Key Takeaways:
- Professional pressing uses a heavyweight 12 oz iron, linen pressing cloth, and water to feed wool fibers and restore jacket structure
- A pressing pillow preserves the natural roundness and curves of a jacket's chest, preventing the flattened appearance from dry cleaning
- Pressing should follow the jacket's natural shape, working left to right through quarters, lapels, sleeves, and shoulders
- Water application through a linen cloth controls humidity—the fabric needs moisture to enhance fibers without becoming soaked
- Lapels, collars, and sleeves are the most challenging areas requiring careful technique to restore natural roll and avoid flattening
- Different fabrics require adjusted pressure and water—heavier flannels need more of both compared to lightweight wool
- Regular pressing (after 10-15 wears) acts as preventative maintenance, flattening standing fibers before premature wear occurs
- Sleeve boards enable proper pressing of narrow sleeve areas while maintaining the natural curve and avoiding wonky cuff lines
- Unlike dry cleaner steam mannequins that flatten structure, hand pressing with proper tools maintains the tailor's intended shape
- Pressing is like watering plants—without regular humidity and care, wool cloth has no nourishment and wears out faster
Pressing a Suit Jacket: Understanding the Foundation of Garment Maintenance
Pressing a suit jacket is far more than running an iron over wrinkled fabric. It's a precise craft that restores structure, extends garment life, and maintains the sophisticated silhouette that distinguishes a well-made jacket from an ordinary one. Why does your jacket lose its crisp appearance after several wears? The answer lies in understanding wool as a living material that requires nourishment through controlled humidity and heat.
Professional tailor pressing techniques differ dramatically from household ironing or dry cleaner methods. Where standard approaches flatten and damage, proper pressing feeds the wool fibers, restores lapel roll, and preserves the three-dimensional shape built into every quality jacket. Think of pressing as watering your plants—without regular care, the cloth has no sustenance and premature wear accelerates.
The difference between a jacket that's been pressed properly and one that's been neglected is immediately visible. Maintaining suit shape through professional methods creates that "just from the mill" appearance, with natural lapel curves, smooth quarters, and sleeves that hang without pulling. But achieving these results requires understanding the tools, techniques, and principles that tailors have refined over generations.
What transforms a 20-year-old flannel jacket back to pristine condition? The answer involves heavyweight dry irons, hand-sewn pressing pillows filled with cloth scraps, and linen pressing cloths that control water application. These aren't arbitrary tools—each serves a specific purpose in respecting the jacket's curves, managing humidity, and applying controlled heat without crushing the garment's carefully constructed shape.
How often should you press your jacket, and what happens if you skip this essential maintenance? Can you damage different fabrics if you use the wrong approach? The pressing process addresses these concerns while revealing why dry cleaners often destroy the very structure tailors work so hard to create. Understanding suit jacket care means recognizing that pressing isn't cosmetic—it's fundamental to garment longevity and appearance.
Maintaining Suit Shape Through Professional Ironing Methods
Maintaining suit shape requires understanding that a jacket isn't a flat garment. Every quality jacket contains deliberate curves across the chest, rounded shoulders, and a natural lapel roll that creates its three-dimensional form. Standard ironing flattens these curves, destroying the structure that defines a well-made garment. Professional ironing methods respect these shapes by using specialized tools designed to work with the jacket's construction rather than against it.
The pressing pillow represents the most critical tool in preserving jacket structure. Unlike flat ironing surfaces that crush the chest's natural roundness, a properly shaped pillow supports the garment's curves while allowing heat and humidity to penetrate the fabric. This distinction separates professional garment maintenance tips from amateur approaches that inadvertently damage expensive tailoring.
Why do dry cleaners often ruin jacket shape? Their steam mannequins heat from the inside out, forcing the garment into a standardized form that ignores individual construction. The result flattens lapel roll, removes chest shape, and creates a lifeless appearance. Hand pressing with proper tools maintains every curve the tailor built into the garment, preserving the investment made in quality construction.
The process of maintaining suit shape through pressing actually enhances the garment over time. Controlled humidity feeds wool fibers, preventing the brittleness that leads to premature wear. The weight of a 12 oz iron combined with strategic water application encourages fibers to lie flat without losing the fabric's natural body. This balance between smoothness and structure defines professional work.
