Our practitioner · Rosabelle Launderette
Zach Lim, Dry-cleaner
Zach Lim is a dry-cleaner at Rosabelle Launderette in Singapore. He has worked in garment care at Rosabelle since 2006, and his work focuses on stain treatment and quality control.
He did the specialist work on every case study in the Rosabelle journal, and he reviews every journal article for technical accuracy.
A second-generation dry-cleaner, at Rosabelle since 2006
Role
Role at Rosabelle
Zach’s job title is Dry-cleaner. He works in Rosabelle’s own workshop, where every garment is cleaned in-house.
Responsibilities
- Assessing garments at intake: fibre, construction and soiling, and the treatment each piece needs.
- Checking care labels against the actual fibre and construction, including garments with missing or incorrect labels.
- Testing dyes, prints and trims for colourfastness on a hidden area before treatment.
- Choosing the cleaning process for each garment: dry cleaning, wet cleaning, or a combination of both.
- Selecting the stain agents, solvents and machine settings the workshop uses.
- Stain treatment.
- Deciding when to stop treatment, or to decline a job, to protect a garment.
- Quality control and final sign-off on pressing and finishing before a piece is returned.
- Photographing and documenting cases for the Rosabelle journal.
- Writing and technically reviewing journal articles.
Experience
Experience and specialisms
Zach learned dry cleaning hands-on and has worked in garment care at Rosabelle since 2006. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Nanyang Technological University.
His specialisms are leather, silk, wool, cashmere and garment restoration.
“Every piece is unique and needs treatment suited to its stains and materials. Results are often good, but they can never be guaranteed. In everything we do, we do it with love.”
The journal
Zach’s role in the Rosabelle journal
The Rosabelle journal is published by Rosabelle Launderette and written by its garment-care team, which includes Zach. On every case study he did the specialist work on the garment and reviewed the finished article for technical accuracy. He also photographs and documents cases for the journal, and reviews the care guides and service explainers.
Each article ends with a credit line that names his role in it and links to this page. Each case records one item in the condition it arrived in. It is not a guarantee of the outcome for another garment.
Case studies: case practitioner and technical review (29)
- Christian Dior Wool and Silk Dress: Watermark and Yellowing Removed
- Lace Mermaid Wedding Gown: Removing a Pink Mark and Floor Soil
- Cotton T-Shirt: Removing Dried Glue of an Unknown Type
- Darkpark White Jeans: Colour Run From a Home Wash Removed
- Strellson Jacket: Cleaning Cream Nappa Leather and a Camel Cotton Body Together
- Louis Vuitton Nylon Parka: Colour Run From Bleached Toggles Removed
- Dior Denim Jacket: Cleaning a Yellowed Collar Without Stripping the Denim
- Hermès Leather Bomber Jacket: Cleaning Lambskin, Cotton and Silk
- Vivienne Westwood Wedding Gown: Removing Yellowing and Rust Stains
- Yellowed Bed Linen: Duvet Cover and Pillowcases Back to White
- Massimo Dutti Leather Jacket: Removing Sweat Odour Without Changing the Leather
- 1970s Wedding Gown: Routine Cleaning Before Long-Term Storage
- Maison Margiela Tote: Removing Storage Yellowing
- Chloé Sandals: Routine Cleaning and Refresh
- Designer Hats: Cleaning Straw, Felt and Cotton After Storage
- Hermès Shearling Jacket: Routine Cleaning and Conditioning
- Zegna Shirt: Stain Removal After Another Cleaner Declined
- Louboutin Canvas Mules: Restoring White Canvas and Red Soles
- Vintage Leather Jacket: Removing Musty Storage Odour
- Blue Fox Fur Parka: Specialist Fur Cleaning
- Dior Bermuda Shorts: Fixing Mud and Home-Wash Stains
- Wool Sweater: Reblocking After Shrinking in a Home Wash
- Wedding Gown Restoration: Removing Mud from the Gown Train
- Issey Miyake Pleats Please: Removing Heavy Soiling Without Losing the Pleats
- Celine Bouclé Jacket: Removing Colour Run From a Cleaning Cloth
- Louis Vuitton Puffer: Cleaning the Monogram Without Flattening It
- Wedding Gown: Removing Floor Soiling From the Hem and Train
- Burberry Pleated Skirt: Clearing Yellowing From Inside the Pleats
- Elizabeth and James Dress: Removing Yellowing From a Coloured Garment