I have never seen one of those before; I've just googled it and watched a video: 'and now folding can be fun'. My word ...

If you only have a handful of shirts I wouldn't bother; just use a hardback book to help you with the folding.

It may be of use for a full basket of laundry. I don't think that device is likely to fit on most ironing boards, though, so you would have to transfer all you laundry to a table-top.

 

My wife has one of these someplace, never seen her using it too much. I believe they are more T-Shirt/polo shirt oriented. T-Shirts for me are for working on cars/house/etc so in my case they get a quick fold and hit the the drawer. My day to day shirts are ironed and put on hangers.

 

This ties into something I've never understood: how and why folding a dress shirt is a good way to store it. I've seen plenty of evidence that many men who know what's what do so: the Duke of Windsor's closets had shirt drawers, and I think Will (of ASW) has mentioned folding shirts. How does one keep them from coming out creased and rumpled?

 

One of the characters on Big Bang Theory uses this to fold his T-Shirts all the time.

Ironically my wife thought it was funny and wanted one but I could never figure out what it was called. This might have to be my joke move in gift next month when we finish moving into our new place.

:icon_smile_big:

I can't image using this for Dress shirts but I can see this getting used for white undershirts, t-shirts and polos.

 

My wife uses one on our tshirts, polos, and just about anything that dosn't go on a hanger. She just speeds through it and the shirts are folded nicely.

 

I used to work at a clothing store and we used something quite similar for the tops. T-shirts, polos, sport shirts, and sweaters were all folded the same way to give a "uniform" look. They had separate ones for men's and women's clothing, the latter being slightly smaller.

I've been thinking of getting one of these for a long time, but was hoping it'd be less than $35!

 

You want the sordid world of shirt folding devices? Here you go.

 

When I saw this device..it immediately got me thinking of...

Probably a good idea in theory, but turns out to be a complete waste of money. The 'Instant Fisherman' of laundry devices if you will.

EDIT:

I've just noticed the Amazon vendor of this contraption is called 'AsSeenOnTVGuys'... that kind of figures.

 

This ties into something I've never understood: how and why folding a dress shirt is a good way to store it.

It is not necessarily the BEST way to store them, but for those with limited closet space, it is a necessity. Just ask member uprcrust. Someone asked him on the WAYWT thread why his shirts are always folded, and he explained that his Manhattan apartment has a lack of closet space, so it is advantageous to have them returned from the cleaners folded.

I've seen plenty of evidence that many men who know what's what do so: the Duke of Windsor's closets had shirt drawers, and I think Will (of ASW) has mentioned folding shirts. How does one keep them from coming out creased and rumpled?

You're speaking of two men who wouldn't be caught DEAD without a jacket. When a shirt is laundered and returned folded, once you put it on, and are properly attired in a jacket, none of the creases show. Even then, the creases across the front would be hidden by braces. Again, look at uprcrust's WAYWT posts. His shirts go from folded to worn, and he always looks wonderful.

 

Why fold shirts? So much easier to just hang.

 

Why fold shirts? So much easier to just hang.

lack of closet space

That's why.

 

Gawd, I am a sucker for a gimmick....LOL, now I've just got to convince the wife she needs one of those!

 

This ties into something I've never understood: how and why folding a dress shirt is a good way to store it.

When headed out on a trip, I usually send the shirts I want to take on the trip to the cleaners, asking that they be returned folded instead of hung. Makes life easy.

Maybe that is a painfully obvious strategy.

 

Gawd, I am a sucker for a gimmick....LOL, now I've just got to convince the wife she needs one of those!

Real men can fold their own damn shirts, especially with the help of such a device!

 

Gawd, I am a sucker for a gimmick....LOL, now I've just got to convince the wife she needs one of those!

Show her a really cool video of it being done, then buy her a his and hers sizes.

 

Best get one now if you plan on working at JC Penney. They'd rather not train you on the job.

 

I used to work at a clothing store and we used something quite similar for the tops. T-shirts, polos, sport shirts, and sweaters were all folded the same way to give a "uniform" look. They had separate ones for men's and women's clothing, the latter being slightly smaller.

I've been thinking of getting one of these for a long time, but was hoping it'd be less than $35!

I too have had this same experience. We need not spend $35 whole dollars on this gadget though.

When we did big moves with a lot of staff on hand we tended to run out of folding boards. No worries. I just took the top of 2 medium shirt boxs, Cut out a 4"x2" handle, used packing tape to tape together and reinforce. Voila. Obviously this could be done with another type of cardboard as well.

Folding went like this,
1. Shirt face down on the table.
2. place said box on the shirt so the handle is just above the collar ( or desired fold length)
3. Fold left arms and side over board
4. Fold right arms and side over board
5. Finish by folding up the bottom and sliding out the board.

Takes no time at all for a consistent fold.

 

My cleaners folds 'em.

 

Best get one now if you plan on working at JC Penney. They'd rather not train you on the job.

... bitter much?

 

No. Just no. I'd imagine anyone with a broad frame requiring broad shirts will get a surprisingly ugly fold/s.
As for what it does: just do it yourself and imagine the lines where you need to fold.
Save cash.

 

... bitter much?

Dry humor = No smilies.

Oh alright...just for you.

 

I bought a Flip Fold at The Container Store. It's easy and it works, though it only really works well on knits..

 

Much prefer a folding board

I have a flip-fold device, and do use it from time to time when I have a large stack of T-shirts to fold. (I hang dress shirts.) But it's not ideal. Whatever time I gained with the speed of the contraption is lost adjusting and re-adjusting the shirt laid down on the board. First, there's the problem that T-shirts notoriously change shape when laundered, so the side seams no longer run parallel. That means I have to decide whether to try to stretch and line up the seams, or just fold unevenly. Next, it takes more than a few seconds to center the shirt on the board; and if not centered, well then you have one fold close to the collar and the other farther to the side, or worse, diagonal rather than vertical folds. Frustration ensues if, having taken care of these two issues, you let the flip-fold do its work and you still come out with an uneven fold.

The next problem is that it is common for certain parts of the T-shirt not to lie flat. For example, the fabric around the underarms; or if the back has stretched larger than the front, or vice versa. Then, when you flip and fold, wrinkles appear. I deliberately pull the underarm fabric out into a neater triangle before folding, rather than let it be crushed into a crumple by the device.

What I do like about the flip-fold is that, if you can align your shirt well, you can then press down on the flip-fold's plastic leaves and flatten the shirt to almost-ironed condition. Also, that the width of your folded shirts is now very consistent, which contributes to neater stacking and a more visually pleasing closet, if that's important to you.

All things considered, I prefer using a folding board -- by far! It's very consistent, and you still come out with a folded shirt pretty fast. But the set-up, alignment, and re-adjustment are much easier; and the vagaries of the shirt's stretched fabric and non-parallel seams seem to work themselves out better.

 

My wife's OCD might make something like that worth while. For the first year of marriage I use to wander around the house skewing the paintings just for giggles.

 

My wife's OCD might make something like that worth while. For the first year of marriage I use to wander around the house skewing the paintings just for giggles.

That's priceless! You gave me a good laugh, thanks.