How does shape maintenance differ between jacket areas? The chest requires the most attention to curves, while quarters can be pressed more directly. Shoulders demand careful respect for their rounded form, and sleeves need specialized boards to avoid crushing their cylindrical shape. Each area presents unique challenges that professional methods address through appropriate tool selection and technique adjustment.
Essential Tailoring Tools and Equipment for Proper Pressing
Tailoring tools and equipment for pressing haven't changed fundamentally in decades because the principles of proper garment care remain constant. Three essential items form the foundation of professional pressing: a heavyweight dry iron, a linen pressing cloth, and controlled water application. Each tool serves a specific purpose in the delicate balance between adding humidity and removing excess moisture while respecting fabric structure.
The heavyweight dry iron differs dramatically from household models in both weight and heat retention. A professional 12 oz iron provides consistent pressure that household irons cannot match. This weight matters because it allows the iron to rest on fabric with authority while the tailor maintains control through gentle guidance rather than forced pressure. The heat capacity enables rapid moisture evaporation, preventing fabric from becoming waterlogged during the pressing process.
Why does a linen pressing cloth matter so much? This simple tool controls water distribution, preventing direct contact between liquid and wool that could create water spots or uneven dampness. The cloth allows precise humidity application—enough to feed the fibers without soaking them. Quality linen cloths last decades with proper care, developing a relationship with the tailor who uses them daily across hundreds of wool garment care sessions.
Water application requires more sophistication than simply dampening fabric. The pressing cloth gets moistened, then applied to specific jacket areas before the iron follows. This sequence ensures controlled humidity penetration into the top layer of wool fibers without saturating deeper fabric layers. The iron then removes excess moisture while the heat sets the fibers in their proper position.
Professional pressing setups include additional specialized equipment like pressing pillows and sleeve boards, but these three core tools enable proper technique. The investment in quality equipment pays dividends through improved results and extended tool life. A 20-year-old iron that's maintained properly outperforms cheaper modern alternatives because construction quality matters more than technological features when the fundamental task hasn't changed.
Using a Pressing Pillow to Preserve Jacket Structure
Using a pressing pillow transforms the pressing process from destructive flattening to structure preservation. The pillow's rounded shape mirrors the three-dimensional curves built into a jacket's chest and shoulders. When you position fabric over this rounded surface and apply heat, the jacket maintains its intended shape rather than being forced flat against an ironing board. This fundamental difference separates professional results from amateur efforts.
What makes a proper pressing pillow? Traditional pillows contain thousands of small cloth remnants—scraps from garments long finished—chopped into tiny pieces and hand-sewn into a dense, firm cushion. This construction creates specific density and resilience that synthetic fillings cannot replicate. The pillow must be firm enough to support fabric weight without collapsing, yet yielding enough to conform to different jacket contours.
The historical significance of pressing pillows connects modern tailors to centuries of craft tradition. Apprentices once spent spare hours cutting fabric scraps into minute pieces to fill these pillows, learning patience and precision while creating essential tools. A well-made pillow passes through generations of tailors, its durability outlasting the makers who originally constructed it. This longevity reflects the quality of materials and construction methods from eras when tools were built to last indefinitely.
How does the pillow work during actual pressing? Position the jacket's chest area over the rounded top, allowing the fabric to drape naturally around the curves. Apply the dampened pressing cloth, then press with the heavy iron, working in sections that follow the pillow's contours. The pillow supports the fabric from underneath while the iron smooths from above, creating tension that removes wrinkles without crushing the chest's natural roundness and structure.
Why do dry cleaners destroy this shape? Their steam mannequins force jackets onto standardized forms that ignore individual construction differences. The heat comes from inside, pushing outward and flattening curves rather than respecting them. When you receive a jacket back from cleaning, that lifeless, flat appearance results from shape destruction that proper pillow pressing would have prevented.
Assessing Your Jacket Before You Begin
Assessing your jacket before pressing reveals the specific challenges you'll face and guides your technique adjustments. Start by examining the fabric type—flannel behaves differently than smooth worsted wool, and lightweight summer fabrics require less aggressive treatment than heavy winter cloths. The fabric weight and weave pattern determine how much water and pressure you'll need throughout the pressing process.
What signs indicate a jacket needs pressing? Visible wrinkles across the sleeves signal frequent wear and the natural compression that occurs when arms bend repeatedly. Flattened lapels that have lost their natural roll show the garment has been worn closed, particularly common on double-breasted jackets where the fabric constantly folds against itself. These visual cues tell you where to focus attention during pressing.
