Why does Burberry tell us to cover or remove the buttons?

Last week I went to the V&A in London to see *The Burberry Trench: Crafting an Icon*

exhibition.

I really enjoyed it. There were lots of different Burberry coats on display, including more modern ones than I was expecting.

Of course I was looking at the style and fabrics, but then I started looking at the buttons.

I know. Very exciting!

I suppose that is what happens when you work in dry cleaning.

We sometimes get Burberry coats into Farthings with a very specific instruction on the care label: Cover or remove buttons before cleaning.

I have always found that interesting. Why the buttons?

During cleaning there is quite a lot of movement, so buttons can knock against the machine or rub against other parts of the garment. Depending on the material and finish, they can be scratched, chipped or damaged.

That is why they may need a little extra protection.

If we see this instruction, we speak to the customer and explain the options. The buttons can be removed and sewn back on afterwards, or we can cover them with foil to help protect them during cleaning.

When garments come into the shop, we do our best to check the care label, stains, buttons and any obvious damage.

But we are human, and sometimes something small may not be obvious straight away. That is why we check garments again as they go through the cleaning process.

It is one of the things I love about working in dry cleaning. There is always something new to learn, and sometimes one small detail makes you look at a garment completely differently.

So I went to the V&A to look at beautiful Burberry trench coats.

And somehow I came home thinking about buttons!