You’ve got more of them than you ever expected: items your customers had you clean and then never picked up. And they take up space in the plant and concern in your mind. Is there something you can do that is positive to clean up the stock?

Why aren’t they picking up?

Customers have a variety of reasons for not getting their garments back. For example:

• The customer can’t afford the bill.
• The customer lost the job for which the garment(s) were used.
• The customer moved out of the area and forgot to retrieve garments. Now they’re too far away to make it cost-effective to get them back.
• The season has changed and the customer assumes you’ll “keep” them until the next time they need it.
• The customer has fallen ill, possibly been hospitalized or in a nursing home, and has no way to get garments back.
• The customer has gained/lost weight and can’t wear the garments any more.
• The clothes are associated with a specific event that the customer didn’t enjoy.
• The customer left a wedding gown and assumes you will preserve it until called for.
• The customer passed away and the executor doesn’t realize garments are outstanding.
• The customer forgot they brought the items to you.

The reasons may be many, but the result is an increasing stock of unclaimed items somewhere in your plant. If you require prepayment, it is particularly frustrating. Yes, you have your money, but there is an added sense of responsibility for the garments and their care.

The law

Different provinces and states have different rules regarding how long you must hold on to unclaimed property, and what steps you must take to return it to its owners before you dispose of it. Most of the published rules about such property refer to items much larger than a garment (such as a home, vehicle, land, contents of a safe deposit box, etc.) For large items, the holder may be required to keep the property for up to 10 years. Dry cleaning and laundry orders don’t fall under that law. Check with your local representative for the current law in your area.

In the US, most states require that unclaimed property be kept for 30-90 days (varies by state) and mandates that ‘due diligence’ be exercised within a certain time period to try to reunite the customer and the items.

Sid Chelsky, executive director of the Canadian Fabricare Association (CFA) acknowledged that provincial differences exist, but all seem to focus on a rational approach. “The length of time a dry cleaner keeps unclaimed garments varies by location, but is usually between 30 and 90 days.” he said. “After this time, the dry cleaner may donate, sell, or dispose of the items. However, the cleaner should keep a record of phone calls to the individual, emails, texts, and in some cases a registered letter advising that the garments will be donated to a charity, etc.,” he advised.

The point of these laws is to safeguard the customer’s right to have you fulfill your agreement with them — in this case, to clean something for a specified price and return it to them. You’ve done your part. The tricky part is determining when the customer has violated his or hers by not coming to get the garments again.

Making things clear

The first step in keeping the unclaimed garment department as small as possible is clear communication. There are many ways to achieve this.

• In-store signage stating the policy for when garments will be considered abandoned.
• Clear language on receipts regarding unclaimed garments, how long they will be kept and what will happen to them after that time.
• Inclusion of the same language on your website.

The wording of these policies is critical to how they are received by the customer. Threatening wording will not win fans. Think through the impact your words will have before posting them.

NOT: Garments left after (X) days are considered abandoned! We will get rid of them.

YES: Please notify us if there will be a delay in picking up your garments. Our policy is to hold your garments for (X) days after cleaning, and to make every effort to return them to you. After that time, we will donate them or sell them for the cost of the cleaning. Thank you for your understanding.

The second wording acknowledges that life happens. It gives the customer a chance to be part of the process, not just a victim of an inflexible policy. It puts a much more positive spin on the entire situation.

Make the most of it

The idea of giving away other people’s garments has a very negative connotation. To turn a downer into a positive, use the situation to showcase your desire to give back to the community. Don’t just hustle the abandoned pieces out the back door. Celebrate the circularity of what you’re doing.

• Partner with a known local charity and work with them on joint publicity. You or they can issue a press release saying, “XYZ Charity Fills the Racks with Garments from PDQ Cleaner”. (See our article on Dress for Success here.)
• Take some photos of the nicely-packaged garments being delivered to the charity, and then turn them into posters in your call office, or images online (website, social media). Be sure the message is that unwanted clean garments are getting a new life with people who need them.
• Hold an annual parking lot event (that means balloons, give-aways, maybe a local media personality attending) in which you showcase garments that have been abandoned and sell them for the price of the cleaning. Complete the circle by donating the proceeds to charity. If you make an event of it, customers will look forward to it and talk it up.
• Dedicate a section of your website, and some of your social media, to the concept of “circular fashion” (today’s buzzword) by demonstrating your commitment to not letting good clothes languish or be destroyed for nothing. Moving them from your back room to someone’s appreciative closet is a win-win.

There’s a positive side to nearly every situation. Use this one as a great way to give back.