IFI’s chief executive Bill Fisher says that far too many unqualified people are coming into the industry and giving it a bad name. Only 20% of the industry is producing reasonably good work with good customer service, and as a result too many customers are giving up hope of finding one that gives a decent result.

The award scheme is designed to help the public track down the good cleaners. It will operate on a points system, with points awarded according to a number of criteria such as graduating from a drycleaning school.

Having earned the award, drycleaners will have to meet a range of criteria including membership of a trade organisation, and taking at least one cleaning performance test per year.