California Apparel News

Los Angeles-based garment dye house Los Angeles Dye & Wash Co. Inc. counts limited competition and energy-efficient machinery with helping the company weather the current energy crisis.

The 14-year-old company several years ago installed equipment that conserves energy by recycling the heat used in the garment dyeing and laundering process, according to co-owners Tom and Steve Stanton.

The company’s utility bills have increased 40 percent—an increase the company is absorbing, according to Steve Stanton.

“One thing that may have saved us on the gas situation is that we bought ultra-energy efficient dryers and boilers,” he said.

The company buys its natural gas from Southern California Gas Company and “did not opt to go with outside suppliers,” said Steve Stanton.

But the brothers said the crisis was affecting any plans they were considering to expand the business or upgrade its equipment.

“That’s what’s hurting us,” Steve Stanton said. “There’s no money for expansion. It takes the meat out of our business.”

L.A. Dye & Wash Co. Inc. splits its business between garment dyeing and denim laundering, with approximately 60 percent in garment dyeing. Tom Stanton said the company specializes in “all types of garments that require garment dying—Tencel, cotton, poly/cotton, cotton/nylon, tie-dyeing.”

There are 27 members on the company’s garment dye production teams, 14 sample machines and three sales people, allowing the company to process 25,000 pieces per week,” according to Steve Stanton.

There was more competition among garment dyers when the company started, Steve Stanton said, noting that “there were about 80 garment dyers in L.A., now it’s down to maybe 15.”

Steve Stanton said competition has diminished as the company expanded and became more efficient.

“We can turn 10,000 pieces in a weekend and the small guy out there labors 10 days to get out 20,000 pounds,” he said.

The company’s experience garment dyeing special fibers such as Tencel has also helped fend off competition, Tom Stanton added.

“We give the customer information on how to make their product look acceptable in the garment dyeing arena,” he said. “Somebody else might just put dye on it and send it back.”

News of the recent energy crisis has brought another unexpected drawback. Reports of the closure of Pico Rivera, Calif.-based L.A. Dye & Print Works last month has led to confusion between the now defunct dyehouse and Los Angeles Dye & Wash Co. Inc. The two companies were rarely confused before, the Stantons said. But “more now than ever, people are confusing us,” Steve Stanton said. “Everyday we get a phone call.”

The Stantons said they will wait out the energy crisis and do not plan to pass along energy price increases to their customers—particularly as prices continue to escalate.

“Once the energy market settles, then we’ll be able to evaluate what the end costs are to make that decision but until the prices settle, there is no way we can predict [what will happen],” Tom Stanton said. —Alison A. Nieder