Post Purchase Information for Suits

If you’ve invested in a personally tailored piece, it is important to take good care of it so that it can last a long time. This guide has been compiled to help you increase the lifetime of your garment. Congratulations, you are now a part of an exclusive Harvie and Hudson community. 
 

This can be difficult to hear, especially because you will want to, but your made to measure suit should not be for everyday wear. If you do this, you will very quickly wear out the fabric. You should instead, have a selection of suits on rotation that you can alternate between and give your favourite suit a break between wears. This allows your suit to air and regains its shape between uses.

Store your personal tailoring in a good garment bag in your wardrobe with the zip open to allow your garment to breathe. Similarly, if you’ve been in a smoky environment, hang up your garment in a well-ventilated room for a few days to clear away any odours before placing your made to measure piece back in your wardrobe.

With natural fibres such as wool, you will find that moths are attracted to your material. It’s best to store with a natural deterrent like lavender or cedarwood to keep the garment damage-free and fresher for longer. You can also get untreated cedar wood hangers to repel the moths away from your suit.

Our made to measure suits are dry-clean only however, you should refrain from dry-cleaning it often, as the chemicals used at the laundry will strip natural oils from the wool, making your suit more susceptible to damage. We advise you dry clean your suit around 2 to 3 times a year and instead, spot clean any marks or stains in between with a damp cloth or chemical-free baby wipes if you are on the go.

Press your suit regularly and brush your suit to keep it looking sharp. Brushing helps redistribute the natural oils in the wool, restore the fabric’s natural fibres and removes any particles and dust that sit on the material.

We suggest using a pure bristle brush to keep your garment like new. When using the brush, make sure to brush downwards, before and after wearing so keep your suit looking good. You can also use a lint roller to remove any of the tougher fibres that don’t seem to budge.
 

 
Try not to use the front pockets of the suit if you can avoid it. Putting anything with any kind of substantial weight causes the front of your jacket to sag down and lose its shape. It also damages the inside lining and the fabric behind it if you do it often. If you must use the pockets, keep it to items that are light, like business cards or handkerchiefs.
 
Don’t forget to change out the wire hanger from your dry cleaners as soon as you get home to something more substantial that will hold the shoulders of your suit better. A wide hanger supports the shoulders whereas a thinner hanger can cause creases. Also, avoid placing your jacket on the back of your chair at work as this can also distort the shoulder padding, causing you to lose the shape of your suit.

If you’re travelling and you are taking your made-to-measure piece with you, a tip is to hang it in the bathroom while you shower. The hot shower will give your suit a gentle steam and help with any creases.

Always wear your jacket and trousers together, otherwise, you will find that one may wear out faster than the other. Similarly, you should also dry clean both pieces together otherwise you will notice one may fade differently to the other.

Purchase an additional pair of trousers if possible. Trousers tend to wear out much faster than jackets so it’s worth considering buying an extra pair if you intend to use your suit often. If this is not something you can consider, then you have the option of ‘reforking’ your trousers if you’re a heavy suit wearer. The crotch is usually the first place where you will find you need to repair, reforking means you get a new piece of cloth stitched into your trousers to repair any damage.