Collection is the right moment to ask how to look after the clothes you are taking home. A fabric name alone is not a care plan. Ask for instructions for the finished garment, including its lining, trims and construction, and keep them with your order record.
Kelly’s Tailor Shop publishes this checklist to help you leave with clear answers. It is a question framework, not a washing recipe for every suit, shirt or dress.
Identify each piece before leaving
Match the jacket, waistcoat, trousers or dress to the order. Ask for the confirmed fabric composition and sample reference, and whether the lining or decorative parts need different attention. Record what is known; mark anything unconfirmed rather than guessing from texture or a photograph.
This outfit illustrates why separate pieces need separate records. The photograph does not establish fiber content or a suitable cleaning method.
Request instructions for the whole garment
Ask what cleaning is permitted, what to avoid, and whether any part needs professional attention. If there is a care label, photograph it and ask about unfamiliar instructions. If written advice seems to conflict with the label, resolve that before treatment.
GINETEX’s care-labelling guidance explains that care information concerns the complete article, including finishes and accessories. Ask about your actual garment rather than transferring instructions from another item made with a similarly named fabric.
Discuss pressing, stains and travel
Ask whether home pressing or steaming is appropriate and what precautions apply. Do not choose heat, water or stain remover on appearance alone. For a mark you cannot identify, describe what happened and seek garment-specific advice before attempting treatment.
Explain how you will transport and store the clothes: a suitcase, a hanging bag or a long period between wears. Ask how to pack, unpack, support and store each piece. Record the answer rather than treating the studio display as a storage instruction.
The studio image shows garments on display; it does not demonstrate long-term storage or cleaning procedures.
Save a handover card
Copy this card once for each garment and ask the tailor to fill any gaps:
- Order reference, garment and collection date.
- Confirmed fabric composition, sample reference, lining and trims.
- Care label photo and agreed cleaning instructions.
- Pressing or steaming advice and treatments to avoid.
- Packing and storage advice for your journey.
- Open questions, who will answer them and how to make contact.
Keep the card and receipt somewhere you can find them when speaking to a cleaner. A photo of the garment can help identify it, but cannot replace its specifications.
Record first-wear fit questions
If something feels different after wearing, note where, during which movement and with which shoes or layers. Send a clear description and ask about assessment before arranging a return or alteration. Our FAQ describes free touch-ups; confirm the proposed work and arrangements for your particular item. This is not a promise that every later change is included.
Use the suit fitting checklist to distinguish a fit question from a missing specification.
Keep care and reorder records together
Our FAQ explains that measurements are kept for reorders. Tell us if your measurements or fit preferences have changed, and confirm the new fabric and details each time. Saved measurements do not establish identical material or identical care requirements.
Please confirm the fabric, lining and care instructions for each piece in my order. How should I pack it for travel, and whom should I contact with a first-wear fit question?
For collection planning, see the first-visit checklist. Resolve unanswered care questions before cleaning, even if you have already left Shanghai.