Keeping our shirts wrinkle-free-free

There’s no denying it – guys love their wrinkle-free fabrics. What started as an ideal solution to an age old problem for any traveling businessman has made its way to the masses. No longer do guys have to spend time pressing, ironing, or steaming (or begging their significant others to do it for them). It’s a no-brainer, right?

Well, first it helps to understand what wrinkle-free fabrics actually are. Typically it’s just a standard cotton fabric combined with a “finishing agent” (I wish we could be explaining how wrinkle-free fabrics come from a new genetically modified, environmentally friendly, cost-effective cotton plant, but we’re not quite there yet). The “finishing agents” have evolved somewhat, but are mostly still the same chemicals that were used almost 20 years ago.

So why isn’t Biased Cut stocking these shirts? We have our reasons, and, at least for now, we’re sticking to them:

• The cotton fabrics used in wrinkle-free shirts are typically of lower quality than what you’ll find in our store, and as a result they don’t breathe as well, aren’t as soft, and don’t last as long.
• The “finishing agents” often include formaldehyde (yes, the embalming fluid), which can cause skin problems for some people. While the effects may be somewhat overstated, this recent NY Times article shows that the risks are still very real.
• The chemicals used can make it more difficult to remove dirt and stains from the shirts
• While claims for environmental concerns have been vague, we have yet to hear any evidence that they are safe either

Really, we’d love for more fabrics to be wrinkle-free. But until we’re convinced otherwise on the issues above, we are sticking with our high-quality 100% cotton shirts.

And if you really hate ironing…