| WearableStyle
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Volume 132 / September 25, 2010 |
| Click here to read this and past issues online. | |
| VIDEO Playing Polo You think this is a game? Actually, it is. Not only do we cover the latest trends and sales strategies in polos, but we throw in a little game of Password, to boot. Can you figure out the clues and get some winning ideas on the way? Click here to see this video. What did you think of this video? Send your feedback to cmittica@asicentral.com. |
| Trend Alert: Tweed |
Tweed has its origins in the United Kingdom, where it has been woven for centuries. It was used quite often for horse-riding uniforms and apparel, and then became popular for women to wear as work clothes. Now it’s finding all sorts of uses on the runway in apparel, bags and accessories. Chanel, for one, unveiled an extensive line of tweed in dresses and boots for this fall. Fashion houses like Christian Dior and Donna Karan have also jumped on the trend. The newer way of incorporating tweed is to pair it with everyday items like jeans to make it more casual. Tweed is made of wool, but today’s manufacturers are combining it with lighter-weight fabrics to make it wearable in the spring and summer. The silhouettes are also changing for women from the original boxy shape into more feminine, curve-hugging lines. Pair accessories like this gray newsboy hat (32042) from Caplee Corporation (asi/43798) with a black shirt and jeans for a casual, laid-back look. Or offer a brown tweed purse (MB1108) from Miche Bag Corporation (asi/71022) with a tan suit for the office. The key for end-users is to wear an appropriate amount of tweed (maybe not so much the head-to-toe tweed ensembles that Chanel models were wearing), because although it often comes in plain colors, the texture of the material is rather bold. Sticking to blacks, grays and browns for tweed accessories like bags and shoes are a great way to add class to any outfit. |
Listen to Get Educated
The BASI certification courses serve as a solid foundation for all ASI distributors, suppliers and decorators. The BASI curriculum will give members the fundamental knowledge they need to thoroughly understand and better navigate the promotional products marketplace profitably, and partner with their colleagues to become more successful. The MASI certification courses provide members with advanced knowledge of the advertising specialty industry. MASI holders are recognized as the true industry experts who’ve cultivated profitable and collaborative relationships with distributors, suppliers and decorators. This designation is a testament to their contributions. Visit www.asicentral.com/education to get started. |
The Advertising Specialty Institute Certification Program will allow our members to achieve two certification levels: a BASI, or Bachelor of Advertising Specialty Information, and MASI, or Master of Advertising Specialty Information.| Sales Challenge: Overcoming Eco Objections |
Jennifer Chiu, product manager for Ash City (asi/37127), offers some smart talking points for distributors looking to sell their clients on green. “Clients need to understand the true essence of green products and also, from a business point of view, the marketing value of it,” she says. Here are four talking points and details Chiu recommends sharing with clients to overcome objections: 1. Remind clients that green is growing. “Industry leaders are committing to greener operations by purchasing most or all their energy needs via alternative energy sources and building facilities that are green,” she says. 2. Explain that green is rapidly becoming a business standard. “Green is not a niche anymore,” she says. “It’s become a term to describe a brand’s or company’s philosophies. It has become a marketing tool and soon it will become the standard.” 3. Highlight the importance of green to the average consumer. “We live in a world where green is part of our vocabulary,” she says. “For example, high fuel prices are constant reminders for green alternatives.” Leverage this common vocabulary and awareness with your client. 4. Show examples and utilize market research to your advantage. “Retail brands are expecting to expand their product lines in organic cotton products by 33% in 2010, creating an estimated $5.3 billion market,” she says. Sharing this type of information is persuasive and establishes you as the expert, which is key to overcoming objections. |
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| Domestic Apparel Industry Job Loss Flattens |
