eBags Blog

Regardless if you’re traveling for business, headed for a job interview, or attending a special event, if you want to travel with a suit, the garment bag should be your best friend. Garment bags are designed to hold formal clothing and suits and to minimize wrinkling during transit. There are several styles of garment bags but the most common are the garment cover or suit bag (usually folds once or twice and can be hung like a hanger) and rolling garment bags (smaller luggage on wheels). In most cases, the suit will need to be folded and this can certainly present more wrinkling opportunities. So here are some additional tips to help keep your suit looking presentable:

1. Folding technique. Look up “how to fold a suit” in Google and you’ll find hundreds if not thousands of results, many with different ideas on how to fold your suit. Some recommend you roll your pants (for packing in a suitcase, not garment bag). Others say fold the legs into thirds and lay on top of the jacket. Most recommend buttoning the jacket up and folding the arms neatly across the front of it before folding in half. Always make sure to smooth out any wrinkles that occur when folding before packing. One thing is certain, folding the suit on itself can increase the chance of creases so try to fold the suit around a thin towel or garment or, even better, use tissue paper in between folds to soften any pressing.

2. Do not pack the suit at the bottom of a suitcase where it can be crushed by other clothing.

3. Ask your hotel (before you travel) if they have a dry clean service. Be sure to ask about the turnaround time

4. Unpack your suit right away. Even if you are tired from travel, make sure you unpack and hang your suit immediately to prevent further wrinkling.

5. The Hot Shower Rule: Hang your suit in the bathroom and run the shower with hot, steaming water. Wait 20 minutes or so for the steam to release the wrinkles. Use your hand to brush out any stubborn creases. This technique works well with cotton and wool suits.

Neckties: Presumably if you are traveling with a suit, you are also bringing a tie. Help prevent wrinkles in your tie by folding it neatly and packing between soft clothing. Or, better yet, use one of our tie cases.

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