How to Take Care of Your Line Jacket
Cleaning a Custom Greek Line Jacket
When your line jacket gets a little dirty, knowing how to clean it properly is crucial to keep it looking its best. Let’s walk through the best practices for spot cleaning and maintaining your jacket's condition.
Spot Cleaning Your Line Jacket
If your line jacket gets dirty, the best way to clean it is to spot clean. Spot cleaning is taking a soft towel and cleaning small sections of the jacket.
For general dirt, a damp towel is all you’ll need to get the grime off your jacket. If the dirt is a little more stubborn, I’ve found a drop of dish soap does the trick. Avoid dish soaps with fragrances and dyes though, as they can affect custom fabrics on the jacket.
For stubborn stains, use stain-removing sprays with caution. Test the stain remover on a small, unnoticeable spot on your jacket first. Look for color changes or fabric warping at the test spot. If the test spot dries without issues, it should be okay to use on the stain. If you want to be extra safe, take your line jacket to your local dry cleaner for expert advice.
Can You Put a Line Jacket in the Washer or Dryer?
No. Line jackets are a collection of different fabrics that all react to water, heat, and drying air differently.
For example, one fabric can shrink, while the other fabric stays the same. Because the fabrics are all sewn together, it can create permanent puckering and wrinkles in your jacket. Some embellishment types like sequins or glitter can even melt in the dryer. Yikes!
Can you Iron a Line Jacket?
No. Most fabrics used to make line jackets are rayon/polyester blends, i.e. plastic. What do plastic-based fabrics do under heat? Shrink and melt.
Trust me, I’ve tried ironing on low heat and accidentally burnt holes in the first version of some of ya’lls jackets in the early days!
Instead, use a low-heat steamer to remove wrinkles from your jacket. You can also put your jacket on a hanger in the bathroom while you take a hot shower. Ta-dah! No wrinkles.
Can You Dry Clean a Line Jacket?
Maybe. Don’t dry clean your jacket if the jacket care tag says, “Do not dry clean.” In most other cases, you should be okay taking your jacket to a dry cleaner.
There are several different methods of dry cleaning, and your local cleaner can help you pick the best option for your individual jacket. They can also spot-clean certain areas that are dirty instead of cleaning the whole jacket.
Dry cleaning is still rough on your custom jacket. Cleaning the whole jacket should be a last resort, happening only once or twice in its lifetime.
You’re going to wear your line jacket for years, so it's essential to care for it correctly. By following these cleaning tips, you can ensure your jacket stays in top shape throughout your time as an active and alumnus.
Repairing Your Greek Line Jacket
Line jackets are one-of-a-kind and expensive Greek letters. If an accident tries to ruin your jacket, don’t worry–you have options to save it!
What to Do if Your Line Jacket Has Decorative Stitches Coming Apart?
First, ask the person who made your line jacket if they can help. Most companies will repair unraveling stitches if you’ve only owned the jacket for a short period of time.
If you’ve owned your line jacket for more than a year, you are likely on your own to fix the unraveled stitching. A small amount of unraveling can be fixed by your local tailor, an expert in clothing repairs.
A large amount of unraveling may call for bigger fixes. If half a word is gone, for example, your tailor may suggest removing the entire embroidered word from your jacket. To get something embroidered back on, a local custom clothing shop might be able to work with you.
Amethyst Jackets offers repairs for any unraveled decorative stitches on our jackets. Repairs are free if any unraveling happens within the first 30 days. Otherwise, just pay shipping to and from the studio. Contact us to start your repair.
What to Do if Your Line Jacket Has a Hole?
For tiny holes, honestly, super glue is pretty effective. Pick a super glue with a precision nozzle. Place the nozzle inside the hole and squirt a tiny bit of glue inside. Press down on the surrounding fabric so the edges of the hole line up and look closed. When the glue dries, the hole will be glued shut with minimal puckering and wrinkles. Be careful not to get super glue on the outside of your jacket.
For bigger holes, bring it to your local tailor. Tailors are experts in repairing clothing and can help you fix it. If you have an auntie or uncle who is a sewing wizard, they might be a smart home tailor option!
What to Do if Your Line Jacket’s Seam is Coming Apart?
You can usually repair a seam on your line jacket yourself with a home sewing kit. Sew from the inside so the stitches remain hidden. YouTube has tutorials for basic guidance as needed.
If you’re not confident in your own sewing abilities, bring your line jacket to your local tailor. Tailors are experts in repairing clothing and will sew the seam back together.
What to Do if Your Line Jacket Has a Burn Mark?
Burn marks or holes resulting from burns can be tricky repairs. This situation is one where you’ll want to consult an expert. Take your line jacket to a tailor, an expert in complex clothing repairs.
What to do if Part of Your Line Jacket is Discolored?
If your line jacket is discolored from a stain, spot cleaning may be able to remove the discoloration. A dry cleaner can professionally remove many stubborn stains from your jacket.
If your line jacket is discolored from chemicals or UV exposure, it’s a good time to consult an expert. Depending on the discoloration, a dry cleaner or tailor can offer advice on how to mitigate the discoloration. For example, discoloration from a bleach splash might be able to be re-dyed in a section to blend in with the rest of the jacket.
It’s inevitable that something will happen to your jacket in the many years you wear it. Knowing these repair options will save you money and tears.
3 Tips for Storing Your Line Jacket Safely
A custom line jacket is probably the most expensive item in your closet as a college student in Greek Life. Keep your line jacket looking fresh by following these tips for storing it.
1. Store Your Line Jacket on a Hanger
Keep your line jacket stored on a hanger to maintain its shape. Hanging it will prevent folding lines and wrinkles so it’s ready to wear at a moment’s notice.
2. Hang Your Jacket in a Garment Bag
Alumni this tip is for you! If you won’t wear your jacket for an extended period of time, store it in a hanging garment bag. The bag will keep sunlight, bugs, and dust from creating long-term damage to your jacket. An air-tight garment bag steps up the protection by guarding it from humidity and weather emergencies.
3. Keep Your Jacket Out of Direct Sunlight
UV rays affect dyes in the fabric of your line jacket. Extended exposure to the sun can fade dark or bright colors and yellow light colors.
Don’t let your custom jacket get wrinkled and dirty on your desk chair! Take these steps to safely store your jacket after each use to save yourself several future headaches.