The Business of Fashion
Did you know that apparel sales make up approximately a third of all promotional products sales in the industry? We did, thanks to our sister publication, Promo Marketing (PM). Now that you are in the know, perhaps it's time to explore this booming market and dress up a little business of your own. From color trends to decoration techniques, check out PM's collection of hot-ticket sales tips. Now that's a bargain!
ON T-SHIRTS
1. Work the trends.
Ashley Nielsen, marketing coordinator for S&S Activewear, Bolingbrook, Ill., pointed out that basic, crew-neck tees remain popular, but retail trends are gaining popularity among end-buyers with larger budgets. "Those [shirts] that are more retail-oriented and fashion-forward are really what customers are wanting as long as they are OK with the higher price points," she said.
Jeff Scult, co-founder of San Francisco-based Golden Goods USA, agreed. "We are constantly evaluating societal and fashion trends to recommend new approaches of cut patterns and color ways," he said. "For instance, we just introduced a relaxed fit women's collection that is now trending, and washed colors that meet seasonal preferences are suggested to our clients."
– From February 2014's "Let's Go to the Mall"
2. Think beyond the promotion.
Scult suggested asking end-buyers what they want users to do with the shirt after the event or promotion. Do they want end-users to wear it again or donate it to Goodwill? If you can make the T-shirt a favorite of the user, then your client gets more impressions and you get a repeat order. "A T-shirt is just a T-shirt, until it becomes your favorite thing to pull from a warm dryer and wear again and again," he said.
– From February 2014's "Let's Go to the Mall"
3. Mix it up.
There's no reason to believe that T-shirts, which may be more of a stand-alone item, are not versatile as well. A tee can be dressy or casual depending on how it's accessorized. "Throw a T-shirt on with a pair of dressy pants and a nice belt and you look dressed up with a scarf and so forth," said Marcia Cumberledge, vice president of merchandising and purchasing for Cincinnati's TSC Apparel. "Throw that same T-shirt on in two months with a pair of white shorts and flip-flops and you look totally different. I think that's one thing that's so fun in our industry. You can dress things up or totally just slack them down [and] make them as casual as you need to."
– From April 2014's "The Trendy & T-shirted"
4. Opt for flattering cuts.
Jennifer Tsai, vice president of operations and designer of the Lilac Bloom line for Tri-Mountain, Irwindale, Calif., shared a trend that's more about the appearance of the apparel. "Comfort and a flattering fit will always be in style," she said. "One of the biggest trends we have seen over the recent years is the longer length of ladies' tops from T-shirts to blouses and sweaters.
"The short, boxy cut looks good on so few, and I think most women gravitate to styles that flatter their bodies," she explained. "The longer length in tops has a slimming effect and we keep that in mind for all of our Lilac Bloom styles."
– From May 2014's "Selling Women's Apparel"
ON ATHLETIC AND PERFORMANCE APPAREL
1. Research decoration techniques.
Golf apparel is decorated differently than other athletic items, since it's meant to be more formal. "Embroidery is the most traditional, upscale option for golf apparel," said Gina Barreca, director of marketing for Vantage Apparel, Avenel, N.J.
Christina Botkins, marketing associate for Tonix, Fremont, Calif., agreed. "I think an embroidered logo is the way to go," she said. "It gives off a more premium look than a silk screen would." There are other decoration options, however. "Heat transfers are growing in popularity, as they are light on the technical fabrics," said Barreca.
Some other general tips? Cindy Baker, PR and promotions manager for Heritage Sportswear + Virginia T's, Hebron, Ohio, recommended running a test polo or two to make sure your decoration settings are accurate. Barreca suggested that if the order is for an actual golf event, consider co-branding the garment with the club logo, and to use slightly larger logos if the event is going to be televised.
– From March 2014's "Putting Pretty"
2. Market to women.
Like any other apparel category, women's apparel has its ebbs and flows with what's in style. Andrea Engel, vice president of portfolio and supplier management for alphabroder, Trevose, Pa., shared one trend she sees becoming more popular: performance. "Everyone leads an active lifestyle these days," said Engel. "We all want the performance features we enjoy incorporated into all of our clothing choices. Brands that tie together comfortable performance fabrics and styles that still look polished and professional are on the forefront."
– From May 2014's "Selling Women's Apparel"
3. Stay cool.
Barreca believes the driving force for performance wear is the shift toward lifestyle trends. This shift, she said, makes the category appealing to a wider audience, rather than just for golf or other sport use.
Using activewear as an influence when making jackets is something she believes will be popular.
She described particular traits in apparel that Vantage has been using, and that she believes will become prevalent in 2015 apparel. "Wicking and antimicrobial properties, which have been extremely important in tees and fleece, are also showing up more in wovens," she said. "Layering pieces in quarter-zip and full-zip jacket styles continue to be extremely popular."
