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Your Ties And Wrinkles: A Guide

Yellow iron on ironing board

Fact: Ties Get Wrinkly

Ties are a handsome but delicate clothing accessory. It's important you treat them as such. That means approaching one of the tie's mortal enemies, the wrinkle, with the appropriate tactics. Here are a few helpful guidelines for winning the war against wrinkles.

Keep Your Ties Wrinkle Free

Yes, wrinkles can be removed from a tie by ironing it. (We'll get to that in a bit.) But, c'mon, who wants to iron? It's helpful to know a few ways to prevent your ties from wrinkling so those times that call for ironing are few and far between. Avoiding wrinkles altogether is always better than trying to eliminate them later.

  1. Always untie your tie after use. It's tempting to leave your tie primed and ready for its next appearance, but doing so creates permanent creases and wrinkles. Don't sacrifice your tie's long term well being for convenience now.
  2. A tie knot doesn't need to be strong enough to support your weight during a rock climbing excursion, just tight enough to keep the tie around your neck. Don't tie your knot too tight, it only helps create wrinkles.
  3. Handle your ties gently. They're not socks. Don't bunch them up and throw them on the floor. Hang your ties up after every use. Pack your ties with care by rolling them up and making sure they aren't jostled too roughly by other items in your suitcase. Better yet, give them a safe home and invest in a tie case or create a DIY necktie holder by wrapping your tie around a toilet paper tube.

Removing Wrinkles Without Ironing

Start searching for iron-less solutions first.

  1. If your tie has only slight wrinkles, simply hanging it up for a time should remove most of them.
  2. If hanging your tie up doesn't do the trick, roll it up, flattening the wrinkles as you go. Leave the rolled tie on a flat surface for awhile and then hang it back up. In most cases, you'll be happy to find the wrinkles gone when you return.
  3. Treat your wrinkled tie to a steam bath. Run hot water from the shower until your bathroom fills up with steam. Then hang up your tie inside and shut the door. The steam should soften the fibers of your tie's fabric and diminish wrinkling.

Simply hanging a silk tie should remove most wrinkles.

Ironing A Tie

If you need to remove wrinkles quickly, or the above tips just weren't enough, use these tips for ironing your necktie.

  1. The heat of the iron depends on the fabric of the tie, which can typically be found on the tag on the end of the tie. Silk and polyester ties require a cooler setting. Wool should be ironed at a medium heat. Cotton and linen ties can be ironed at higher temperatures, but still follow the necessary precautions. If you're not sure of your tie's fabric, it's always best to start at a cooler setting and gradually increase as needed.
  2. Don't take any built up hostility out on your tie. It's not its fault. Instead, iron your tie gently, being careful not to apply too much pressure. Pressing too hard can damage the tie's fabric and give it a flat appearance.
  3. Start your ironing on the back side of the tie. When you move to the front, cover it with a piece of fabric, like a plain white t-shirt, to prevent burn marks.
  4. You can use a handheld garment steamer to remove wrinkles from ties, too. Steamers are fairly inexpensive these days and there isn't a risk of burning the tie since you never actually touch the steamer to the tie. (But you still want to be careful.) For delicate fabrics like silk, keep the steam farther away from the tie compared to fabrics like cotton and linen. Most of the time the wrinkles will come right out like magic. For deep set wrinkles, you may still need an iron. (Laundry tip: Steamers are great for refreshing a suit between trips to the dry cleaner, too!)  

Cotton ties need to be ironed at a higher setting than more delicate fabrics like silk.

About TieMart

TieMart is an online retailer of men’s neckties, bow ties and other accessories. A wide selection of pattern ties are available at TieMart, including popular paisley ties for weddings, traditional plaid ties for the office and collegiate two-color striped ties for graduation or school uniforms. And, yes, if you really want to put your face on a tie, it’s possible with a custom photo tie. TieMart ties are affordable and ship quickly from their Midwest location.

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ABOUT OUR FAMILY

We are a family-run tie company based in Illinois. We've been in the biz since the late 90s, so by now we know a thing or two about men's fashion and accessories. Tiepedia is our lil spot on the web to share that knowledge with you.