In an encouraging sign for the U.S. apparel industry, job losses may be bottoming out and stabilizing for the first time in over a decade. The June-to-June drop in apparel industry jobs was by far the smallest in at least 10 years, going from about 165,600 down to 163,900, a decrease of 1,700 jobs. In contrast, the average annual job loss over the previous nine years was 34,544 jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also, average wages rose to over $15 an hour in September 2009 for the first time in at least five years, and have stayed there ever since. The domestic apparel industry has been hemorrhaging jobs since the 1990s, when free trade agreements cut tariffs and prompted many apparel companies to move their production to Latin America and East Asia, particularly China. As recently as February 2000, more than 500,000 Americans worked in the apparel industry, but those numbers have consistently dropped since then. However, an inventory shortage on Chinese products as well as increased shipping times and prices may be reopening avenues to American apparel manufacturing. For more on the state of made-in-the-USA manufacturing, be sure to read the November issue of Wearables. |
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Our Favorite Wearables |
Ask An Expert |
Q: I have a customer who’s looking for pro-style woolen caps that contain more than 15% wool. Do you have any suggestion as to where I might find these caps? Another option is Flexfit; (800) 424-4464; www.flexfit.com; product 6089F. This high-profile hat is made from 20% wool and 80% acrylic and comes in six colors. Selling Tip: Embroidery is a common option for hats, but consider patches, which can add an edgy vibe to any cap. Q: I have a customer who’s looking for T-shirts made from bamboo. Is there a source in the industry? For a men’s shirt, look to Bodek and Rhodes (asi/40788); (800) 523-2721; www.bodekandrhodes.com; product M1070. This tee is made out of 70% bamboo and 30% cotton. Lastly, you can find a ladies’ bamboo/cotton/spandex T-shirt from Bella-Alo (asi/39590); (877) 727-2001; www.bella.com; product W1004. Selling Tip: Bamboo is known to be a sustainable fabric, but be sure to stress why it’s sustainable. In short, bamboo grows so fast that it makes for a plentiful resource. |
| News Briefs |
A4 (asi/30121) has added the Zephyr No Snag moisture-wicking T-shirt to its line. Ash City (asi/37127) has introduced the 2011 Playbook, which includes 40 pages of teamwear options for men, women and kids. The company has also announced the Presentation Builder, an electronic marketing tool that provides a convenient method to create selling pieces for end-users. Bodek and Rhodes (asi/40788) received a Supplier Excellence award from Adventures in Advertising (asi/109480). Heritage Sportswear Inc. (asi/60582) received a Supplier of the Year award from Custom Ink. Image Apparel Solutions (asi/62202) has announced the launch of its new website, which offers stock appliqué, screen-print and embroidery designs and allows users to track the status of orders and submit designs for quotes. To see the new site, visit www.image-apparel-solutions.com OOBE Inc. has designed and produced its first Wolverine Industrial Workwear Uniform line for Food Lion’s transportation and maintenance personnel. Stahls has announced the launch of the Tip Jar, a weekly “how to” series on the Stahls’ ID Direct blog that focuses on how to use cutters, heat presses and various types of heat-transfer materials. Visit the blog at www.stahlsblog.com. Stahls has also added a red and black Boxercraft (asi/41325) plaid to its line. |
| Wearables Terms |
Knowing these terms will make distributors who just started sound like they’ve been in the business for years. Anti-Static: A fiber or fabric that does not allow the build-up of static electricity to occur when it experiences friction or rubbing. Fiberfill: Specially engineered manufactured fibers, which are used as filler material in pillows, mattresses, mattress pads, sleeping bags, comforters, quilts and outerwear. Run Stitch: Consists of one stitch between two points. Used for outlining and fine detail. Also known as a walk stitch. |
| Show List | ||
Sep. 30-Oct. 2, Ft. Worth, TX Oct. 4-8, Montreal, Ontario, Toronto East, Toronto West, Burlington Oct. 8-9, New York City |
Oct. 16-17, Cleveland, OH Oct. 17-20, Marlboro, MA Oct. 18-22, Fargo/Moorhead, Minneapolis, Des Moines, Kansas City, St. Louis Oct. 22-24, Seattle |
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