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See exchange with Brooks Brothers Customer Service:

I would appreciate it if you would not use my name if you post this complaint. I would also note that the care instructions that are given in these emails differ from those on the shirts themselves (that is, recommending that they be hung dry instead of put in the dryer on low heat).

______________________________________________________________________________

Michael –

Thank you so much for your speedy response. I would just like to say that my wife has always followed the care instructions for these shirts to a T. I guess my point is that your sales people and your sales materials do not tell the consumer that even if you follow the care instructions, the shirts will have a much shorter life span than a traditional shirt. That is why I wrote.

-- David

From: Michael Haynes [mailto:MHaynes@***.com]

Sent: Thursday, June 19, 2008 2:13 PM

Subject: Brooks Brothers Non Iron Shirt Inquiry

My name is Michael Haynes, and I am a Customer Service Supervisor for Brooks Brothers. I would like to thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding your experience with Brooks Brothers merchandise. Your e-mail has been forwarded to my attention.

We regret that you are disappointed with our non-iron shirts, and apologize that you did not receive the quality that you have come to expect from Brooks Brothers. Brooks Brothers stands behind the quality of merchandise we provide for customers. We are always pleased to receive feedback from our customers, and we take your comments very seriously.

The non-iron shirts you have in your possession have specific laundering instructions. The Brooks Brothers non-iron shirt is chemically processed, which provides it with the non-iron feature. Over time this process will begin to breakdown. The shirts are designed to be laundered and immediately hung after removing from the washer to achieve the best possible results. If drying is preferred, we recommend that the shirts are not dried longer than 15 minutes, and then immediately hung as well. Professional laundering, pressing, and the use of starch can reduce the life expectancy of the shirt. In keeping with our quality control program, your letter has been forwarded to our Technical Design Team for further review.

Please accept our apology for any inconvenience this matter may have caused you. Brooks Brothers realizes that we exist for the customer, and they play a vital role in our continued success. If you should have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Customer Service Department at our toll-free number, 866.863.8696. We value your patronage and look forward to your continued loyalty.

Sincerely,

Michael Haynes

Customer Service Supervisor

-----Original Message-----

From: service@***.com [mailto:service@***.com]

Sent: Friday, June 20, 2008 8:36 AM

Subject: Re: Merchandise (KMM114****V97920L0KM)

Thank you for contacting Brooks Brothers customer service.

We apologize that you have not been contacted by our Customer Service Supervisor regarding this

matter. Please be assured someone will be in touch with you shortly.

Please contact me if you have any further questions.

Sincerely,

Amy Torres

Customer Care

www.brooksbrothers.com

Original Message Follows:

------------------------

Please be advised that I have not heard back from your Customer Service

Supervisor in charge of stores regarding this matter.

-- David

-----Original Message-----

From: service@***.com [mailto:service@***.com]

Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 11:02 AM

Subject: Re: Merchandise (KMM112****V37065L0KM)

Thank you for contacting Brooks Brothers customer service.

Your email has been forwarded to our Customer Service Supervisor in charge

of stores for review, and

resolution. You should be contacted shortly.

Please contact us if you need further assistance.

Sincerely,

Doreen Donnelly

Customer Care

http://www.brooksbrothers.com/

Original Message Follows:

------------------------

Thursday May 1, 2008 at 3:45 PM

The following feedback was sent from www.BrooksBrothers.com

Name: David

Subject: Merchandise

Browser: Firefox 2

OS: Windows

Comment: A few years ago, I spoke with a sales manager about your no

iron shirts. He said that he

them for a few years and that they were great. On his say so, I began

purchasing them -- I have

between 20 and 25 of them and have been very happy with them. I have

recently noticed that the

collars on five of them became very frayed. I sought to return the frayed

shirts to the BB outlet

in Woodbury Commons in NYS. When I mentioned this to the sales manager, she

said that this was a

known issue with these shirts and that they are only good for 40 or so

washes. She said that she

would not accept them as returns because they were more than a year old.

Once she explained the issue, I understood what the problem was. I must

say, however, that I was

very disappointed with the fact that this is not made known to customers

prior to purchase. I

recommend that you do so going forward, as it certainly came as a surprise

to me (particulary as

someone who has BB (iron) cotton shirts that date back much further.

Yours,

David

Location: Brooklyn, New York

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Guest

Brooks Brothers will not let you post unfavorable reviews, what kind of business of this size would do that. STAY AWAY FROM THEIR LEATHER GOODS, ESPECIALLY THEIR CROCODILE WALLETS!

