simcha dress gemach--advise for starting one?

Mrs Bissli

Tue, Jul 08 2014, 7:39 pm

I'm thinking of starting a simcha dress gemach from my home, mainly bat mitzvah shul and party dresses.
Probably I'll keep all dresses in rack hangers in the attic, but will probably take a digital photo of each dresses as a catalogue.

Fortunately I have enough friends who are happy to donate dresses their daughters don't need any more, so the only costs are drycleaning and mending. How would that work--should I ask for a deposit (what's appropriate?) against damage or loss and deduct cleaning fees?

Any other rules I should consider? Any other points I've missed?

bigsis144

Tue, Jul 08 2014, 7:50 pm

One gemach I used required disposable underarm shields to be purchased for $1/pair when you picked up your gown. I think that makes a lot of sense.

Will you also provide crinolines/petticoats? Some dresses include them, some require additional poofiness. Though you said you're doing bat mitzvah dresses, so those are probably less poofy than wedding gowns.

Tizki l'mitzvos and good luck!

Edited to fix auto-correct typo.

Last edited by bigsis144 on Thu, Jul 10 2014, 8:44 am; edited 1 time in total

sky

Tue, Jul 08 2014, 8:31 pm

You may need rules about alterations - can they take in, let out, shorten lengthen the sleeves. Do they have to undo it?
Regarding the dry cleaning you can ask the borrower to handle the cleaning. Either they have to get it cleaned and return it to you. Or drop off at a specific cleaners and you pick up a few at a time.
Will people be trying the dresses on?

Raisin

Wed, Jul 09 2014, 7:18 am

why not dresses for weddings? those are much harder to find and usually only needed once.

ChutzPAh

Wed, Jul 09 2014, 9:58 am

Figure out if you want to make rules regarding mending.
Have each person pay a cleaning fee and you can probably work out a good price with cleaners of your choice. I would not have the people send to their own cleaners because at least where I live, the cheap cleaners shrink and ruin things.
Also, you should make a late return fee or people may hold on to items longer than they should.

Wed, Jul 09 2014, 10:38 am

And have set hours so that people don't expect you to stop your life for them...

kollel wife

Wed, Jul 09 2014, 10:56 am

I'd suggest a non disposable dress shield that can be washed, which I think will be more protective than the disposable one.

You can provide them but specify they be returned washed.

mommyhood

Wed, Jul 09 2014, 12:18 pm

We had to give a $50 deposit on my daughters dress from a gemach for a recent wedding. We got it back when the dress was returned.
Is there a dry cleaner that offers delivery where you live? I was required to drop the gown at the cleaners after the wedding, pay the cleaning fee and tell them to deliver it to the gemach after cleaning.
Alterations were only allowed if they were done in a way that wouldn't permanently change or damage the gown.
I doubt people will want to wear used sweat guards but selling disposables is a good idea.

ChutzPAh

Thu, Jul 10 2014, 8:15 am

kollel wife wrote:

I'd suggest a non disposable dress shield that can be washed, which I think will be more protective than the disposable one.

You can provide them but specify they be returned washed.

I would never wear sweat guards that someone else wore, washed or not.