Category Archives for Ready To Wear

Cold Weather Staple: Fashion Fleece

fashion fleeceWhen it’s important for your brand to be seen in more places than just the customer’s backyard, fleece garments with fashionable styling, lighter weight fabrics and better fit are an option that has grown in popularity.  And since branded apparel purchases are generally more costly than the average promotional product, selecting a style that many consumers would choose for themselves is the best way to get the biggest return on those limited marketing funds.

The trends in retail fashion influence the corporate clothing market, and now that market offers styles that range from rustic, casual fleece jackets to polished, sleek options with contrasting drawcords and white metallic zippers. Performance fabrics provide warmth with less weight, and moisture-wicking technology draws perspiration away from the body in order to maintain warmth and dry skin.  Color choices range from earth tones to jewel tones, while always maintaining the classic white, black and navy for the more conservative crowd.  Even with classic college-style crewneck and hoodie sweatshirts, corporate apparel suppliers have answered the call with distressed fabrics, hockey style laced fronts and retro styling.

Gone are the days when the choices for branded sweatshirts and fleece jackets were limited to four basic (or some might say “boring”) styles offered in three colors and the five standard men’s sizes.  Enlist creative thinking and consider your audience when choosing the best fashion fleece for that next executive premium or customer gift-with-purchase – the improved brand awareness and customer appreciation will be worth it!

(Image via Tri-Mountain)

When It Comes To Branded Headwear, Think Beyond Twill

cable beanieWhile cotton and twill baseball caps have always been the “go to” choice when considering a hat for a branded giveaway, there are other styles and materials that should  be looked at when the cold weather hits.

Hats, as a category, enable advertisers to place their logo or marketing message in an ideal position for maximum exposure.  So why not take advantage of that exposure on hat styles that appeal to all ages and demographics?  There are fabrics that offer performance features like extra warmth or moisture wicking; and there are styles that appeal specifically to certain audiences, such as hunters, women, youth markets, golfers and sports enthusiasts.  A few examples:

  • Wool cable knit beanies come in a variety of styles from standard knit skull cap to those that offer ear flaps and pom poms.  They appeal to the youth market, outdoor enthusiasts and those who work outside.
  • Viscose wool herringbone newsboy caps are fashionable hats that never went out of style.  They can be seen on young professionals, corporate executives and youthful city dwellers.
  • Corduroy comes back every year in engineers caps, military caps and modified baseball caps.  These work best with the under-30 crowd, but depending on the cut and style, fashionable consumers of all ages would wear this comfy alternative.
  • Straw hats are available in classic men’s and ladies sun hats, fedoras, visors and cowboy hats.  For summer promotions, this is a popular choice with all age groups.
  • Microfiber caps offer breathability in the hot weather, and some styles are available with SPF ratings for sun protection.  Golfers and sports enthusiasts appreciate this popular cap choice in place of the many other twill caps they most certainly already own.

Depending on your audience and where the hat will be worn, thinking beyond the standard twill ball cap can set your brand apart from all the other companies that give away logo headwear.  Ask for choices – you’ll be surprised at the all the ways that branded hats can fit the bill!

A Case Of The Blues

blue-peacock-keiser_1338_600x450This summer, the world’s top designers have rolled out fashions in every shade of blue, from icy blues to deep denim blues, and everything in between.  The color is often associated with health, loyalty and wisdom, so it is also a natural fit for many corporate logos and promotional apparel choices.

According to Karen Haller, an internationally renowned business color and branding expert, brands use blue to seem calm and logical.  Blue relates to the mind, so consumers associate it with logic and  communication.  It’s also serene, like the ocean, and calming to look at.  However, the wrong tone of blue “can make a brand appear cold, aloof and unapproachable”.  She goes on to say that companies can double their branding message by seriously considering color choices.  The results are seen in 3 key areas of the business:

  • Makes your brand instantly recognizable
  • Stand out from the competition
  • Increases sales and profits

Considering all the choices in the various shades of blue for hats, shirts, and jackets that are offered by promotional industry suppliers, there are no shortage of options to capture exactly the right hue for every corporate purchase.  The next time you ask your branded merchandise provider for product samples, be sure to request a variety of colors, as well as different styles, so your color message is clear!

Photograph by Anne Keiser for National Geographic

The Story Behind The Product

8710cotton_plantWhen considering product choices for corporate branding, the trend is as much about the story behind the product, as the product itself.  Consumers are questioning if they are manufactured in a responsible way, can they be recycled, is it USA made.