Check for areas of premature wear, particularly under the arms where high armholes create close contact and friction. Flannel naturally resists creasing better than smooth wool, but this resistance means it requires more pressing effort to restore proper appearance. Understanding your fabric's characteristics prevents over-pressing delicate materials or under-pressing stubborn ones. Each fabric type demands specific adjustments to water application and iron temperature.
How do you evaluate lapel condition? Run your fingers along the roll line—it should curve naturally rather than lying flat. A properly maintained lapel springs back gently when released, showing the internal canvas structure remains intact. Flattened lapels indicate the need for careful pressing that rebuilds the roll without forcing unnatural shapes into the fabric.
Consider the jacket's age and overall condition before beginning. A 20-year-old garment that's been well-maintained demonstrates that proper pressing extends garment life dramatically. Look for signs of previous poor pressing—shiny spots where excessive heat damaged fibers, or permanently flattened areas where shape was lost. These indicators help you understand what not to do during your own pressing session.
How to Press a Suit Jacket: Starting with the Quarters
How to press a suit jacket begins with the quarters—the lower front panels that extend from the button stance to the jacket's hem. This starting point makes strategic sense because these areas contain relatively flat surfaces with minimal curves, allowing you to establish rhythm and technique before tackling more challenging sections. Working from left to right creates systematic coverage that ensures no areas get missed.
Position the jacket quarter over the pressing pillow, allowing the fabric to drape naturally without stretching or pulling. Dampen the linen pressing cloth thoroughly but not to the point of dripping, then lay it smoothly over the fabric section you're about to press. The cloth should cover the entire area you'll work on, creating a barrier between iron and wool that controls moisture distribution.
Apply the heavyweight iron with controlled pressure, allowing its weight to do most of the work rather than pushing down forcefully. You'll hear the immediate sizzle of water evaporating—this sound indicates proper technique where moisture penetrates the fabric's top layer before the iron's heat removes excess humidity. Move the iron steadily across the section, lifting and repositioning rather than sliding it across the fabric which can distort the weave.
The transformation happens immediately. Fabric that appeared wrinkled and lifeless becomes smooth and crisp, looking as fresh as cloth straight from the mill. This visual feedback confirms your technique works correctly. Each section requires fresh water application on the pressing cloth—approximately 20 applications across the entire jacket to ensure consistent results throughout all areas needing attention.
Work methodically up from the bottom quarter toward the jacket's waist, then continue to the chest area. The quarters present fewer technical challenges than lapels or sleeves, making them ideal for building confidence and establishing the muscle memory that guides proper iron handling. This foundation prepares you for the more demanding sections that follow.
Navigating Challenging Areas: Lapels, Collars, and Sleeves
Navigating challenging areas separates competent pressing from professional results. Lapels, collars, and sleeves demand heightened attention because these sections contain the most complex three-dimensional shapes in a jacket's construction. Mistakes in these areas remain visible when wearing the garment, while properly pressed versions showcase the tailor's original craftsmanship.
The lapel presents the greatest technical challenge because it must maintain a natural roll rather than lying flat. Position the lapel over the pressing pillow's curved edge, allowing the fabric to follow its intended arc. Apply the dampened cloth and press from the inside edge outward, working with the roll rather than against it. The goal isn't creating a sharp crease but restoring the soft, natural curve that makes a lapel come alive.
Why does lapel pressing matter so much? When you wear a jacket closed, particularly a double-breasted style, the lapel constantly presses against the chest, gradually flattening the roll. Without proper restoration through pressing, the lapel loses its dimensional quality and appears lifeless. The pressing pillow's rounded shape supports the fabric during this restoration, preventing the flat appearance that results from pressing against flat surfaces.
Collar pressing requires similar respect for natural curves. The collar sits against your neck with a gentle bend that shouldn't be flattened. Work around the collar's curve, using the pillow to maintain its rounded form while removing wrinkles. The collar and lapel transition point—where these two elements meet—needs especially careful attention to preserve the seamless flow between them.
Sleeves present different challenges because they're cylindrical rather than flat. A small, high armhole means more fabric gets gathered into a confined space, creating creases that need pressing while maintaining the sleeve's natural roundness. The sleeve head—where the sleeve attaches to the shoulder—contains deliberate gathering or even purposeful pleating in some construction styles that must be preserved rather than pressed flat.
