Sharing news about our company is helpful for our customers and hopefully good for our business growth. But, what we didn't expect it to be in particular is...FUN! Fun because of the many visitors we didn't expect to get. For example we are getting visitors to our blog from many parts of the world aside from the United States, Canada and Mexico. Here's a few from today...

• Villers-le-Bouillet, Belgium
• Jakarta, Indonesia
• Colombo, Sri Lanka
• Mililani, Hawaii

Although it's unlikely that we'll getting any garments sent from Indonesia, it's still nice so see the interest expressed by visits to our blog. Keep tuning in folks! We appreciate your attention.

With pickup at your door, you won't have to carry your cleaning to the car and from there to 39th and Troost... and then have to pick it up at the appointed time. Then drive home - etc. You get the picture!

At Arrow we try to serve you and make it as easy on you as possible. We provide Kansas City's finest dry cleaning and laundry services in a most civilized way!


Free Pickup and Delivery!
It's as easy as can be.

Call: 816-931-2452 and order a pickup.Or, email and order a pickup.Or, for the ultimate in convenience, sign up for regular weekly pickup and delivery service.

Question:

Hi Bruce. A reader who says he purchased a vintage leather motorcycle jacket from the 60s that smells musty is writing in to our advice column asking how to remove the smell. Our columnist says the jacket smells because it’s been in a damp environment for too long and he suggests hanging it outside on a sunny day and hanging it inside with an open container of baking soda or DampRid. Do musty smells in old leather usually come from the garment being damp? Is this the best way to get rid of the smell? I’m on a short deadline. Are you able to get back to me on Monday?

Thanks so much for your help.

Best, Randy Hartwell
GQ
4 Times Square, 9th Floor - New York, New York

Answer:

Randy...Your columnist's advice is not bad, and might do the trick eventually. We would suggest having the jacket professionally restored. We have deodorization and disinfecting methods to kill the mold/mildew that is causing the odor, as well as techniques to recondition the leather. We have done many such jobs with old and antique garments achieving superior results. If you have a moment, check out our website and blog and look at a few of our hundreds of testimonials, and some of the FAQs. I hope this helps answer your questions. I'm happy to help anytime.

Best regards,
Bruce Gershon, President

Just as soon as your cleaning is ready for pick up, you will be notified by our friendly automated robot-phone. "Robbie" will call you and let you know when your garments are set to go. This is just another personal service for your convenience. ArrowCares™.

Matelassé (pronounced matt-le-zay) is a French word meaning padded, lined or quilted. It is used to describe fabric that appears to be quilted but is not. The looms used to produce matelassé cotton were invented in 1801 by a Frenchman named Joseph Marie Jacquard. The process he developed is still used today to make matelassé fabrics which otherwise could only be produced by the hand-stitching and long hours of dedicated workers.Jacquard looms are most often used to produce matelasse fabrics, with cotton being the most common material chosen for the special weaving process that gives the fabric its signature look.

Special laundering practices are needed to ensure the longevity of your matelasse cotton items. Luxury fabrics like 100 percent Egyptian cotton matelassé are all natural and can shrink or become damaged if laundered in home washers and dryers. A professional cleaner experienced in specialty fabrics is required to assure careful attention to these types of special linens.

Blanc Plume Fine French Laundry, a division of Arrow Fabricare Services, is America's largest French laundry. You can trust your fine linens and bedding to our care. For more information be sure to click here.
The photo above is courtesy of Anichini, Inc., one of America's finest manufacturer of high quality linens and bedding. Anichini recommends ArrowCare™ for their products.

Here's a little advice from Arrow!

When you are planning to bring your clothing and/or linens into Arrow, DO NOT leave a pile of clothes on the back seat of the car. You may be busy and can't get to 39th and Troost right away. Sunlight and heat in a car with the windows up can cause your fabrics to fade and might actually weaken them. A little thing...but it could save you some difficulty.

We get many compliments on our work and service, but this one is especially worth passing along to our customers and friends:

Hello. Years ago, my husband and I took a trip to Italy and I bought an extremely well-made, goat-skin, black car coat from Peruzzi in Florence. I thought for sure I wouldn't be able to wear it anymore due to its condition from all of the use it has seen. I hadn't worn it in 2 years since it was really looking shabby -- so before I tossed it out, I thought I'd give my favorite coat a second chance with your restoration service.
I was thrilled to receive a call from Bob to say that Arrow Leathercare received the coat and he was clear on what he would do to restore it. During this call, he also clarified on what I could expect (that it should look like new when he was done with the restoration). I also asked about the cost at that time and he quoted me a price.