I paid over $550 for my croc wallet, it fell apart in less than 3 years. If its croc it should last 50 years. I went to post a poor review on Brooks Brothers website after getting attitude from a store manager in Boston. A week later my review was rejected with a note from Brooks Brothers saying there were not going to post it.

It was a simple review of the product. I WAS an excellent customer of theirs for the past 30 years, own two tuxes, 7 suits, over 35 non-iron shirts, over 15 linen shirts, the list goes on and on. I have not been back since and have old my wife to stop shopping for me there. All they had to do was to make good on one item which was clearly defective and would have retained my business.

Do the math, you just lost thousands of dollars on future purchases, especially now that we are raising a family!

ps the non-iron shirts don't last, they tear at the elbows within a year or so.

Guest

i have been wearing BB non-iron shirts for several years and have always noticed the sleeve cuffs start to fray at 12 months. I have enough shirts to rotate every week, so this means i am getting about 40 washes before the shirt starts to fall apart.

After 10 years of BB shirts, think its time to try Pink.

Guest

Add me to the dissatisfied list, I'm now buying Gitman Brothers shirts......pricey but very high quality. BB non-iron are junk.

Guest

Add me to the pissed list. I just got back from the BB in Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth, NJ.

I have bought BB shirts exclusively for about 10 years. Over the past 3 years or so, I have noticed increased frequency in rips in the elbow. Usually, I would just throw the shirt out, but I have converted a few to short sleeves. In any event, I picked up 6 of the non iron 346 dress shirts and immediately took them to the dry cleaner for laundering and pressing with light starch.

One of the shirts came back with a tear in the elbow. Initially, I thought it was the dry cleaner, but thanks to websites like this I now know who is to blame. It's ridiculous that BB thinks that people shouldn't press their shirts. Has society devolved to the point where we're a bunch of slackers?

I'm made to feel like an *** from BB staff because I had my shirts pressed. And then they give me a bunch of grief upon return, although they ultimately gave me a credit. No more BB shirts for me. I'm finding a higher quality manufacturer.

When you're paying $60 bucks a shirt, and the never worn shirt doesn't even last ONE wash cycle including pressing, it's safe to say the quality has gone down. Buh Bye Brookes Brothers.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-606443

Sorry the staff made you feel that way. Personally I feel more efficient and like less of a slacker when I have control of my laundry.

I do not have to pay someone else to my clothing and I know EXACTLY what is being done to it. ALSO, BB does sell regular shirts that can be pressed. If you do patronize them again you should inquire about these shirts. They typically run the in same price range, however they do have to be pressed regularly and you collar selection is limited.

To my knowledge they are only sold in Mainline BB stores.

Also I should note that the 346 line as well as what is sold in the outlets are factory seconds or made exclusively for the outlets, thus the lower price point and in your case quality of the shirt.

This is not to say that they are inferior, but that the items sold in those stores are not Current Factory Firsts which are sold in Mainline Stores. I have made this same mistake before and was finally educated about the difference and now make my purchases accordingly,

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-606443

Amen

Guest

I had the same problem with the ripped elbow. I Have spent thousands of dollars over the years. I'm never shopping there again.

Guest

As i am sitting here reading this, the BB non iron shirt I am wearing has a rip inn the seam on the back of the shirt, and I am more than a little pissed. This is the 6th shirt in a year that has split on the seam or on the elbow.

I have always followed the care instructions, careful to remove the shirts from the drier after 15 minutes. All of the shirt were less than 3 years old.

I have cheaper non iron shirts that I bought 5 years ago from Lord and Taylor that are still in very good condition, not one has torn. I brought 4 shirts back to BB and was told that was normal wear and tear, and they no longer replace their shirts, well, I am no longer a Brooks Brothers customer.

Guest

Over the past five years I have purchased perhaps three dozen BB non-iron shirts. while the local BB manger did replace a number of shirts over the years I must echo the comments on this site that these chemically treated shirts simply do not last....they fray and tear very easily. I shall refrain from further purchases of these shirts and look for an alternative, long lasting product.

Guest

The problem with a site like this is I reading all about this AFTER the fact. I wanted a quality slim-fit dress shirt and got one from BB.

