National Clothesline

Whether new to the drycleaning industry or a seasoned veteran with years of experience, the Southwest Drycleaners Association believes everyone who attends its upcoming training sessions will improve their cleaning skills considerably.

All 2004 educational courses are scheduled to take place at the International Textile Center, located on the campus of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

Classes will be offered in both June and November. Industry expert Jane Zellers, the chief instructor for the school, will teach all three offerings.

From June 14-18, SDA will conduct General Fabricare Course #04-1, which covers basic customer service, fibers and fabrics, drycleaning technology, proper classification of garments for quality cleaning and reduced claims, wetcleaning procedures, dye stripping and basic stain removal.

Students will also learn about finishing/pressing techniques for drycleaning, tips for producing the “perfect” shirt, understanding workflow, proper equipment layout and its role in production and methods for productivity as well as quality.

The one-week course will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8:30 to 11: 30 a.m. on Friday morning.

Tuition is $435 for SDA members and $505 for other IFI members. Non-members pay $575 each. Lunch is included in the price of tuition for all SDA courses.

Later in the year, SDA will offer Course #04-2 from November 8-10. In addition to acquiring proper stain removal techniques, attendees will be educated on how dyes, pigments, prints and finishes are all vital concerns to the cleaning process.

Understanding the proper use of tools on a daily basis will also be examined, and students will learn more about terms such as wetside, dryside, alkaline and acid.

The class will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday, and from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Tuition is $320 for SDA members and $395 for other IFI members. Non-members must pay $465 each to attend.

Rounding out the year’s educational itinerary will be an advanced stain removal class (Course #04-3) set for November 10-12.

The two-day course will be well-suited for the experienced drycleaner seeking to master more challenging stain removal techniques.

Zellers will also instruct the class on how to gain a better understanding of subjects such as fiber content, weaves, garment construction and how to test fiber content by burn testing. There will be additional hands-on training involving bleaches, digesters and KOH.

Course hours will run from 1 to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, and from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday.

The cost is $310 for SDA members and $380 for all other IFI members. Non-members pay $450 each.

All classes at the International Textile Center have a maximum capacity of 24 students so early registration is highly recommended.

For additional information on ITC classes, including suggestions on hotel accommodations for out-of-town attendees, contact the SDA office by calling (210) 826-4684 or visit on-line at: www.sda-dryclean.com.