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PAGE 8 / NATIONAL CLOTHESLINE / DECEMBER, 2020

SHIRT TALES BY DON DESROSIERS

Santa’s gonna need a bigger bag

t’s (already) time for my an- wire into a hanger as each shirt But that mask should not shirt boxes of various sizes. A breaking.
nual Christmas wishlist. was being pressed. I still think cover his ears and his eyes, shirt-folding machine has It seems like spent steel
IFor the past decade or two, that it’s a pretty cool idea (he so read this, Mr. Claus, and virtually no return on in- mesh or padding is the last
I have, somewhat whimsically, did, too). listen up! I’ve got some vestment. Heck, no mat- thing that people think of

used this column to dream up Logistically, however, he ex- important things to say! ter what you upcharge when they suddenly start
some products that I believe plained that the cost of a motor Once again, I whine for folded shirts, you are breaking a lot of buttons.
this industry needs. that would be required to pull about folded shirts. I probably not even cov- Sometimes they wait for me to

These products don’t exist, wire of the required gauge can’t help but do this be- ering the additional labor show up. They talk amongst
but I wish that they did. They would be prohibitive. cause we painstakingly for folding them, which themselves: “We’ll ask Don
e products that would make
ar Still, I think that this would press our shirts and then, takes more time than it why we are breaking so many
the world of washing and be a great idea. Shirt presses do with seeming reckless takes to press the shirt in buttons when he gets here.” A
pressing shirts easier, better a lot more than press shirts disregard, hack up the most plants, let alone the few weeks go by, awaiting my

and more profitable. these days. Why not bend me press job with a hapless fold additional supplies. arrival, and button material is
I suspect that some of the a hanger, as well? job. It’s even difficult to type Trying to amortize the cost being pulverized into dust
products would be logistical These are the types of prob- that. of a shirt-folding machine is every day. When I tell them

nightmares to develop or sim- lems that prevent my ideas Interestingly enough, cus- hopeless lest you charge much that their steel mesh needs to

ply not cost-effective and from turning into products. tomers don’t complain about it more for a folded shirt than be replaced, they sound sur-

therefore will never be pro- Still, every year someone very much, but in these trying you do now. Enter the need for prised. They order it. It takes a

duced. seems to misunderstand that times, it is more important a simple-folding device which couple of weeks. More button
I hate to be so blunt, but that my visions aren’t anything than ever to under-promise is the next item on my wishlist dust.
isn’t my problem. I am just more than pipe dreams. and over-deliver. Look under a for 2020. Suppose there had been a
playing the role of the imagi- I get calls every year… rock and find a problem that Yes, there is the lowly Flip- device that disclosed the prob-

neer, not the engineer. “Hey, where can I buy one of no one is complaining about fold. It has little more value lem long ago? It might be a

Several years ago, when the those?” (yet), that’s how you will excel. than to fold Sheldon Cooper’s sturdy needle-type device that

cost of hangers was spiraling Over the years, I’m happy It seems like fewer and fewer socks. It is just too small. You is attached to the steam chest

out of control, I had a conver- to say, some of my suggestions, plants have shirt-folding ma- can use it to fold t-shirts, but I — let’s say on the collar/cuff
sation with the owner of Uni- have turned into products. chines, especially newly built bet that you don’t. In fact, you press. When the head closes,

press Corporation. He and I Most notably are the produc- plants. Shirt-folding machines probably have one that you the needle penetrates the
talked about an idea that I had tivity monitors on shirt presses are crazy-expensive. In fact, don’t use and that is perfectly padding, but does not go all
which was to incorporate a telling you how many shirts everything related to folded understandable. A Flip-fold the way through to the steam
hanger-making machine into a per hour are being pressed and shirts is expensive. has the right idea, but it needs chest below the steel mesh.
shirt press. shirt back pull-downs to pre- Most of the packaging sup- to be the right size! It needs to Unless and until the padding
The concept was that a vent wrinkles in the backs of plies that you buy are for be the size of a 14-inch shirt has lost its resiliency at which
motor would pull a wire from shirts. folded shirts; carry bags, shirt board! Then, it would be per- the needle closes some sort of

a spool mounted somewhere This year, Santa will show boards, shirt bags, butterflies, fect. This is not difficult to exe- circuitry, indicting that the but-
in the machine and fold the up with a mask on, no doubt. folded shirt poly bags, perhaps cute and there is a great need. tons are in danger. (Hey! I like
Santa: You’re gonna need a that!)
bigger bag. Remember, I am the imagi-
You know how they tell you neer. Someone else needs to be
that you can gauge how much the engineer. Step right up!

longer your tire threads are Happy New Year everyone!
good for with a penny? There The coming year must be better

needs to be a device on a shirt than 2020!
press that tells you when your “If you do what you've always
padding is no longer resilient done, you'll get what you always
enough to keep buttons from got.”

FRENCH CLEANERS in West Hartford, CT, purchased a
Unisec MS-402N through Express Machinery. Plant owner
Phillip Cote (center) is flanked by Jon Park of Express Ma-
chinery (left) and Robert Lee of New York Machinery.
To learn more, visit www.nationalclothesline.com/ads