Complete Clothes List: Types of Garments and How to Care for Them
· Fashion
Every garment in your wardrobe has unique characteristics — different fibres, construction methods, and care requirements. Understanding what you own and how to care for it properly can save you money, prevent damage, and keep your clothes looking their best for years. This comprehensive reference guide catalogues the most common clothing types found in Filipino wardrobes, with practical care advice from Royal Clean's IFI-certified team.
Traditional Filipino Garments
Barong Tagalog. The Philippines' national formal garment for men, traditionally crafted from piña (pineapple fibre), jusi, or organza. Barongs feature intricate hand or machine embroidery and are worn at weddings, government events, and formal occasions. Care: always dry clean. Piña barongs are extremely delicate and should be handled only by experienced professionals. Store flat in acid-free tissue, never on a hanger, to prevent stretching the sheer fabric.
Filipiniana / Terno. The traditional formal dress for Filipino women, characterized by butterfly sleeves and elegant draping. Typically made from piña, organza, or satin. Care: dry clean only. Handle with the same delicacy as a wedding gown — the structural sleeves and delicate fabric demand expert pressing.
Baro't Saya. A traditional outfit consisting of a blouse (baro) and skirt (saya), often made from cotton or linen. Simpler versions may be home-washable on a gentle cycle, but embroidered or vintage pieces should be professionally cleaned.
Business and Professional Wear
Business suits (two-piece and three-piece). Constructed from wool, wool-blend, or tropical-weight fabrics with internal canvas, interfacing, and linings. Care: always dry clean. Never machine wash a suit — water and agitation will destroy the internal structure. Brush after each wearing and air for 24 hours before returning to the closet.
Dress shirts. Typically cotton, cotton-polyester blend, or linen. Care: machine washable on warm or cool with like colours. Professional laundering with light starch delivers a crisp, polished finish that home irons cannot replicate. Collar and cuff stains respond best to professional pre-treatment.
Blazers and sport coats. Similar construction to suit jackets. Care: dry clean. Spot-clean minor marks between cleanings using a damp cloth on washable-fabric blazers only.
Dress trousers. Wool, wool-blend, or polyester. Care: dry clean for wool; machine washable for most polyester blends. Hang on trouser hangers to preserve the crease.
Casual and Everyday Clothing
T-shirts. Cotton, cotton-polyester, or tri-blend. Care: machine wash cold, inside out to preserve prints. Tumble dry low or air dry. Avoid high heat, which causes shrinkage and graphic cracking.
Jeans and denim. Cotton or cotton-elastane blend. Care: machine wash cold, inside out, infrequently (every 4–5 wearings). Excessive washing fades colour and weakens fibres. Air dry when possible.
Polo shirts. Cotton piqué or polyester blend. Care: machine wash cold on gentle cycle. Hang or lay flat to dry. Button all buttons before washing to maintain collar shape.
Shorts. Cotton, chino, denim, or synthetic. Care: follows the same rules as the fabric type — cotton and chino shorts are machine washable; tailored linen shorts benefit from gentle handling.
Formal and Occasion Wear
Wedding dresses. Multi-fabric constructions combining satin, tulle, lace, organza, and embellishments. Care: professional dry cleaning only, ideally within two weeks of the event. Preservation in acid-free storage is recommended for long-term keeping.
Evening gowns. Silk, chiffon, velvet, or sequined fabrics. Care: dry clean only. Handle with extreme care to avoid snagging delicate fabrics and loosening embellishments.
Tuxedos. Wool with satin or grosgrain lapels. Care: dry clean. The satin details are water-sensitive and require professional handling.
Activewear and Sportswear
Performance tops and leggings. Polyester, nylon, spandex, or proprietary moisture-wicking blends. Care: machine wash cold on gentle cycle with like colours. Do not use fabric softener, which coats moisture-wicking fibres and reduces their performance. Air dry — high dryer heat degrades elastane.
Swimwear. Nylon-spandex blend. Care: rinse in cold water after every use to remove chlorine or salt. Hand wash with mild detergent. Never wring or machine dry — lay flat to air dry.
Outerwear and Specialty Items
Rain jackets and windbreakers. Nylon or polyester with waterproof coatings. Care: follow care label precisely. Some waterproof treatments are damaged by conventional detergents. Specialized wash-in waterproofing products can restore DWR coatings.
Leather jackets. Genuine leather or suede. Care: professional leather cleaning only. Water damages leather finishes; household products can discolour or stiffen the material. Condition leather annually to maintain suppleness.
Down jackets and puffer coats. Nylon shell with down or synthetic fill. Care: machine washable on gentle cycle with a specialized down detergent, or professional cleaning. Tumble dry low with clean tennis balls to restore loft.
Undergarments and Intimates
Bras. Cotton, nylon, lace, or microfibre with underwire or moulded cups. Care: hand wash or machine wash in a mesh bag on the delicate cycle. Air dry — heat damages underwire casing, elastic, and moulded cups. Never put bras in the dryer.
Underwear and boxers. Cotton, modal, or microfibre. Care: machine wash warm after every wearing. Elastic waistbands last longer when air-dried rather than machine-dried.
A Note on Care Labels
Every garment on this list should have a care label stitched into its seam. When in doubt about the correct cleaning method for any item, the care label is always your first reference. If the label is missing, damaged, or unclear, bring the garment to any Royal Clean branch — our trained staff will assess the fabric and recommend the safest, most effective cleaning approach.
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