Why Are Guys So Afraid of Irons?

[batkins9]

Often when looking through any men's style forum, if there is a request for shirt recommendations the request always specifies non-iron. After reading about chemicals used in that process, I have tried to find decent shirts that are not non-iron. TM Lewin has some that I like, but that's not really the point here. Even non-iron tagged shirts still require a little bit of ironing, so why all the fuss?

[AlejandroLopez]

Never understood it either, but I have skin that's sensitive to synthetic fabrics and chemical treatments. Regardless, ironing is relaxing and hardly time-consuming if you have a non-absurd wardrobe in terms of volume. I tend to think non-iron just appeals to the modern obsession with convenience at all costs, even when the convenience is marginal at best and comes at a cost.

[ianr]

I suppose I understand the fuss as people like convenience. I just personally find it less convenient to have my shirt fall apart than spend a couple of minutes ironing it.

[hockeysc23]

I prefer non iron. I have both but it saves a lot of time to wash and hang then to wash, pull out iron, pull out ironing board, set up, get hangers, iron and hang then put it all away.

[Chris_MI]

I prefer non-iron shirts only from the standpoint that they stay looking nicer throughout the day. I don't mind ironing.

[LesserBlackDog]

A lot of people probably don't even own irons anymore. I know I managed for a long time without one, I think I was like 28 or 29 when I finally bought one.

[3piece]

Ironing is one of the things I hate the most in life. But all my shirts are must-iron. I haven't worn a non-iron for ages but I like the feel of a must-iron shirt better.

[JBarwick]

I go back and forth with ironing my own clothes and dry cleaning. Similarly, I don't care if a shirt is non-iron or not, if I like it, I'll buy it.

Also what is the worry on chemicals...protecting the environment or another reason?

[ianr]

Also what is the worry on chemicals...protecting the environment or another reason?

I would say yes, the environment partly due to the chemicals directly, but if we look into textile manufacturing, we are not exactly talking about a light-on-the-environment industry.

However, in my anecdotal experience, non-iron shirts wear out quickly. Thus, an untreated shirt may have an environmental benefit beyond the treatment chemicals simply due to not having to purchase a new shirt for quite a while. For me, I have some untreated OCBDs that I've worn consistently for five years and only show very minor signs of fraying on the cuffs. In contrast, I have none of the non-iron OCBDs I've purchased over the last five years due their fraying or the glued seams falling apart. I donated all of these, but I imagine some of them ended up in "textile recycling" rather than on someone's back.

[evanparker]

My entire wardrobe is about 98% need-to-iron ocbd at this point. I can say that now, non-iron shirts are not my thing, having semi sensitive skin, and loving the feeling of a nice starched oxford, and the trad collar roll of a good stiff button down collar.


the non-iron trick is definitely a trade off, but its a VERY VERY neat time saving trade-off. it's very easy to say why people like it. it's 3 hours back in your schedule, or you don't have to go by the dry cleaner anymore for weekly dress shirt cleaning.

good ones work really well. even if they're not for me, i know exactly why people are enthusiastic about them. they're awesome.

[idvsego]

Buying a nice iron makes ironing a lot less of a chore. I don't mind and often iron my wife's clothes too. She tends to jsut toss wrinkled things back in the dryer for a while.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[shad0w4life]

Non iron isn't scratchy at all, but if you find it scratchy feel bad for you, you can't starch your shirts or use time saving non iron. This subject is the same thing as people complaining they are hot and how do they cool down, but they layer up with a tshirt under a dress shirt and claim it makes you cooler, so I tried wearing 2 tshirts in the summer and boy does that no work, placebo effect.

"Even non-iron tagged shirts still require a little bit of ironing, so why all the fuss?" That's not true at all, learn to use your laundry properly and don't sit there playing on your phone letting them sit in the dryer for 5 hours.

[JT10000]

I'm not afraid of irons - I was ironing clothes when i was a teenager. And even have a $150 digital iron....for skis).

But I just don't want to bother ironing shirts as part of my regular routine. Non-iron shirts look good enough, so they're a win for me.

Never understood it either, but I have skin that's sensitive to synthetic fabrics and chemical treatments. Regardless, ironing is relaxing and hardly time-consuming if you have a non-absurd wardrobe in terms of volume. I tend to think non-iron just appeals to the modern obsession with convenience at all costs, even when the convenience is marginal at best and comes at a cost.

All costs? What is the cost of the times saving? Why should I spend time ironing when I can easily avoid it?

If you've got sensitive skin, have at it. I don't.

[mobaxter]

I still iron some of my non-iron shirts. To me, a freshly pressed crisp cotton shirt looks really nice.

[JeremyDRintoul]

I still iron some of my non-iron shirts. To me, a freshly pressed crisp cotton shirt looks really nice.

This is exactly right. I'm not much bothered whether my shirts are non-iron or not and I've had long lasting examples of both. Also short lasting examples of both. It all depends on how the shirt was made to begin with rather than whether or not it was treated for non-ironness. Though some manufacturers do cut corners to make their non-iron offerings the same price as their iron ones. The treatment does cost something.