Tailor Pressing Techniques for Water Application
Tailor pressing techniques for water application distinguish professional work from amateur attempts. The fundamental principle treats wool as a living material that requires nourishment through controlled humidity. Too little water fails to feed the fibers, while excessive moisture saturates the fabric and creates water spots or dimensional instability. Precision in water control separates successful pressing from damage.
The linen pressing cloth serves as the critical control mechanism for moisture distribution. Dampen the cloth thoroughly in clean water, then wring out excess liquid until the fabric feels moist but doesn't drip. This dampness level provides sufficient humidity to penetrate wool's top fiber layer without soaking deeper into the fabric structure. The cloth creates a vapor barrier that distributes moisture evenly across the pressing area.
Why does the water-then-heat sequence matter? Moisture softens wool fibers temporarily, making them pliable and receptive to reshaping. The iron's heat then sets these fibers in their new position while simultaneously extracting excess humidity. This dual action—moisturizing then drying—feeds the fabric while preventing water damage. The process mimics how wool behaves in its natural state, responding to environmental humidity changes.
Each section of the jacket requires fresh water application on the pressing cloth. Approximately 20 separate applications across the entire garment ensure consistent results throughout all areas. This frequency might seem excessive, but it prevents the common mistake of trying to press with insufficient moisture, which fails to achieve proper results and can actually damage fibers through excessive heat on dry fabric.
How do you know if you're using the right amount of water? Listen for the characteristic sizzle when the iron contacts the dampened cloth—this sound indicates proper moisture levels evaporating on contact. If you hear nothing, the cloth is too dry. If water pools or the fabric feels wet after pressing, you've used too much. The goal is that satisfying hiss of controlled evaporation that signals perfect technique.
Mastering the Iron: Technique and Temperature Control
Mastering the iron requires understanding that weight and heat work together to achieve professional results. The 12 oz heavyweight dry iron provides pressure through mass rather than force, allowing the tool to rest on fabric with authority while you maintain gentle guidance. This balance between weight and control prevents the common mistake of pressing too hard, which distorts fabric weave and creates shine on the surface.
The iron must never rest fully flat on the fabric immediately. Hold it slightly elevated—like creating a spark gap—before allowing contact. This technique prevents the full weight from landing abruptly, which could create impression marks or uneven pressure distribution. Lower the iron gradually, letting its mass settle naturally onto the dampened pressing cloth. This controlled descent protects delicate fabric while ensuring adequate heat transfer.
Temperature control matters more than many realize. The iron runs hotter than household models, combining high heat with substantial thermal mass that maintains consistent temperature throughout the pressing session. This consistency matters because fluctuating heat creates uneven results—some sections get properly pressed while others remain inadequately treated. Professional irons maintain steady heat that delivers reliable performance across hundreds of pressing applications.
How do you move the iron correctly? Lift and reposition rather than sliding it across fabric. Sliding can distort the weave, particularly on bias-cut sections or areas where fabric sits loosely. Lift the iron completely, move it to the adjacent section, then lower it again with that same controlled descent. This lift-and-place technique takes longer but produces superior results without fabric distortion.
The iron's weight does double duty—it presses wrinkles flat while simultaneously extracting moisture introduced through the dampened cloth. This extraction happens rapidly because the heavy iron's thermal mass evaporates water quickly, leaving fabric properly moisturized but not wet. The result is that characteristic "just from the mill" appearance where fabric lies perfectly smooth without looking over-pressed or shiny.
Restoring Lapel Roll with Precision
Restoring lapel roll with precision represents the most visible measure of pressing skill. The lapel's natural curve distinguishes a well-maintained jacket from one that's been neglected or poorly treated. When you wear a jacket closed, especially double-breasted styles, the lapel constantly presses forward against the chest, gradually flattening the roll that gives the lapel its dimensional quality. Proper pressing rebuilds this curve without creating artificial creases.
The pressing pillow's rounded edge provides the foundation for lapel restoration. Position the lapel over this curve so the fabric drapes naturally, following the arc built into its construction. The pillow supports the lapel from underneath while you work from above, creating the three-dimensional tension necessary for proper shaping. This setup respects the canvas structure inside the lapel that determines its roll characteristics.
Apply the dampened pressing cloth along the lapel's length, ensuring coverage from the gorge—where lapel meets collar—down to the button stance. Press from the inside edge outward, working with the roll's natural direction rather than against it. The moisture softens the wool and canvas layers temporarily, allowing them to remember their intended shape. The iron's heat then sets this shape while removing excess humidity.