– From December 2014's "2015 Apparel Preview"
ON JACKETS AND OUTERWEAR
1. Expand your color palette.
So what is new in the fleece genre? Both the look and feel of fleece are changing. In terms of appearance, major retail brands are leading the way with bold colors. In addition to heathered colors expanding beyond gray, bright fleeces are gaining attention. "Folks in the promo industry are looking for colors other than the traditional black, navy and charcoal. [...] People want to wear current, in-style colors," said Terry Chen, general manager for Landway International, San Francisco. "And not just traditional bright colors, like red and purple, but new color shades that show off performance and confidence, like electric blue, lime green, deep burnt orange."
– From July 2014's "Soften the Sell"
2. Choose materials wisely.
Jessica Strain, marketing manager for Dri Duck Traders, Overland Park, Kan., pointed out that the type of material may change depending on the market and promotion. "A rugged cotton canvas may be ideal for someone who is working outdoors on a construction site, while a more technical jacket with four-way stretch may be ideal for someone who works in the transportation industry and is climbing in and out of a truck all day," she said.
Jeff Silcock, marketing manager for Stormtech Performance Apparel, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, added that decoration needs to be taken into account when picking a material. "By answering these questions an easier decision can be made to determine the ideal fabric, level of waterproofing/breathability, and whether you need additional insulation," he said. "As our decoration applications continue to expand, it becomes more important that the chosen decoration technique is going to work on the garment fabric."
– From September 2014's "The Outsiders"
3. Complete the outfit.
"Accessories and additional layers are an excellent upsell opportunity to further complete and complement the end-user's outfit," said Silcock. He suggested focusing on layers. "Layering is an important element to ensure your body maintains optimal temperature through heat and moisture management. This can be a fleece under-layer, hat, gloves or scarf," he said. "If you have decoration on each layer, then you can consistently maintain company branding and stay both functional and fashionable." Strain took a different approach, advising you to cater to the functional needs of the end-users. "The best way to bundle outerwear with other products is to take a look at the needs of the wearer," said Strain. "If the target industry is manufacturing, then safety glasses and work gloves may be a great add-on and pertinent to do the job at hand," she added.
– From September 2014's "The Outsiders"
ON ACCESSORIES
1. Develop a theme.
Diane Katzman, president of St. Louis-based Katzman Designs, developed a men's tie and a ladies' scarf for H&R Block that incorporated the company's black and green color scheme and square logo in a tasteful and on-trend design that was featured in an online company store. To complement these, she added green square earrings for a corporate event and hand-beaded bracelets that were used as customer gifts. All the pieces worked in conjunction with one another in style and color so they could be mixed and matched depending on the occasion.
– From February 2014's Style Guide "5 Ways to Complete an Outfit and Get Brands Noticed"
2. Add some bling.
From a promotional standpoint, emblematic jewelry's high perceived value makes it a welcome gift-and one that will be kept for many years. And it can be a natural extension of an apparel program for the right target market.
Airlines, police departments and fire stations often have uniform jewelry programs, according to Neil Berman, president of Cranston, Rhode Island-based Stylecraft Co. Inc. These programs are usually centered on rank and/or length of service. Occupations where employees wear suits and ties can easily incorporate lapel pins, cuff links, tie tacks, necklaces or bracelets.
"We've also done nursing pins that are worn by RNs with their uniforms as well as rings for pharmaceutical companies," Berman said. "Truck-driving companies as well as oil and gas firms even use belt buckles for safety programs and sales awards."
– From February 2014's Style Guide "5 Ways to Complete an Outfit and Get Brands Noticed"
3. Think high-end.
It's easy to lump them in the same category as writing instruments or drinkware, but bags have more in common with apparel than they do with hard goods. As such, selling them requires a different approach. A pen has to be comfortable and hold up under frequent use; a bag needs to do both of those things and not clash horribly with its wearer's radiant-orchid chinos.
That's a big reason bag suppliers are becoming increasingly style-conscious in their product offering. Many suppliers now offer retail-inspired bags in high-end materials and Louis Vuitton-esque patterns and prints. Others, like Tagmaster/a division of DARD Products, Evanston, Ill., offer custom bag programs. Tagmaster's Soapstone line, for example, allows buyers to customize everything from material to zipper color, and to upload patterns to be digitally printed on the bag's exterior.
"Try to think of a bag as an article of clothing or accessory," said Jason Emery, vice president of sales and marketing. "The intent when providing a bag as a solution is to provide the recipient with something they will use often. People want to receive something with a splash of style that will complement them. With as many options as there are in the industry, provide solutions that meet the needs not just of the buyer, but of the end-user."
– From February 2014's "Carried Away"