Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1910-07-20
BUYING DRESS
GOODS AT HOME
A Novel Method Of Introduce
ing A New Cloth To the
Housewife

Women who have trudged from
store to store in search of goods for
a dress viii welcome the novel
method employed by the firm of
Gardner Bros, of Boston. in introduce
ing their latest product, Polarized
Cloth. This concern has, for the last
sixteen years employed the leading
chemists Of this country and Europe
In an effort to discover a process by
which linen and cotton goods might
be dyed an absolutely fast color. That
they have been entirely successful IN
this has been proven by one OF the
most severe tests to which cloth can
be put. An American flag of Polar
lied fabric was made and unfurled to
the weather at the naval station IN
Atlantic City. The flag has now
been In use for more than six weeks,
under the most trying weather CON
ditions, and the colors to-day are as
clear and distinct as when the flag
VIZ first hoisted. When It is under
stood that an ordinary flag Of any
other material will only withstand the
weather for two weeks, at the most,
the value of Polarized cloth Will
be appreciated.
When, at the first Of the present
year, the success Of the secret method
of dyeing was assured, the question
arose as to what would be the quick
est and surest manner Of acduainting
the average housewife with Polar
ICED cloth. II was decided to Sc
lect a number of women capable Of
managing a canpaign of personal
publicity These women were pick
Cd Tor their general knowledge of
dress materials, selling and demon
/ strating. The country was mapped
out into sections and one section al
lotted to each lady sales manager.
She was then allowed to pick her own
crew of demonstrators. prOmin-
| ent department store In each city was
given a consignment of the material
so that the orders taken by the
demonstrators might be filled without
delay.
The Smith-Zollinger store at Fourth
and Market streets received the con-
signment Of Polarized cloth for this
city. and Wilmington was part of the
! territory given TO Mrs Kathryn Hyde
Mrs Hyde brought with her a crew
Of five capable demonstrators and
employed others upon her arrival
here. She divided the city into sec
tions so that a thorough canvass
would be made and started upon the
task of practically bringing a depart
ment store selection right into the
home and explaining to the housewife
the many uses to which this fabric
could be put. That this was no small
task will be realized from the fact
that this method had never been EN-.
ployed before and a great many 81
the women visited did not at frs
understand that the manufacturer
were endeavoring to show them frs
hand a product valuable for ever.
use to which cloth could be put, witt
the additional advantage that neithe
sun nor rain would cause It to fade
When they were shown, however, tina
Polarized cloth could be used 70
every variety of dress. for portiere
for shirting and shirt waists, for ROOF
decorating and that &C. cost no MOI
than ordinary material for the sam
purpose the work of Mrs Hyde an
her assistants was made comparative
ly easier.
NOT only are the women in tn
home visited, but the demonstrator
visit the man in the office or shol
allow him TO select a shifting of hun
dreds of samples of Polarized clotf
have a tailor take his measure an
deliver any number of negligee shirt
at a price lower than that paid 70
the usual custom made shirt.
After Mrs Hyde and her crew hav
completed their campaign of educa
tional publicity for Polarized cloth 4
this city they will move to other sec
/ tions and The Smith-zollinger Com
pany will continue the sale of the ma
/ terial. While only the lighter ma
terials are at present subjected to tn
/ secret dyeing process known as polar
! izing. the Gardner people are pre-
pairing heavier weights so that thi
winter will see dress goods and suit
and even shoes made of the fast dy
POlarized cloth.