12 Reasons to Join the California Cleaners Association

Your membership dues pays for your membership into the International Fabricare Institute and the California Cleaners Association.  IFI and CCA are the premier trade associations of drycleaners, launderers, and wetcleaners as well as organizations and individuals concerned with professional garment cleaning, care, and serviceability. IFI serves cleaners nationwide and CCA serves and represents cleaners in California.

As the leading fabricare associations, IFI and CCA provide many valuable publications and services to its members. These services and publications are for members only.

Here is a brief summary of our Member Only Benefits...

1. Publications
Fabricare Magazine is IFI’s monthly award winning publication packed with the latest industry information, solutions for problem garments, legislative reports, marketing ideas, and business strategies. CleanFacts is CCA’s newsletter which is full of educational articles, marketing ideas and legislative reports that address the needs of California’s cleaners.

2. Technical Information
Fabricare Resources: The Fabricare Journal of Technical Information is included with your Fabricare Magazine subscription. Fabrics and Fashions, Industry Focus, Not in Vogue, Focus, Shirt/Laundry Procedures, Technical Operating Information, and Textile Analysis Bulletins (TABS) are easy to read and designed to give members detailed technical information on problem garments, cleaning processes and innovative technology.

You can now access IFI's complete bulletin library, Fabricare Articles, membership information, complete listing of IFI's many products and services, and information from major industry manufacturers, all from the comfort of your own computer using IFI CD-ROMs, the Complete IFI Reference Guide, and the Environmental and Government Affairs Set.

3. Technical Assistance
IFI staff is now more accessible than ever. Members can call us using IFI's toll-free number or e-mail us at techline@ifi.org when they need help. CCA offers the popular “Ask Dr. Bob” service where members can have their questions answered.

4. Garment Analysis
International Textile Analysis Laboratory (ITAL), our most popular benefit, helps members avoid costly, unfair damage claims. ITAL’s experts carefully examine each garment, and prepare an objective report on the cause and responsibility of the problem at hand. ITAL's reports have been accepted in mediation/arbitration efforts and as expert testimony in small claims court.

5. Training
CCA offers more than ten educational seminars each year with discounted registration fees for members. IFI offers their popular Resident Classes, Self-Study Courses (available in print or on-line), Outreach Seminars, and In-Plant Training that are designed to build the skills of those entering the industry and to keep veteran managers and supervisors up-to-date on the latest techniques. Timely course topics, experienced educators, and convenient schedules attract students from around the globe.

Videotapes demonstrating stain removal and finishing procedures, customer service and advertising techniques, and environmental compliance information for owners and employees are another avenue IFI provides for education.

6. Government Relations
CCA is the only California association for cleaners who has a full-time lobbyist working to protect our interests in Sacramento and statewide. IFI is the strong voice that is heard and respected from local state government all the way to Capitol Hill. IFI’s Government Relations expert advocates cleaners' interests on all major issues such as Superfund, environmental compliance standards, and OSHA permissible exposure limits. CCA and IFI educate regulators about the technical aspects of proposed legislation and the economic impact that such action will have on your business.

7. Fabricare Trade Show and Clean Show
CCA produces the Fabricare trade show and convention which is the only California based trade show for our industry. Held every even numbered year, Fabricare is the largest regional trade show for our industry in the nation.

IFI is a co-sponsor of the Clean Show; the industry’s premiere national conference and exposition that is held every odd numbered year. Clean attracts all segments of the textile care industry making it the largest textile care trade show in the world and one of the top 100 trade shows in North America. In addition to the wide variety of products and latest equipment on display, over 40 hours of educational seminars are available on business management, technology and legislative issues.

Plan to attend Fabricare and Clean and get an insider’s view of where the industry is heading.

8. Consumer Information
Inform your customers about garment care with consumer information brochures, hanger tags, and a subscription to Clothes Care Gazette, a monthly newsletter full of fabricare tips.

9. Money Saving Programs
CCA offers its members money saving services, discounts and affinity programs that result in saving thousands of dollars per year! The size of the IFI community gives the association substantial bargaining power in arranging special services for its members. Members have access to cost saving affinity programs.

10. Quality Control Testing
IFI’s quality Control Laboratory provides state-of-the-art technologies that help cleaners and manufacturers maintain tight quality control. Textile testing, cleaning performance testing, and perc vapor testing are just a few of the specialized services offered by the research department.

11. Public Relations
Your membership in IFI and CCA lends support to powerful and positive public relations worldwide. Public awareness of fabric care issues is an important concern and IFI has created a consumer education program that is national in both scope and vision. By working with countless organizations, appearing on television and radio, participating in trade shows, and holding talks and seminars, IFI and CCA are continually reaching out to the public.

12. Research
Your membership dollars help to advance the progress of industry related research. IFI frequently conducts research on the latest cleaning technologies, product testing and apparel testing.

We Invite You to Join Now!