Thank you for choosing TMC and welcome to The Menagerie!

This page contains important information about your suit, how to wear and care for it to keep it looking its best for years to come.

warranty

Warranty

You suit comes with a 6 month warranty.
I take pride in the durability of my work an offer a 6 month free repair warranty on my workmanship from the date of completion.

If you ever have an issue with your fursuit please email me at themenageriecostumes@gmail.com or message me on Telegram to discuss any repairs or alterations. After the first 6 months repairs are priced at a basic hourly rate and material costs.

Basic Care

These basic steps will help keep your fursuit looking it's best for years to come

Brush your suit

A quick brush before and after each wear will help prevent mats and keep the fur looking nice and smooth. I recommend a double sided pet brush. Use the soft bristles on the face and the bigger metal bristles on the bodysuit, tail, etc. The groin and armpits are prone to matting so brush those areas well

Under Suit

Wearing lycra undergarments such as sports compression gear will help protect you suit from sweat. A balaclava is also recommended

Wash your suit

I recommend washing your suit after each convention. For full instructions see the Suit Care page.

Don't get too dirty

Try to avoid dirt, mud, grass or other things that may stain your suit. While TMC suits are washable certain stains are very difficult to remove without damaging the fur used to make them

NEVER store a damp suit

Putting a suit in a storage tub or suitcase while it is still damp from being worn or washed is a recipe for disaster and mould. Always make sure your suit is nice and dry before putting it away

Avoid extreme heat

Heat can not only damage the fur itself but it can loosen glue and cause damage. Many suits have been damaged by simply being left in a hot car for a prolonged time

Don't leave your suit scrunched up

I take pride in the durability of my work but leaving them compressed over time will cause damage. A few days for transport here or there isn't a problem but prolonged periods can damage your suit

Basic Care

Washing your sut

Washing your suit

Washing fursuits can be a cause for concern for many fursuiters but it doesn't need to be!

I recommend giving your suit a thorough cleaning after every few uses or after strenuous fruiting like a convention.

Machine Washing

TMC fursuits made from 2018 onward, including the head, hands and tails are able to be washed in both front loader and top loader washing machines without a central agitator. There are just a few things you need to remember:

Always use a cold water wash. Using hot water can damage your suit beyond repair
Turn the bodysuit inside out before washing
Remove all padding from the tail and bodysuit if it is padded via the zips under the tail and inside the bodysuit
Turn the spins up (or run a spin only cycle after washing), this will spin a lot of the water out of your suit.
Give your suit a gentle brushing while it is still damp so the fur dries nice and neat.
To dry your suit hang it over a shower rail over the bath or over a clothesline outside with most of the weight supported (wet fur is very heavy and may stretch if hung up normally when it's wet)
NEVER put your fursuit in a dryer, it can destroy your fursuit.
Some special care needs to be taken with the head. I prefer to not use any detergent when washing my heads just in case any residue remains.
I wash my suits padding occasionally as well. To do this simply remove the padding from the suit and put it in a dedicates washing bag and run your machine on a short cycle
Indoor and SockPaw style feet can also be washed this way. Outdoor feet can be washed in a washing machine but keep in mind the rubber sole does make them heavier and they may throw your machines off balance.

Tub Washing

I prefer the washing machine method because not only is it quick and easy but it is thorough however you can also wash your suit in a bathtub:

Fill a laundry tub or bath with enough cold water to fully submerge your suit.
Remove all padding from the tail and bodysuit if it is padded via the zips under the tail and inside the bodysuit
Avoid scrubbing the suit because it can matt the fur
Lather up your suit with soap or detergent and allow it to soak for a few minutes drain the tub and rinse the suit with cold water.
To dry the suit pat the water off with a towels or put it in an empty washing machine on a spin cycle to spin the water out.
Give your suit a gentle brushing while it is still slightly damp
Hang your suit over a shower rail over the bath with most of the weigh supported (wet fur is very heavy and may stretch if hung up on a coat hanger when it's wet)

Storage and Transport

There are a number of great transport options for your suit from plastic tubs with clip-on lids, sports bags or wheelie suitcases. It's just a matter of finding what works best for you.
If you are tight on space vacuum bags are a great option for packing your bodysuit, tail, gloves and feet. Heads can be vacuum packed but I don't recommend it as they can become deformed if left for too long
Make sure the head is on top and isn't being squashed or bent as it may become permanently deformed.
NEVER store your suit while it is still damp as this can cause mold to grow in your suit and destroy your suit.
Store your suit out of direct sunlight as it can discolour the fur
If you hang your bodysuit up when storing it use the thickest coat hanger you can find. The kind used for suit jackets are fantastic and can help prevent the fur stretching over time
Never store anything on top of your head as it may become distorted.
Rolling up your gloves and stuffing them in your head can help prevent the head from being squashed.

TMC Digitigrade Padding Info and Care

All TMC Digitigrade padding is removable for washing. The zippers to access the padding are hidden so below is a quick guide to finding the zips as well as removing and replacing the stuffing as needed.

Standard digitigrade padding

There are 4 zippers in the legs so the stuffing can be removed for washing and more stuffing can be added or some removed to make it comfortable for the wearer.

The zipper for the lower leg is on the outside of the bodysuit on the inside of the back of each leg. See the photo below for location.

Upper leg Zipper

Lower leg zipper

The zippers for the upper leg and buttock padding is on the inside of the bodysuit on each hip.

Zipper locations

When removing the stuffing I recommend placing the stuffing from each section into a separate marked bag to make re-stuffing the legs easier.

When re-stuffing the digitigrade padding it's easiest to do so while wearing the bodysuit. Put the bodysuit on up to the waist and put the stuffing back in handfuls at a time. You will need to move the stuffing around inside the legs to get it to sit comfortably and look smooth and even.

Digitigrade Padding with Attached Feet

The process and zipper locations for attached feet are the same as standard digitigrade padding with one exception. Instead of the lower leg padding ending at the back of the ankle it continues around the ankle and up the front of the foot a little.

Removing the stuffing is the same as a standard digi suit but replacing the stuffing after washing can be a little more difficult. You will need to take extra care to make sure there is an appropriate amount of stuffing in the bodysuit paw around your foot to ensure a snug fit. If it feel loose add a little more, if it is uncomfortably snug either move the stuffing around or take some out.

Note: the stuffing in the very front of the toes is not removable. This stuffing is important for giving the toes their shape. It is only a small amount of stuffing but make sure the feet are supported while the suit is drying to prevent any stretching.

The first time you remove and re-stuff your legs it can be a bit of a hassle but it's easy once you know how.

Digi Paddig

If you ever have any questions please feel free to get in contact

Email: themenageriecostumes@gmail.com

Telegram: @TMCFursuits

You can also follow and tag any photos of your suiting adventures on TMC's socials

Thank you,

~Kelz