Goodbye, Polyester. Wash-and-Dry Suits Get Makeover

April 20, 2006 — -- For those of us who are just too darn bothered to schlep our suits to the dry cleaner, or who need to be told when it's time to wipe the pinstripes back into view, or who would rather buy a brand-new suit than hope those greasy calamari stains can be expunged, there is now the wash-and-dry ensemble from JC Penney.

The suit "looks just as good or better than dry cleaning," claims David Feig, the vice president of marketing for Bagir Ltd., which makes the outfit.

But, you protest, wash-and-dry suits have been with us for decades -- wash and drip-dry, that is. These new suits are wash and tumble-dry, however. Throw it in the washer, then in the dryer, pull it out and put it on.

Traditionalists can be expected to react with horror. Many businessmen pride themselves on looking "pressed" to convey the picture of seriousness. A British clothier contacted by The Wall Street Journal lambasted the new suit. "This is the anti-Christ of what we believe in," he huffed.

Still, any weekday trip through an airport lounge can quickly reveal the gap between what one hopes for in a suit and what one is left with. At times it appears as if an army of business foot soldiers has slept in the field before reaching the office.

According to the JC Penney statement that accompanied the rollout in February, the Stafford Washable Wardrobe "offers customers beautifully tailored clothing with the convenience of sportswear." Included are wool-blend suit separates in tan, navy pinstripe and gray pinstripe. The price is $200 for the European-style two-button jacket and $100 for the plain-front trouser.

"This is a breakthrough in men's tailored clothing," said Offer Gilboa, CEO of Bagir Ltd.

His product is made of 45 percent wool, 52 percent polyester and 3 percent lycra. Previous attempts have been pretty much all polyester and became the butts of many fashion jokesters who derisively dubbed the look "the full Cleveland."