TREND SPOTTER: TANK TOPS
The long-awaited warm weather is finally here, and consumers are celebrating the collective break of their cabin fever with tank tops. Their popularity makes them an ideal promotional item, and fortunately, suppliers offer more styles than ever before. While choices used to be primarily limited to one – 100% ribbed cotton – today's abundant fabric, cut and color selections give distributors the opportunity to make perfect suggestions to their clients.
"For the last year and a half, tank tops have just been on fire," says Mark Seymour, vice president of sales at Next Level Apparel (asi/73867). "Women love racerback tanks, and our strongest selling fabrics are the burnout, tri-blend and French terry. We also have a lululemon-style fine jersey tank that's easier to print on than traditional ribbed tanks. We added spandex to give it some stretch, and started offering it in neon colors, which really gave it momentum. It's perfect for yoga studios, gyms and resorts."
Christian Cochran, wholesale representative at American Apparel (asi/35297), says the Unisex Poly-Cotton Tank Top (BB408) comes in neutrals, solids, neons and heathers, and does well almost every spring/summer season. "We've also had a lot of buzz around the new Unisex Power Washed Tank (2411)," he says. "It's luxuriously soft and treated in an enzyme wash for a looser fit and drape that's extremely fashionable right now."
When it comes to fabrics, Kristin Slinn, designer/merchandising manager at L.A. T Sportswear (asi/65948), says consumers look for the softest constructions they can find, like combed ringspun cotton and lightweight jersey. "They want a soft and supple fabric," she explains. "Plus, jersey is much easier to print on than ribbed tanks."
Slinn says that tanks from L.A. T have sold best in the resort, spirit/dance/cheer and Greek-wear markets, while Next Level has sold significantly into the fitness industry, including promotions for CrossFit programs, hot yoga studios and gyms. "Health and nutrition is another popular application," says Seymour. "It's a natural fit for incentives and giveaways. For example, you buy $75 worth of supplements and you receive a free tank."
When it comes to embellishment, "the sky's the limit," says Slinn. "We're finding that innovative, fashion-forward screen prints and large block-letter text dominate right now." Seymour adds that it depends on the market: "Soft, comfortable fabrics are best for working out, and those prints will be water-based, softhand plastisol or sublimated," he says. "On the other hand, for resorts and dance/cheer, there's more flash and bling and the decoration locations vary. I've even seen text printed vertically down the center of racerback tanks."
American Apparel's items have taken everything from puff prints to unique sublimation designs. "For styles containing spandex, consider a stretch additive," Cochran says. "This will maintain the quality of the print on an activewear tank."
HOW TO: MARKET YOURSELF AFFORDABLY
If your decorating business is showing signs of lethargy, it may be time to boost your sales with a bit of low-cost marketing.
Stu Nelson, CEO of BareBones WorkWear, suggests finding out what your competition isn't doing, and then make that what sets you apart. "Specialize and differentiate," says Nelson. "Be the first one in your area to use specialized methods like sublimation or rhinestone embroidery." Then, advertise that fact using the full range of touch points with customers, otherwise known as omnichannel marketing. "Get to know this concept," Nelson says, "and embrace all the methods for connecting with your customers: e-mail, social, storefront, website, LinkedIn, mobile, gift cards, direct mail, outside sales."
Nelson also recommends jazzing up your packaging by using imprinted cardboard boxes and throwing in further temptations such as coupons or affordable promotional items like candy or keychains. If you have talents as a host or hostess, Nelson suggests throwing a biannual VIP party for your top customers. "You have to give to get," he says. "Hold a cocktail mixer with great food and unique entertainment, and have your best customers bring a friend or business associate that might have an interest in your services. This is a great retention strategy and worth the effort."
Mike Little, president of Eagan, MN-based Team Mates, Inc., takes a more holistic view of marketing. "Marketing is a funny thing," begins Little. "You can spend a huge amount of money and contact perhaps 3% of the [intended] audience." Instead of viewing marketing as a more-is-more type of approach, Little recommends first turning a pitiless eye upon your business to determine your strengths and weaknesses, then designing a plan for improvement. Sifting through previous commercial relationships will help find which did and did not work, and why. This also enables the decorator to pinpoint their most ideal customers and encourage them to return for more. "This was all free and became a foundation for our marketing," says Little. The ultimate goal in this approach is to boost your word-of-mouth advertising, which you can rely upon your most loyal customers to provide once you've demonstrated your commitment to securing their trust and ongoing patronage.
"Find out what your best customers want," Little says. "[They] won't hesitate to refer other customers for you."
Preview: Inside Dickies’ Fall 2014 Collection
This fall, Dickies (asi/49675) is going off the grid: Its upcoming collection of durable work and performance wear hearkens back to the "lumberjack in the woods… put through the Dickies filter," says Jen Holmes, an associate designer for the brand. Holmes and other Dickies representatives gave Wearables a preview of the fall 2014 collection at the company's showroom in New York's Garment District last month.
The new collection combines utilitarian, functional design with earthy colors and fresh patterns. Dickies delivers an array of durable, comfortable basics, many with a more tapered, trendy silhouette, that can easily double as workwear and weekend-wear. "Versatility is a huge thing for us," Holmes says.
New this fall is a partnership with CORDURA brand fabric. Five pieces in the Dickies Performance System for men are made with the durable nylon fabric, engineered to have the natural look and feel of cotton while providing superior abrasion resistance. Holmes describes the pieces – a hooded jacket, collared coat and three styles of pants – as "super heavy-duty." Also featured for men are several styles of Work Tech Fleece, from pullovers to full-zip hoodies. Available in several vibrant colors, the lightweight poly-bonded fleece is smooth on the outside and brushed on the inside. The fabric is water-resistant to protect wearers from the elements.
The new ringspun work pants for men – durable, but softer than older styles – features stain and wrinkle resistance and comes in slim taper, regular taper and regular straight fits. The brand's "better work shirts" feature twill, poplin, chambray and denim options, all featuring softer fabric and updated construction.
The brand's sanded duck insulated hooded jacket now comes in a True Timber camouflage print, which Holmes says comes in at a more accessible price point for the typical Dickies customer.
Dickies expanded its performance system offerings for women this fall, highlighting a head-to-toe look with hoodies, fleece pants and a high-tech T-shirt that boasts fast-drying fabric with stain repellency, odor neutralization and UPF protection. "Women are really trending up for us," Holmes says. The updated Sherpa bonded-fleece jacket, with a roll collar and roll-up sleeves, features a slimmer, attractive fit, while still providing warmth, softness and comfort. "Our sales team calls it a warm hug," Holmes says of the jacket.
Among the highlights from its licensing group: super-durable men's socks and belts made from Kevlar as well as a line of car mats and accessories. "Our number-one competitor in car accessories is Hello Kitty," says Esther Lee, U.S. and international licensing manager. "There was nothing out there for the average Joe who wanted something plain and affordable."
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