One of the cool things about the Olympics on TV every few years is the colors and variety of the gear the athletes wear.  It seems to get more colorful (and, in some cases, a lot smaller!) every year.  That's because the sporting industry has taken advantage of the qualities that make Lycra and other similar products so good.  There's even one called CoolMax that is supposed to make athletes perform better just by wearing it!

You may not be a runner or a biker or a tobogganist or figure skater -- but I'll bet you've got some Lycra in your closet all the same.  It gets blended with lots of things to make them drape better, retain their shape longer, and bounce back when you stand up after sitting for a while.  So, this week you'll learn more about likable Lycra and its care.

We hope to see you soon!

Jim Nixon,
The Cleaners

It's Everywhere!  It's Everywhere!

Lycra is such a likable synthetic fiber that it seems to get into everything eventually -- and usually with excellent results.  Lycra is a tradename for a variety of spandex developed by DuPont.  Spandex is a generic term for stretchy fibers that are at least 85% polyurethane.  Though polyurethane is essentially plastic, you don't feel like you're wearing plastic when you wear a fiber blended with Lycra.  In fact, some versions of it have been developed specifically for athletes because it breathes so well and "wicks" away moisture.

Most of us picture spandex or Lycra as being strictly for bike pants or sports bras.  However, you'll find it today in fine quality wool blend suits (see photo above) that have excellent crease recovery, as well as in socks and athletic clothes, or blended with cotton in jeans (stretch jeans) or other garments.  The benefit is that Lycra really knows how to stretch -- and, even more important, how to un-stretch!

• Like the suit above?  Get it here.
• The socks are CoolMax.  Check it out.
• You can't help but get fit in that workout gear!  Get it here.

A little bit goes a long way.

Lycra was created as a replacement for rubber.  Since rubber is harvested from trees and requires specific growing conditions, having a synthetic fiber that works as well or better was a definite benefit.  Lycra can stretch to many times its own length, and then it snaps back again without losing its stretch.  Rubber wears out after a while and you get those annoying little "stickies" coming through the fabric as a result.

Because a little Lycra goes a long way, it is always blended with other fibers.  For instance, just 2% Lycra blended with wool will give a satisfactory increase in the ability of the fabric to recover from being creased during wear.  The higher the Lycra percentage, the more rubbery the material, so in most normal garments it will be under 5%.

Sports garments, on the other hand, need the extreme elasticity of higher percentages of  Lycra, but it's still usually under 20%.  Sports garments like those worn by gymnasts, wrestlers, track runners, ice skaters, toboggan riders, bikers, and many more are skin tight and yet don't impede movement or prevent free heat exchange by trapping perspiration.  They can also be printed or dyed in some fantastic prints (see illustration at left) including colors, patterns, and even holograms.

And yes, HORSES wear Lycra, too!  That photo at the top of the page is no joke.  If you've ever had to comb out a horse's mane or tail, then the advent of the Lycra hood for horses (and tail guards -- which are tubes of stretchy Lycra blend that fit snugly over the tail and keep it free of debris) is a real blessing.  Just as with people, the horse variety comes in different colors, too.  We don't want the horses getting bored, after all.

• See more patterns printed on Lycra or order fabric.
• Lycra can be done in Gold or Silver Lame, too!
• Interested in Horse hoods and other items?

 So how do you care for this stuff?

For the answer to that question, we went straight to the horse's mouth -- DuPont.  Their suggestion for caring for Lycra-blend garments is this:

Since Lycra is usually the minority component in a given fabric, let the other fibers guide your care instructions.  If other fibers or the trim or binding of a garment require hand washing, drycleaning, or low-temperature washing and drying, their needs will determine the care instructions.  Lycra will easily withstand repeated cleanings of all these types.  When in doubt, wash or dryclean according to the primary fiber in the blend.

So, read those care labels, and let us take care of your Lycra-blend garments if you are in any doubt.  We'll have you galloping out of here in style every time.

Two-for-the-price-of-one Coupon

We're always telling you that if you have a two-piece outfit and have to get one piece cleaned, you need to clean BOTH even if you only wore one.  That's so that over time there won't be noticeable color change between the two pieces.  So, bring 'em on!  Let us dryclean a two-piece garment, and we'll only charge you for one piece.  That'll get you in the habit. (Include the first page of this e-mail with your order. Offer expires Sept. 1, 2003.  Cannot be combined with other offers.)

Shirt Laundry Only $1.49

Tired of ironing? Can't find your iron? Let us help.
Bring in your shirts and we'll give you a deal!
Any and All Men's Shirts for only $1.49 with this coupon.
 (Include the first page of this e-mail with your order. Offer expires Sept. 1, 2003.  Cannot be combined with other offers.)