London Fog Raincoat

Description of Garment:

 White Raincoat

Manufacturer: London Fog

RN#: 34460

Care Label Instructions: "Dryclean Only"

Problem: The fabric contains a polyester "face fabric" that was bonded to a tricot backing using an adhesive binder. When this raincoat was drycleaned in perchloroethylene, the face fabric separated from the backing. This resulted in an overall distortion (puckering ) of the fabric.

Responsibility: The manufacturer. The adhesive binder became soluble in standard drycleaning solvent and was affected by the temperatures generated during the reclamation cycle.

Recommendation: If this raincoat proves to be unserviceable when processed in accordance with the care label instructions, it should be returned to the place of purchase for a refund or exchange.

Drycleaner: Explain to the customer that there may be a serviceability issue concerning this raincoat. Because of this, a signed release of liability should be obtained prior to its acceptance for processing. Although we have no data as to the serviceability of this raincoat in alternative solvents, we are of the opinion that this fabric may fail in other solvent types due to the solubility and heat-sensitive nature of the adhesive binder.

The NCA's Garment Analysis Laboratory examines thousands of garments every year for serviceability and FTC care labeling accuracy. The featured garment is a recurring item received for evaluation. We have included the name or trade name of the fabric, the manufacturer, the RN number, if available, and a brief description of the problem.