Project Design and Batch Planning

Why Planning Comes Before Processing

In a professional garment care operation, the decision to run a machine is the last step, not the first. Every item in a customer's batch must be evaluated, classified, and assigned to the correct cleaning system on paper before a single piece is loaded. This lesson walks you through that planning process in full.

A well-built processing plan protects the customer's garments, keeps your operation compliant with safety requirements, and creates the paper trail that supports your pricing, your liability, and your credential exams. The DLI Certified Professional Drycleaner and Certified Professional Wetcleaner bodies of knowledge both place garment analysis and proper process selection at the center of professional competence.

Garment Intake and Classification

The first tool is the standardized intake form. For each garment in your batch, record the following:

• Fiber content – Read the care label. Federal law requires fiber content labeling on most textile products sold in the United States. Verify the label information using tactile assessment (hand feel, drape, sheen) and, when safe and permitted, a controlled burn test on a loose thread pulled from an interior seam. Burn-test results—how the fiber ignites, smells, and chars—confirm whether you are dealing with a protein fiber such as wool or silk, a cellulosic fiber such as cotton or linen, or a synthetic such as polyester or nylon.
• Fabric construction – Note weave or knit structure, pile direction if applicable, and any specialty construction such as bonded or fused seams, laminated layers, or applied embellishments like beading, sequins, or embroidery.
• Soiling type – Distinguish between water-based soils (beverages, body perspiration, food), oil-based soils (cooking grease, machine oil, cosmetics), and particulate soils (dust, carbon). The chemistry of the soil drives the chemistry of the cleaning system you choose.
• Special conditions – Flag anything that changes your process or requires extra care: dye instability, structural weakness, dry-rot, previous cleaning damage, or items described by the customer as valuable or irreplaceable.

Reading Care-Label Symbols

ISO and ASTM care-label symbols appear on virtually all garments sold in the US market. The DLI care-label symbol reference chart translates each symbol into a specific action or prohibition. A circle indicates dry cleaning; a circle with a letter inside specifies the solvent type. A bucket symbol with water addresses wet cleaning and machine washing. An X through any symbol means do not use that process.

Record the precise symbol—not just a summary—on your intake form. When you complete the decision matrix, your symbol citation becomes the primary evidence for your process choice.

Building the Decision Matrix

The decision matrix is a structured table with one row per garment. Each row contains:

1. Garment description and intake number

2. Fiber content (verified)

3. Care-label symbol(s) cited exactly

4. Identified soils

5. Special conditions

6. Assigned cleaning system: dry-cleaning solvent, wet cleaning, or hand finishing

7. Justification: the specific reason—care-label prohibition, fiber hazard, or soil chemistry—that drives your choice

For example, if a blouse carries a care label indicating professional wet cleaning only and is soiled with water-based perspiration, wet cleaning is the correct assignment. If a heavily tailored wool jacket with fused interfacing carries a dry-clean-only circle symbol, solvent cleaning is correct because water would disturb the fusible adhesive and distort the shape. Documenting the reason, not just the choice, is what separates a professional from a guesser—and it is what the DLI exams test.

The Documentation Package

Beyond the intake form and decision matrix, your project requires a complete documentation package:

• Customer work order – Customer contact information, item count, promised completion date, and any special instructions.
• Treatment log – Space for each garment's pre-treatment steps, the cleaning system used, post-treatment inspection notes, and sign-off initials. This log is your legal record if a customer dispute arises.
• MSDS/SDS cross-reference sheet – For every solvent and detergent you plan to use, note the product name and the location of its Safety Data Sheet in the shop binder. This is not optional. OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard requires workers to have access to SDS information for all hazardous chemicals they handle. Listing SDS references in your documentation keeps the safety requirement visible at every step.
• Pressing sequence – The order in which garments will be finished, noting steam temperature, form or board selection, and any items requiring cool dry pressing to avoid shine or shrinkage.
• Mock invoice with pricing rationale – List each garment, the process assigned, and the price, with a brief note explaining any premium charge (e.g., hand finishing for a beaded gown, specialty stain pre-treatment for an oil-based soil).

Have a classmate review your completed package before you submit it for instructor sign-off. Peer review catches missing fields and logic errors that are easy to overlook when you have been staring at the same form.

Safety Points for Planning

Planning is a desk activity, but safety is still relevant. Solvents and detergents referenced in your SDS cross-reference sheet carry real hazards: flammability, skin and eye irritation, respiratory exposure limits, and environmental disposal requirements. Never write a solvent recommendation without confirming the SDS is present and accessible. If you are uncertain whether a garment can tolerate a specific solvent, the safe default is to choose the more conservative process or flag it for instructor consultation before processing begins. A damaged garment cannot be undamaged; plan conservatively when in doubt.

Connecting to Your Credential Exams

The DLI Certified Professional Drycleaner exam tests your ability to select appropriate solvents, identify fiber hazards, and interpret care labels correctly. The Certified Professional Wetcleaner exam emphasizes water-based process selection, detergent chemistry, and mechanical action controls. The documentation habits you build in this lesson—precise labeling, clear justification, complete records—directly reflect the professional knowledge domains those exams assess. The OSHA 10 program reinforces the habit of keeping SDS information current and accessible. Every field on your intake form and decision matrix corresponds to something a credentialed professional is expected to know.