Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have any products that aren't treated with FR chemicals?
We carry many items that are made with inherently FR (modacrylic) fabrics. We have shirts, sweatshirts, pants and jacket (linings) that are not treated with chemicals.
What affects the integrity of FR clothing?
- Bleach will destroy any FR chemical that our clothing has been treated with. Even a laundry detergent with bleach (for example, Tide with Bleach) will negatively affect the FR clothing.
- Fabric Softener puts a thin layer on top of the fabric - the thin layer is flammable. Both the liquid and dryer sheets will do the same.
- Grease, oil or any other flammable liquid that has been spilled on the clothing.
- Starch also adds a thin layer on the clothing that is flammable.
- Rips, holes, or worn down fabric.
- Insect repellent with DEET. DEET is flammable, do not spray it on the clothing.
How do I wash and/or care for my clothing?
Dirt will not affect the quality of the FR clothing. All MillWorks' products should be washed in cold water and hung to dry. The reason for this is shrinkage. Our products have a small shrinkage percentage when washed correctly. No bleach, detergent with bleach, fabric softener, or starch.
What is your exchange/return policy?
We can only accept returns from companies with accounts set up. Due to the nature of the business, unfortunately, we cannot accept returns from the public. Companies that have accounts set up, please contact the office.
Do you offer repair services?
We stand behind the quality of our garments and have a quality inspection program, but sometimes mistakes happen. As we continue to try and improve our inspection systems, please let us know if there are any problems. If there are any manufacturing flaws we will fix or replace the garment free of charge. All worn garments needing repair must be washed prior to return. The garment must also have the employee name written in the garment.
Why are MillWorks' clothes more expensive than some of the competition?
There are many contributing factors to the prices for our clothes. First, we only order top quality fabric made in North America. We value consistency and feel that in order to have that with our clothes that we have to order from fabric suppliers that are consistent with their quality. Some of our polar fleece fabric costs almost $65/yard! Also, some of our fabric is inherently flame resistant and some of it is treated with the FR chemical. Our products made with inherently flame-resistant fabric are expensive because the fabric is very costly. Also, for our clothes that have been treated with an FR chemical, we opted for a more expensive FR chemical (which is a phosphorus base) instead of cheaper formaldehyde based ones which we feel are more harmful up against the skin and are likely to cause a reaction. They can also give off noxious fumes. Our chemical also doesn’t create a funny smell when the clothes get wet, which is a common complaint we hear about our competitors’ products. Our products will outlast our competitors' products so any savings in ordering cheaper products available in the marketplace is not really worth it from our perspective.
Any product made in Canada is expensive to make as well due to labour and overhead costs. We value our production workforce and have also opted to pay them more than the going rate for the average sewer. All of these reasons contribute to the high costs of our products, but we stand behind our decisions in order to produce the best workwear on the market.
Do you embroider company names/logos on your clothing?
Yes, we can certainly have a company name or logo put on the garments. We have shied away from embroidery due to the length of time it takes to get the final product shipped out. What we offer now is an ironed-on, silver reflective stamp that shows nicely on the clothing. This is a simple process with great results, and still allows us to ship products within our usual 24 hours. There is a set-up fee, and a minimum order quantity (from the label producer) for this service.
Do you still produce non-FR workwear?
Yes, but mainly on a contract basis only. We can produce any workwear item in a non-FR material but minimum order quantities apply. We do however still have an inventory of non-FR workwear and would be happy to discuss what we have available. The few non-FR (high visibility) items we have listed on our website are produced regularly and there are no minimum orders for those items.
Also, we sometimes do contract sewing for other businesses during our slower periods in order to keep our staff working full-time.
Please feel free to contact us by phone or email if you need more information.