I received my coat today and it is BEAUTIFUL!! It looks just like the day that I purchased it! Thank you for restoring my favorite coat! It will no longer only see the inside of a closet!

Best regards,
Lynn L., Raleigh, NC

Our thanks to this reader (who wishes to remain anonymous) who provided this very informative but possibly upsetting story.

"Have you ever noticed girls who set their handbags on public toilet floors, then go directly to their dining tables and set it on the table? Happens a lot! It's not always the 'restaurant food' that causes stomach distress. Sometimes 'what you don't know will hurt you'!

My mother got so upset when guests came in the door and plopped their handbags down on the counter where she was cooking or setting up food. She always said that handbags are really dirty, because of where they have been. It's something just about every woman carries with them. While we may know what's inside our handbags, do you have any idea what's on the outside? Women carry handbags everywhere; from the office to public toilets to the floor of the car.. Most women won't be caught without their handbags, but did you ever stop to think about where your handbag goes during the day.

We read about some testing that was conducted at a testing laboratory in Utah. It turns out handbags are so surprisingly dirty, even the microbiologist who tested them was shocked. Microbiologist Amy Karen of Nelson Labs says nearly all of the handbags tested were not only high in bacteria, but high in harmful kinds of bacteria. Pseudomonas can cause eye infections. Staphylococcus aurous can cause serious skin infections and salmonella and e-coli found on the handbags could make people very sick.

So the moral of this story is that your handbag won't kill you, but it does have the potential to make you very sick if you place it on places where you eat. Use hooks to hang your handbag at home and in toilets, and don't put it on your desk, a restaurant table, or on your kitchen countertop.

Experts say you should think of your handbag the same way you would a pair of shoes. You'd never think about putting a pair of shoes on your countertops, its the same thing you're doing when you put your handbag on the countertop.

Watch where you put your bag...or better yet send it to Arrow for a thorough cleaning and rejuvenation. It will be much more hygienic and look so much better too. Click here for shipping information to send your bag to Arrow. Arrow also has a very attractive pursehook at a reasonable cost for hanging your purse off the edge of the table when dining. Click here for more information.

Every week, Arrow brings back to life, gorgeous handbags that appear to have lived a pretty 'rough' life. They arrive looking worn-out and seemingly not worth the effort. But, every week Arrow creates more miracles in cleaning and restoration of bags that the owners had practically given up on.

Here's an example of their gratitude and appreciation in the words of a good Arrow customer:

"... I received my Miu Miu handbag back from Arrow Care…and the new “shade” is absolutely stunning! Thank you so much for your attention and guidance, even after hours, on how to restore her to beautiful condition. It is so wonderful to feel comfortable sending my most precious leather goods to you; I wouldn’t trust anyone else.With the rich new tobacco color and the perfect condition, I truly feel as if I got a whole new bag out of this! Thank you again, and I look forward to working with you and your company again in the future. Best regards, Christine S. - Houston, TX"

The Leather Apparel Association - A reliable source of information about the leather apparel business Established in 1990, the Leather Apparel Association (LAA) was founded by a group of retailers, manufacturers, tanners, cleaners and suppliers from across the United States whose purpose was to help focus the marketing directions of the industry. LAA members today account for approximately 60% of America's retail dollar volume in leather apparel.

Today, nearly 20 years later, members of the Leather Apparel Association are not only poised at the very top of their professions, but also stand firmly behind their goods and services. When purchasing a garment or service by an LAA member, consumers can be sure that they are getting the very best the leather industry has to offer. The LAA emblem - with its easily recognizable coat hanger logo can be found on members' apparel hangtags and on stickers in the windows of retail members' establishments. Very simply, the LAA represents good product, good service and good business.

Only a few dry cleaning institutions across America are recommended professional cleaning professionals for leather and suede cleaning. Arrow is one of the few.

Bruce Gershon, chief executive officer of Arrow Leathercare is one of the six member Board of Directors of the LAA.