A crease-free shirt is the prerequisite for a business trip. And even on the beach, one makes a fine figure in a white shirt. However, most men like to restrict their luggage to the minimum; an efficiently packed suitcase in hand luggage size is usually sufficient and lets him the control over his belongings and does not let any deep fears of loss come up at the baggage claim. Only one problem remains: After reaching the hotel, the carefully stored business shirts shows unpleasant folds. Who does not want to seem all crumpled as soon as abroad, can ensure with the following tips, that the journey runs smoothly.

1. The right shirt

Choose an easy-iron shirt as your traveling companion, so it won’t make your life hard on the journey. Caution with non-iron shirts – they might come in handy at first glance, but they are made of a less breathable fabric and get exposed to a variety of toxic chemicals during production. Also, they often still need to be ironed after the first few washing cycles. An easy-care shirt is the first step towards a smooth appearance.

2. Preparation

An impeccable ironing before the journey is the second step towards a crease-free success (find here a short instruction). Who wants to keep his time at the ironing board short, should carefully hang his shirt on a clothes hanger to dry.

3. Folding

Now for the crucial part: The right packing instructions for a flawless business shirt.

Essential for a right packing strategy is the layering: heavy, light, heavy is the magic formula for an optimal stability during your trip. There are different strategies how to pack your shirt – here an easy folding technique in five steps:

a. Lay the shirtsleeves sideways over the chest part.

b. At the end fold the sleeve along the seam.

c.& d. Lay the other sleeve over the chest as well and fold it.

e. Turn the shirt up so as it covers the collar for your journey.

4. After the arrival

If your shirt shows undesirable creases despite the refined packing system, the bathroom trick can help out in emergencies: Hang your business shirts neatly into the bathroom during a hot shower – the steam has a smoothing effect on the cloth. Beware – not every shirt shows the same effect; While business shirt made of cotton, wool or cashmere will profit from the steam, linen will not lose any creases with this technique.

With these tips your next business trip should run smoothly – at least concerning your shirt.