From cotton apparel to electronics, whatever brands do to embrace the consumers growing demand for more information on the products they receive, will help build brand loyalty.   It is more important than ever for corporate buyers to consider products that will engage their customers with things to think about and stories that will inspire them.

One of my favorite stories comes from the USA manufacturer of casual cotton clothing, American Apparel.   Founded in 1989, with manufacturing based in Los Angeles, it is one of the few clothing companies exporting USA made goods.  To its credit, it promotes labor policies that excludes use of clothing manufactured in sweatshops, and with the current worldwide attention on the horrors of the Bangladesh clothing factories, this story is one that will resound with every person who receives that branded t-shirt.

Another example of a product supplier with a story worth telling is Gary Line, a manufacturer of plastic molded products such as bike bottles, stadium cups and ice scrapers.  Since the 1960’s, long before recycled products became such an industry trend, they used trimmings and rejects from their molding department to produce recycled products.  Today, using both their own waste and other post-consumer recycled plastics in their USA manufacturing process, Gary Line can offer products that support a cleaner environment and a facility that fosters the call for more USA made merchandise.

These stories, and all the subtle facts behind the other branded products that are distributed to increase brand awareness, could be just the thing that differentiates your t-shirt or bike bottle from the dozens of other logo products every consumer receives.  Your ability to get people thinking about more than just the giveaway, will also make your brand more interesting.  Next time you’re in the market for promotional merchandise, ask about the story behind the product!

The Book Of Flies Helps Reel In Clients

od013_book_of_fliesAccording to the American Sportfishing Association, with more than 46 million anglers, more than twice the number of people fished in 2011 than attended every NFL game combined.  To put the financial impact of those numbers in perspective, if fishing were a company, the amount spent by anglers to support fishing related retail sales would rank 51 on the Fortune 500 list.  With that information in mind, it may be time to consider corporate gift options that appeal to the millions of fishing enthusiasts in this country.

The list of fishing related promotional merchandise options is long, and there are items that will appeal to every recipient and every budget.  For example:

  • Handmade leather Book of Flies is a styish way to store and organize fishing flies
  • Hook & Tackle microfiber Fishing Shirt with UPF 35+ sun protection, rod holder and utility loop
  • Waterproof pouch to protect fishing license
  • Eagle Claw collapsible open cast Rod & Reel
  • Bobbers to keep the line afloat
  • Fishing Clipper with knife and line pick includes 36″ neck lanyard
  • Rapala Fishing Lure in 3 different sizes to attract different types of fish

With figures that prove more Americans fish than play golf and tennis combined, this is a demographic that deserves your attention.  Freshwater or saltwater – lakes, oceans or streams – the avid angler will find the time and the place to enjoy this sport.  Give him or her a reason to connect your brand with such an enjoyable part of their lives!

Earth Day Is April 22 – Show Your Commitment

  • eco bagCommitting to a business strategy that supports a cleaner environment is not so much an option, as a business imperative, according to Corporate EcoForm Chair P.J. Simmons.  Some firms have invested in building practices that win them LEED (Leadership in Energy and Enviornmental Design) certification, while others have enlisted sustainability practices that affect every operational business process from information technology to product design, and even into areas like accounting and marketing.
  • To build on current practices, or even to begin moving in that direction, there are thousands of eco consious products available for logo branding that will demonstrate not only your awareness, but your corporate commitment to the environment.  And Earth Day is a perfect time to roll out that message of eco-awareness to your customers with a product that is useful, attractive and appropriately planet-friendly.  Consider some of these options:

Under $20.00

  • Cotton tote made from 100% recycled material
  • Umbrella made from 51% recycled material
  • Polos and t-shirts made from organic and recycled material

Under $10

  • Flash drive made from bamboo or recycled paper
  • Car charging flashlight
  • Messenger bag or duffel made from 100% recycled material

Under $5.00

  • Plastic bag recycler made from 100% cotton
  • Insulated grocery tote made from recycled non-woven material
  • Journal made from 100% recycled paper

Under $1.00

  • Eco pen made from recycled paper, bamboo or biodegradable plastic
  • Koozie beverage holder made from recycled foam
  • Magnet made from 100% recycled material

There’s a growing demand for recycled products, intensified regulations and even increased investor pressures to demonstrate sustainable practices.  Build your brand identity, and support a cause that makes business sense, with products that represent today’s reality of the need to reuse, recycle and reduce.