National Clothesline

Cleaners who have had to wait indefinitely for customers to pick up unwanted garments will now only have to wait six months, according to a New York state law recently passed in the Senate Assembly.

The Abandoned Property law (A07019) allows New York state cleaners to donate unclaimed garments or household items that have been cleaned to “a bona fide charitable organization, church, or other not-for-profit organization” following a six-month waiting period. The initiative becomes active in August.

In order for cleaners to protect themselves under the law, they must print the following notice on each drycleaning receipt in twelve point bold type: “In accordance with New York State law, Garments not picked up within six months will be donated to charity.”

The six-month time period will commence from the date on the receipt which indicates when the customer can pick up their cleaning order. However, if no such date is noted on the receipt, the six month time frame will begin exactly two weeks after the date the customer placed the order and submitted the items for cleaning.

Because the law is “silent” on certain specifics, New York cleaners may choose to print the message on either the front or back of the receipt, and they may choose the type color, as well.

In addition to serving customers notice on each receipt, drycleaners are also required to post a warning sign on the premises.

The law indicates that any such notice “shall be at a minimum eleven inches in height by seventeen inches in length and the printed characters shall be 1.25 inches in height and .5 inches in width.”

The signage must also be printed in a legible manner and posted in a prominent location in the consumer area of the plant.

To help members comply with the new legislation, the National Cleaners Association has already sent signs out to its members.

NCA members who need more information or additional signs should contact the association by calling (212) 967-3002.

The National Cleaners Association has enlisted marketing expert Lois Geller for a two-day “Marketing Bootcamp” program on August 12 and 13. It will take place at the Essex House Hotel in New York City.

Geller is the well-respected author of Response! The Complete Guide to Profitable Direct Marketing and Customers For Keeps.

She will present an intensive program specifically tailored to the marketing needs of cleaners.†† ††††††† It will focus on many topics, including: how to come up with the right creative strategies for an effective campaign; how to increase response and reduce costs; how to turn copy that’s “good enough” into copy that’s “too good to be true”; how to test irresistible offers; and how to attract new customers and keep old ones without discounting.

The cost for the two-day course is $1,000 each for NCA members.

NCA has negotiated special room rates of $199 per night for single/double occupancy at the Essex House. For reservations or other information, call Ann Hargrove at (800) 888-1NCA.

A two-day spotting class and an eight-hour wetcleaning seminars will be sponsored by the National Cleaners Association in Massachusetts next month.

The spotting class will be held Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, Sept. 12 at The Cleanist in Plymouth, MA. Alan Spielvogel, director of the New York School of Drycleaning, will lead the course which is designed as a refresher to help upgrade spotting skills. Covered will be the fundamentals of stain removal, working with digesters and bleaches and fabrics, dyes and garment construction.

The class will meet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Tuition is $250 for NCA members and $275 for non-members.

Ann Hargrove will lead the wetcleaning seminar, also at The Cleanist, on Sunday, Sept. 26. The Seminar is designed for those who want to expand their skills in the safe use of wetcleaning technology. Hargrove will show how to program the machine, classify loads and get the most from wetcleaning products. She will also point out what items should not be wetcleaned.

The seminar will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuition is $250 for NCA members and $275 for non-members

Space is limited for both sessions. For more information or to register, call NCA, (212) 967-3002.