Trouser press
Encyclopedia
A trouser press, sometimes referred to as a Corby Trouser Press, is an electrical appliance
used to smooth the wrinkles from a pair of trousers
(pants in Australia
, Canada
, South Africa
and the United States
). They are commonly provided in hotel
rooms, though may also be purchased for home use; they are generally associated with use by business
men who require a smart formal appearance to their suit
.
for the product. John Corby Limited was established by John Corby in Windsor
, England in 1930 as a manufacturer of valet
stands. These were later improved with the addition of a pressing area and the first Corby trouser press was launched. These subsequently became electrically heated during the 1960s.
In 1977 John Corby Limited became part of what is now Jourdan plc and was relocated to Andover, Hampshire
in 1986. In 2005, the company moved manufacture to the premises of a sister company Suncrest Surrounds Limited in Peterlee, Co Durham. All sales, marketing and service operations continue to operate from Andover in Hampshire. The business was bought in May 2009 by Yorkshire businessman and entrepreneur Richard Kaye's Fired Up Corporation Ltd based in Huddersfield
. The brand was later re-launched, reverting to its founding name of "Corby of Windsor".
es, and this led to a thread of satire and cultural references. The Bonzo Dog Band recorded a song, Trouser press, satirising 1960s consumerism, and made numerous references to the trouser press as emblematic of middle class life. Author and journalist Ira Robbins founded an influential alternative music magazine titled Trouser Press
after the Bonzo song, and his book The Trouser Press Record Guide: The Ultimate Guide to Alternative Stone is a reference work on alternative and outlandish music first published in 1983 and the fourth edition was published in 1991 (ISBN 0-02-036361-3).
The ubiquitous presence of the trouser press in British commercial hotels has made them a recurring theme, along with "tea and coffee making facilities", in British cult comedian Bill Bailey
's monologues. The Tea, Coffee and Trouser Press Census tour diary along is included as an extra feature on his Part Troll DVD
. Bailey's Tinselworm show has a spoof infomercial
in the style of Kraftwerk
, Hosenbügler (German for trouser press), which sees Bailey and Kevin Eldon riding around the stage on Segway
s with trouser presses mounted on them. It has also been featured in the British comedy I'm Alan Partridge
during the episode "Basic Alan" in which Alan dismantles a Corby Trouser Press in his bored desperation.
Small appliance
Small appliance refers to a class of home appliances that are portable or semi-portable or which are used on tabletops, countertops, or other platforms in the United States of America...
used to smooth the wrinkles from a pair of trousers
Trousers
Trousers are an item of clothing worn on the lower part of the body from the waist to the ankles, covering both legs separately...
(pants in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). They are commonly provided in hotel
Hotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
rooms, though may also be purchased for home use; they are generally associated with use by business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
men who require a smart formal appearance to their suit
Suit (clothing)
In clothing, a suit is a set of garments made from the same cloth, consisting of at least a jacket and trousers. Lounge suits are the most common style of Western suit, originating in the United Kingdom as country wear...
.
Trouser pressing process
Most trousers creases occur on the bottom two-thirds of trouser legs, particularly around the back of the knee. Trouser presses are typically the tool for removing these ceases without destroying the trousers. To use the trouser press, raise the side levers; place the trousers between the pressing plate and the cushioned heating pad. Slowly close the press; gently pull the side of the trousers so they align properly and turn the dial for heating. The press heats to around 60°c/140°f regardless of model type. It can take roughly 15 to 45 minutes to press the trousers depending on the model type and the thermostatically-controlled heating pad will warm up and gently press out creases and wrinkles without scorching it. L5Corby Trouser Press
The Corby Trouser Press brand is the genericized trademarkGenericized trademark
A genericized trademark is a trademark or brand name that has become the colloquial or generic description for, or synonymous with, a general class of product or service, rather than as an indicator of source or affiliation as intended by the trademark's holder...
for the product. John Corby Limited was established by John Corby in Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
, England in 1930 as a manufacturer of valet
Valet
Valet and varlet are terms for male servants who serve as personal attendants to their employer.- Word origins :In the Middle Ages, the valet de chambre to a ruler was a prestigious appointment for young men...
stands. These were later improved with the addition of a pressing area and the first Corby trouser press was launched. These subsequently became electrically heated during the 1960s.
In 1977 John Corby Limited became part of what is now Jourdan plc and was relocated to Andover, Hampshire
Andover, Hampshire
Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is on the River Anton some 18.5 miles west of the town of Basingstoke, 18.5 miles north-west of the city of Winchester and 25 miles north of the city of Southampton...
in 1986. In 2005, the company moved manufacture to the premises of a sister company Suncrest Surrounds Limited in Peterlee, Co Durham. All sales, marketing and service operations continue to operate from Andover in Hampshire. The business was bought in May 2009 by Yorkshire businessman and entrepreneur Richard Kaye's Fired Up Corporation Ltd based in Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
. The brand was later re-launched, reverting to its founding name of "Corby of Windsor".
In popular culture
During the 1960s the trouser press was an aspirational product for the British middle classMiddle class
The middle class is any class of people in the middle of a societal hierarchy. In Weberian socio-economic terms, the middle class is the broad group of people in contemporary society who fall socio-economically between the working class and upper class....
es, and this led to a thread of satire and cultural references. The Bonzo Dog Band recorded a song, Trouser press, satirising 1960s consumerism, and made numerous references to the trouser press as emblematic of middle class life. Author and journalist Ira Robbins founded an influential alternative music magazine titled Trouser Press
Trouser Press
Trouser Press was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow Who fan Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" ...
after the Bonzo song, and his book The Trouser Press Record Guide: The Ultimate Guide to Alternative Stone is a reference work on alternative and outlandish music first published in 1983 and the fourth edition was published in 1991 (ISBN 0-02-036361-3).
The ubiquitous presence of the trouser press in British commercial hotels has made them a recurring theme, along with "tea and coffee making facilities", in British cult comedian Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey
Bill Bailey is an English comedian, musician and actor. As well as his extensive stand-up work, Bailey is well known for his appearances on Black Books, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, and QI.Bailey was listed by The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy in...
's monologues. The Tea, Coffee and Trouser Press Census tour diary along is included as an extra feature on his Part Troll DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. Bailey's Tinselworm show has a spoof infomercial
Infomercial
Infomercials are direct response television commercials which generally include a phone number or website. There are long-form infomercials, which are typically between 15 and 30 minutes in length, and short-form infomercials, which are typically 30 seconds to 120 seconds in length. Infomercials...
in the style of Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
, Hosenbügler (German for trouser press), which sees Bailey and Kevin Eldon riding around the stage on Segway
Segway PT
The Segway PT is a two-wheeled, self-balancing transportation machine invented by Dean Kamen. It is produced by Segway Inc. of New Hampshire, USA. The name "Segway" is a homophone of "segue" while "PT" denotes personal transporter....
s with trouser presses mounted on them. It has also been featured in the British comedy I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge
I'm Alan Partridge is a BBC situation comedy starring Steve Coogan, of which two series of six episodes each were produced — the first in 1997 and the second in 2002...
during the episode "Basic Alan" in which Alan dismantles a Corby Trouser Press in his bored desperation.