Loved the way it fit so I bought two more in rapid succession. Now, a couple of months later, they have all disintregrated. I thought maybe I was doing something wrong but it would seem the problem is the garment itself. I have ONE left and I will have to handle it like a Fabrege egg if I expect to get my ninety bucks' worth.

Curious, though: everyone here seems to have a problem with the elbow.

The elbows on my shirts are fine. It's the back of the shirt (where the pleat is) and the seams on the shoulders that all gave out.

Guest

I have not had any problems with ripping or fraying, but three of my BB non-iron shirts have come out of the dryer with a burnt collar tip. I own many high-end shirts (Canali, Eton, etc...) and am always careful to follow the laundering instructions.

BB shirts are the only ones I have ever had problems with. Have yet to contact my sales rep about this, but would like to know if anyone else has had similar experiences.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-524096

NON-IRON shirts are not to be placed in the dryer. HANG DRY AFTER WASH.

THAT IS WHY THEY BURNED!!! Remember to remove any plastic stays that are in the collar seam.

Guest

I am amazed to find so many BB consumers with similar problems. I just had two of my non-iron BB slim fit shirts rip at the elbow within a week.

I absolutely love these shirts but can't afford to buy a $90.00 shirt that won't even last a year.

Does anyone else have suggestions on other companies that make a better non-iron slim fit dress shirt. I am not going to be taking my business back to BB.

Guest

Ok, you can add me to the list of dissatisfied customers with holey elbows. I just had three of my BB non-iron shirts all mysteriously rip in the left elbow WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF EACH OTHER!

I bought them all at the same time, so at least they are precise in their lack of quality and premature wear! Never had any other dress shirts wear out like this in 20+ years of wearing shirts. I thought maybe I had Rough Elbow Syndrome, but a quick Google search and I see I'm not the only one with this issue.

Absolutely ridiculous and pathetic that they charge so much for a glorified non-iron rag. Disgusted!

Guest

I just had the same thing happen to my BB non-iron shirts. Literally, 5 have ripped on the left elbow within the last 2-3 weeks.

Had been wearing their stuff for years without issue. Maybe they switched to a cheaper fabric?

Regardless, I will be trying to return/exchange them this weekend and if they don't take them back, I will NEVER buy from them again. Frustrating..

Guest

The problem with the Brooks Brothers non-iron shirt has been known by them for a long time. I have owned dozens of these shirts at substantial cost.

All of the edges (Collar, button fronts, cuffs) fray. Rips and tears occur without provocation. They have steadfastly refused to acknowledge the problem at time of sale unless asked and continue to swindle the buyer with high prices and brief longevity with this product. Selling these shirts the way they do is corporate irresponsibility akin to legalized larceny.

Their corporate doublespeak with regard to this is a disservice to the customer relations industry. They appear to not have applied any significant research to solve the problem (or cannot find a solution)but continue to reap the benefits of continuing sales. Basically you can count on throwing the shirt out far before any other non-iron shirt.

Lasundering once a week will see them in the garbage within a year. Brooks Brothers deserves no initial or return business for this attractive but flawed product.

Guest

I just started purchasing BB shirts 2.5 months ago and i just experienced my first right elbow rip.This has happened with Van Heusen shirts and any other brand Iรขโ‚ฌโ„ขve purchased. After hearing good things about BB i thought why not give it a try so i bought 3 Slim Fit Non Iron shirts, love them. I am very disappointed and will never purchase anything from this company again.

Guest

AVOID BB non-iron shirts!!! I purchased 3 non-iron shirts and in less than a year (wearing them about 2-3x/mo) they all wore out in the right elbow -which does rest on my desk alot.

Have never had a problem with other shirts BB or otherwise, just the non-iron. And yes, we did follow care instructions exactly. I took them to BB and got sad faces, but nothing else.

Have spent thousands there in past, but will spend zero going forward. For a premium price brand, this is a very low quality product.

Guest

I have the same issue. I had written to brooks brother customer service in the past about shirts getting ripped from elbow and they politely responded saying WASH IT CAREFULLY!

HAHAHA

Guest

I grew very fond of BB shirts but must have had at least five rip right through the elbow. I brought the shirts back and showed the rip pattern to a member of the BB store staff in PA.

She was very kind and forthright and admitted that due to the non-iron treatment the material weakens much more quickly. The pieces look and feel great but have a super-short lifespan.

The store staff were quite honest and helpful in hearing me out but my business no long goes to BB. I pay the same for Orvis shirts now and they last years and wear very nicely.

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