What makes lapel pressing different from other jacket areas? You're not creating flatness but restoring curve. The goal is a soft, natural roll that falls gracefully when the jacket hangs open. Press too aggressively and you'll flatten this roll, destroying the lapel's life. Press too timidly and wrinkles remain while the flattened appearance persists. The balance requires feel developed through practice and attention to how the fabric responds.
The transformation is immediately visible when you compare the pressed side to the unpressed side. The restored lapel springs back gently when touched, showing its internal structure remains intact and properly shaped. The roll falls naturally, creating the elegant curve that frames your chest and draws the eye upward. This visible improvement justifies the careful attention lapel pressing demands.
Working with Different Fabrics: Wool Garment Care Strategies
Working with different fabrics requires adjusting your pressing approach based on weight, weave, and fiber content. Flannel behaves differently than smooth worsted wool, mohair blends respond unlike pure wool, and lightweight summer fabrics demand gentler treatment than heavy winter cloths. Understanding these distinctions prevents damage while achieving optimal results across your entire wardrobe.
Flannel's brushed surface creates natural wrinkle resistance but also requires more aggressive pressing to achieve smooth results. The napped texture holds creases stubbornly, demanding increased water application and pressure compared to smooth weaves. A summer flannel—despite being lightweight—needs the same attention to moisture and heat that heavier flannels require. The brushed fibers respond well to humidity, making proper water application essential for feeding the fabric adequately.
Heavier fabrics always demand more water and more pressure than lighter ones. The increased fiber density means moisture must penetrate deeper to affect the fabric structure, while the iron's weight becomes more important for compressing thick material flat. Canvas interlining weight also influences pressing requirements—heavily structured jackets need more aggressive treatment than unconstructed or lightly padded garments.
What about fabrics containing artificial fibers? These materials signal their presence immediately through a distinctively sweet, unpleasant smell when heated. Synthetic content changes pressing requirements because artificial fibers don't crease as readily as wool, allowing somewhat less careful technique. However, excessive heat can damage or melt synthetic fibers, requiring temperature awareness that pure wool doesn't demand.
Mohair blends and other specialty wools each present unique characteristics. Mohair's smooth, lustrous surface resists wrinkling naturally but shows pressing mistakes clearly through shine or distortion. The key principle remains constant regardless of fabric type—respect the material's natural properties, adjust water and heat accordingly, and work with the fabric's characteristics rather than against them. This adaptive approach ensures proper care across different cloth types.
Pressing Sleeves and Shoulders: The Critical Details
Pressing sleeves and shoulders demands specialized equipment and technique because these cylindrical sections can't be properly handled on standard pressing surfaces. The sleeve board—a narrow, tapered pressing surface—allows you to work around the sleeve's tube shape without crushing it flat. This specialized tool proves essential for achieving professional results on these challenging areas.
The sleeve board's slim profile slides inside the sleeve, supporting fabric from within while you press from outside. This configuration maintains the sleeve's natural roundness rather than forcing it flat against a wide ironing board. Position the sleeve so the inseam runs along the board's center, ensuring the visible outer fabric receives primary attention while the inner seam remains less prominent.
Start pressing at the sleeve's lower section near the cuff, working upward toward the shoulder. Apply the dampened cloth in sections, pressing each area thoroughly before moving higher. The sleeve contains more fabric than appears obvious because a properly cut sleeve must allow arm movement despite a high, close-fitting armhole. This excess fabric creates creases that need careful pressing while maintaining the sleeve's dimensional quality and drape.
The sleeve head presents unique challenges because it contains gathering or even deliberate pleating in some construction styles. These purposeful gathers create the sleeve's rounded cap that sits smoothly over the shoulder. Never press these gathers flat—doing so destroys the sleeve head's structure and creates a collapsed appearance. Instead, use steam rather than direct pressing on the sleeve head's top section, allowing moisture and heat to refresh the fabric without flattening its shape.
Cuff pressing requires attention to alignment—the cuff must finish with an even, straight line that appears crisp without being forced into unnatural positions. Press the cuff area carefully, ensuring both inner and outer fabric layers receive equal treatment. A wonky cuff line broadcasts poor pressing technique immediately, while a perfectly even cuff demonstrates professional attention to detail throughout the entire sleeve pressing process.
How Often Should You Press Your Suit for Optimal Care?
