you and your love. You will need good photos for any announcements via social media, save the dates , your wedding website and many more outlets. In addition you will want to have these pictures to look back on to remember this time in the future.

5. Discuss a Budget. Before you begin dreaming of the perfect wedding ensemble or googling dream venues. Having a set budget in mind will be important so that you can inform vendors of the amount that you would like to spend. This will make shopping and planning much less stressful and will help ensure that your expectations meet your wallet!

6. Begin to think about what season or location that you want to get married in. Do you envision a sun-kissed wedding on a summer day or a winter wonderland? Will your location be somewhere tropical or are the snowy mountains more your style? Having the season and location decided will be the key to finding your gown and ensure that your wedding look will be appropriate for your desired climate.

7. Schedule your dress appointment. One of the most exciting parts of planning a wedding is finding your dream gown, but it’s important to schedule your appointment as soon as you can because finding the right dress could take some time. If your dress has to be ordered it takes on average 1-3 months if not more to arrive. In addition to ordering your gown, you will need to include ample time for alterations, and dress preparation such as cleaning and pressing.

8. Check out trunk shows or consignment stores. Wedding gowns can be expensive, but you can save some money by shopping for treasures in these sometimes overlooked places. Have your eye on a specific wedding dress designer? You may want to peep their trunk show schedule to see when they'll be in town (or where you'd have to travel to) and how much of a discount you can score on the new collection.

9. Bring dresses that need restoration in early! If you plan to wear a family member’s gown from years past or a gorgeous consignment store find, bring your gown in for restoration early so that you can ensure that your gown can be restored to a wearable condition and provide plenty of time for it to be ready before your big day!

10. Schedule a consultation with Kite’s Wedding Gown Specialists as soon as possible. Your dress will have a schedule of its own with pre-wedding photography that may cause you to need your dressed cleaned or pressed for the photoshoot as well as afterwards before the wedding. In addition you will want to discuss plans for cleaning and preservation after the wedding as well. Click here to read about one of our bride’s experiences with a custom gown: Erin’s Story

    Give our Wedding Gown Specialist’s a call to discuss your options and schedule an appointment 1-866-811-1554

Tips to Keep your Swimwear Looking Brand New

Chlorine, heat and improper washing can quickly ruin swimwear. Many popular swimsuit brands cost around $100 per piece, making a single swimsuit purchase $200-$300 on average, which is a major investment for your wardrobe. These easy tips will keep your suit looking radiant, allowing them to last not only this season but for many summers to come!

Rinse it off quickly: Chlorine, sunblock, body oil and sweat can all cause damage and discoloration of swimsuits. Rinsing your suit off after pool or hot tub time can drastically reduce the chance of fading.

Hand Wash: Washing machines can damage delicate suits and accessories such as cups, padding, and strings and cause alteration of the fit leaving your suit constantly bunching up, stretched and forever ill fitted.

Soap It Up: Using natural or mild soap such as hand soap is best for your swimsuit as normal detergents can be too harsh. Make sure that your swimsuit is fully rinsed out and that no soap residue remains.

Lay to Dry: Hanging a swimsuit can stretch it out, while ringing it out can damage the fabric. To quickly remove excess water, lay your suit on a towel, roll it up and squeeze gently. Once unrolled, lay it on a flat surface to dry.

Switch Suits Often: Spandex is a “memory” fabric, meaning that it easily responds to temperatures and shapes that it is exposed to. Rotating your swimwear gives each suit time to dry completely and bounce back to its original shape.

Keep It Cool: Hot Water is bad for swimwear. Do not wash your suit in hot water, and avoid hot tubbing too often in a favorite or expensive suit.

Prep Before you Dip: Soaking a new suit in a vinegar/water solution for 30 mins can prevent dyes from bleeding. To prepare just add one tablespoon of white vinegar to each quart of water. This method applies to many heavily died fabrics and garments to reduce or eliminate bleeding.

Relax on a Towel: Sitting on concrete, wooden benches or any rough surfaces can snag, tear and cause unsightly fabric pilling (loose strands or balls that form on a piece of fabric). Using a towel or sarong as a barrier can prevent these damaging effects that friction of surfaces causes.

Keeping these tips in mind while soaking up the sun will help keep your suit and you, looking your beachwear best!