How to Care for Your Suit

A well-made [bespoke suit](/bespoke-suits), properly cared for, will last fifteen to twenty years and look better at ten than it did at one. This is not an exaggeration. We have clients who still wear suits we made for them in the 1990s and early 2000s, and those garments have developed a patina and a character that new cloth cannot replicate. But 'properly cared for' does not mean what most people think. It does not mean frequent dry cleaning, meticulous pressing after every wearing, or storing the garment in a hermetically sealed bag. It means understanding how wool behaves, what damages it, and what simple habits will preserve it for decades.

The Dry Cleaning Trap

The single most damaging thing you can do to a fine wool suit is dry clean it too frequently. The chemicals used in dry cleaning — typically perchloroethylene or hydrocarbon solvents — strip natural oils from the fibres, leaving the cloth dry, brittle, and dull. Over time, repeated dry cleaning will cause the fabric to lose its lustre, its hand, and eventually its structural integrity. The cloth will feel papery. The colour will fade. The suit will age badly instead of aging well.

We tell our clients to dry clean a suit no more than once or twice a year, and only when there is a stain that cannot be addressed by other means. For routine freshening, hang the suit in a steamy bathroom for twenty minutes while you shower, or pass a garment steamer lightly over the fabric from a distance of six inches. The moisture will release wrinkles and odours without touching the integrity of the cloth. Steam is your friend. Chemicals are your enemy.

Spot Cleaning When Necessary

For minor stains — a drop of wine, a smudge of food — address them immediately with a damp cloth and gentle blotting. Do not rub, which will push the stain deeper into the weave. For grease stains, a light dusting of cornstarch or talcum powder will absorb the oil overnight; brush it off in the morning. For anything more serious, bring the garment to a trusted dry cleaner and point out the stain specifically. A good cleaner will spot-treat the stain rather than submerging the entire garment in solvent.

The Daily Brush

The most important daily habit is brushing. A natural-bristle clothes brush — horsehair is ideal — removes dust, lint, and surface debris that, if left to accumulate, will work their way into the weave and gradually abrade the fibres. Brush the jacket and trousers after every wearing, using long, downward strokes that follow the nap of the fabric. Pay particular attention to the collar, the lapels, and the trouser cuffs, where dirt tends to collect.

It takes thirty seconds and it will add years to the life of the garment. We keep a Kent brush at the workshop and recommend the same brand to our clients; their brushes have been handmade in England since 1777 and are as good a companion to a suit as any accessory you will own. A good clothes brush is a one-time purchase that will serve you for decades. It is not an optional tool. It is essential.

Proper Storage

Storage matters more than most people realize. A suit should always be hung on a wide, contoured wooden hanger — never a wire hanger, which will distort the shoulder line, and never a thin plastic one, which does not provide enough support. Cedar hangers are ideal because they absorb moisture and discourage moths. Give each suit enough room in the closet so that it is not pressed against other garments; the fabric needs air circulation to breathe and recover its shape between wearings.

For seasonal storage, a breathable cotton garment bag is preferable to a plastic one, which traps moisture and can promote mildew. If you are storing suits for more than a few months, add a cedar block or a lavender sachet to the bag to deter moths. Check the garments once or twice during the storage period to ensure no pests have taken up residence. A moth hole in a fine wool suit is heartbreaking, and it is entirely preventable with basic vigilance.

Rotation Is Investment

Rotate your suits. Wool is a remarkably resilient fibre, but it needs time to recover from the stress of being worn. The general rule is to rest a suit for at least forty-eight hours between wearings — longer if possible. This allows the fibres to spring back to their natural state and any absorbed moisture to evaporate. A suit worn on Monday should not be worn again until Thursday at the earliest.

A man with three suits who rotates them conscientiously will find that each suit lasts longer than a man with six suits who wears the same favourite every other day. Rotation is not just good practice; it is one of the best returns on investment in a bespoke wardrobe. When you [commission a suit](/book) from L&S, you are making a significant financial commitment. Protect that commitment by giving the garment the time and attention it needs to perform at its best for as long as possible. The suit will reward you. Wool always does.