How often should you press your suit depends on wear frequency and your body's natural moisture output. A jacket worn regularly can typically go 10 to 15 wears before requiring pressing, assuming normal conditions and care between wearings. This frequency balances the benefits of regular maintenance against the time investment required for proper pressing technique.
Individual physiology significantly affects pressing frequency requirements. People who perspire heavily introduce more moisture into fabric during wear, creating wrinkles and shape distortion faster than those who sweat minimally. The body's natural humidity works against the jacket's structure, making the fabric require more frequent restoration through pressing. If you notice your jackets developing wrinkles or losing shape after fewer wears, increased perspiration likely drives this accelerated deterioration.
Environmental factors also influence pressing schedules. Humid climates naturally moisturize wool, potentially extending the time between pressing sessions. Conversely, very dry conditions can make fabric brittle and prone to wrinkling, suggesting more frequent attention. Rain exposure particularly demands immediate pressing—a soaked jacket needs complete moisture removal and shape restoration to prevent permanent damage to its construction and appearance.
What happens if you delay pressing too long? Wrinkles become set into the fabric, requiring more aggressive treatment to remove. The lapel roll flattens permanently if never restored, losing the dimensional quality that proper maintenance preserves. Fabric fibers that stand up from wear will felt together if not regularly pressed flat, accelerating the visible wear that shortens garment life.
Regular pressing serves as preventative maintenance rather than just cosmetic improvement. The controlled humidity feeds wool fibers, preventing the brittleness that leads to premature breakdown. The heat and pressure flatten fibers before they felt together permanently. This proactive approach extends jacket life significantly—a 20-year-old garment that's been properly pressed throughout its life can look nearly new, while a neglected jacket of the same age shows obvious deterioration.
Suit Jacket Care: Preventative Measures Against Premature Wear
Suit jacket care through regular pressing prevents premature wear more effectively than any other maintenance practice. The pressing process addresses wear at the fiber level before visible damage occurs, making it genuinely preventative rather than merely cosmetic. Understanding how pressing protects fabric reveals why well-maintained jackets last decades while neglected ones deteriorate within years.
Wool fibers naturally stand up from the fabric surface through normal wear and movement. These standing fibers rub against each other and external surfaces, causing the felting that eventually creates visible wear spots. Regular pressing flattens these fibers before they felt together, reuniting them with the fabric base where they belong. This intervention stops the wear process before holes develop or fabric thins noticeably.
The humidity introduced during pressing feeds wool fibers in ways that extend fabric life. Think of pressing as watering plants—without regular moisture, the cloth has no nourishment and deteriorates faster. The controlled water application during pressing rehydrates fibers that have dried out through wear, preventing the brittleness that leads to cracking and breakdown. This nourishment keeps wool supple and resilient against daily stresses.
High armholes create particularly vulnerable wear areas because close-fitting sleeves generate constant friction. The underarm section of a well-used jacket shows this wear clearly through felted fabric and eventual thinning. Regular pressing cannot eliminate this wear entirely—it results from fundamental friction that occurs during arm movement. However, pressing slows the process significantly by keeping fibers flat and preventing premature felting.
Compare a 20-year-old jacket that's been pressed regularly throughout its life against a five-year-old jacket that's never been properly maintained. The older garment often looks superior because consistent care preserved its structure and prevented accelerated wear. This dramatic difference demonstrates that pressing isn't optional luxury but essential maintenance that determines whether your investment in quality tailoring pays dividends across decades or disappoints within years.
Design Your Perfect Custom Suit at Westwood Hart
Understanding proper suit jacket care naturally leads to appreciation for quality construction worth maintaining. At Westwood Hart, we create custom-tailored suits and sport coats built with the precision and structure that responds beautifully to proper pressing techniques. Our garments feature the canvas construction, natural lapel roll, and careful shaping that make pressing both effective and rewarding.
We offer an extensive selection of premium fabrics from the world's finest mills, including options that press particularly well and maintain their appearance across years of proper care. Whether you prefer the wrinkle-resistant qualities of flannel or the smooth finish of worsted wool, our online configurator allows you to explore fabrics and design elements that match your lifestyle and maintenance preferences.
Our construction methods prioritize the structural elements that make pressing effective—proper canvas interlining that holds lapel roll, shaped chest pieces that maintain their curves, and high armholes that create the elegant silhouette worth preserving. These details ensure your investment in custom tailoring delivers garments that improve with proper care rather than deteriorating despite it.
Design your ideal suit today using our comprehensive online configurator. Select your fabric, choose your style details, and create a garment built to last decades with proper maintenance. Visit Westwood Hart to begin crafting suits and sport coats worthy of the pressing techniques you've learned—garments that reward careful attention with timeless elegance and enduring quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between pressing and ironing a suit jacket?
Pressing involves lifting and placing a heavyweight iron with controlled moisture application to restore shape and structure, while ironing typically means sliding a lighter iron across fabric to remove wrinkles. Pressing respects the jacket's three-dimensional curves using specialized tools like pressing pillows, whereas ironing often flattens these intentional shapes. Professional pressing feeds wool fibers with humidity before extracting excess moisture, creating lasting results that simple ironing cannot achieve.
Can I press my suit jacket at home without professional equipment?
You can achieve reasonable results at home, though professional equipment produces superior outcomes. A standard household iron can work if you understand proper technique—use a damp cloth between iron and fabric, work in sections, and avoid sliding the iron across material. However, without a pressing pillow to support curves or a heavyweight iron to extract moisture efficiently, you'll struggle to match professional results, particularly on lapels and structured areas.
Why does my dry cleaner flatten my jacket's lapel roll?
Dry cleaners use steam mannequins that heat garments from inside out, forcing jackets onto standardized forms that ignore individual construction. This process flattens the natural lapel roll and chest curves that tailors carefully build into quality garments. Hand pressing with proper tools maintains these intentional shapes by working with the garment's structure rather than against it, preserving the dimensional quality that distinguishes well-made tailoring.
How much water should I use when pressing a wool jacket?
Dampen your linen pressing cloth thoroughly but wring out excess until it feels moist without dripping. The cloth should distribute moisture evenly across the pressing area without soaking the fabric. You'll need approximately 20 fresh applications across an entire jacket, applying new moisture for each section. Listen for the characteristic sizzle when the iron contacts dampened cloth—this sound indicates proper moisture levels evaporating on contact.
What happens if I press synthetic fabric blends?
Synthetic fibers produce a distinctively sweet, unpleasant smell when heated and require lower temperatures than pure wool to prevent melting or damage. Artificial content resists creasing more than wool, allowing somewhat less aggressive pressing technique. However, excessive heat can permanently damage synthetic fibers, requiring careful temperature control that pure wool doesn't demand. Always test on an inconspicuous area first when working with unfamiliar fabric blends.
How do I know when my jacket needs pressing?
Visible wrinkles across sleeves, flattened lapels that have lost their natural roll, and fabric that appears lifeless rather than crisp all signal pressing needs. Most jackets require pressing after 10 to 15 wears under normal conditions, though heavy perspiration or rain exposure may necessitate more frequent attention. If the lapel doesn't spring back gently when touched or the chest appears flat rather than rounded, pressing will restore proper appearance.
Can pressing actually extend my jacket's lifespan?
Regular pressing significantly extends garment life by flattening wool fibers before they felt together permanently. The controlled humidity feeds fibers, preventing brittleness that leads to cracking and breakdown. Pressing addresses wear at the fiber level before visible damage occurs, making it genuinely preventative rather than merely cosmetic. A 20-year-old jacket with consistent pressing maintenance often looks superior to a five-year-old jacket that's been neglected.
Should I remove buttons before pressing my jacket?
Remove buttons only when dealing with extremely delicate fabrics, very small button stances, or garments soaked by rain that require comprehensive pressing. Most routine pressing works around buttons by navigating carefully without applying direct heat to them. However, if you cannot achieve proper results while avoiding buttons, removing them prevents melting or damage. Professional tailors sometimes remove buttons on cashmere or silk garments to ensure optimal pressing without risk.
What's the proper technique for pressing sleeve heads?
Use steam rather than direct pressing on sleeve heads that contain purposeful gathering or pleating. Direct pressing flattens these intentional gathers, destroying the sleeve cap's rounded structure. Apply steam to refresh the fabric while maintaining the dimensional shape built into the sleeve head construction. Only press the lower sleeve sections directly, working up from the cuff toward the shoulder while preserving the sleeve head's natural form.
How long should I wait after pressing before wearing my jacket?
Allow the jacket to hang on a proper hanger until completely dry and cooled, typically 30 minutes to an hour depending on humidity levels. The remaining moisture in the fabric needs time to evaporate fully while the fibers set in their newly pressed position. Wearing the jacket before it's completely dry can create new wrinkles and undo your pressing work, negating the time and effort invested in proper maintenance.