Logo Apparel HOT HUE: BLUE

Whether it’s cyan, teal or turquoise, blue remains one of the most popular colors of logo apparel. Possessing numerous positive attributes and often associated with tranquility, good health and faith, blue of all shades effectively lends itself to promotional wear by encouraging positive qualities with companies utilizing this hue.

“When you enter a place of business and you see all of the employees in customized blue shirts, hats and pants, you get the message that the company takes its services seriously,” says Bayo Simmonds, president of Assertive Creativity LLC, labeling blue “a very corporate-friendly branding color” due to its longstanding association with reliability. Although blue is in vogue year-round, Simmonds stresses the importance of introducing it with apparel for spring, when blue increases in popularity. “Blue is an excellent way to introduce new spring products,” he notes, “particularly those in the light-blue family.” Valentina Huang, vice president of marketing and sales at Pro-Celebrity, suggests that navy can act as an effective neutral. “Many companies use navy as a substitute for black, provided the navy is a rich, dark hue,” she states, adding, “The darker the navy, the more versatility you have.” Navy is often paired with bright yellow, gold, white or red when used in a logo design. These colors offset each other well because they’re primary colors, from which all other hues are made.

While blue is applicable across industry lines, Simmonds emphasizes that hospitality, transportation and travel industries are all great candidates for blue apparel.  Also companies associated with water, such as spas, swimming pool retailers and utility companies should are consider this top selling hue.

Five Cool Things to Do With a T-Shirt

1. Flip the Script: “Print the graphic upside down so when wearers hang their heads, they see the art. It’ll make everyone else look, too,” says Marsha Londe, owner of industry consulting firm Tango Partners. “I saw such a shirt recently: On the back, printed upside down, it said, ‘If you can read this, pull me into the boat.’ And, because it was upside down, I focused on it to read it.”

2. Fold and Roll: “Take the shirt, fold and roll it, and stand it on end to turn it into a figure. As a display at a convention, shirts were rolled and put into a standing position,” Londe explains. “Sunglasses were put at eye level, and they were topped with a hat as the giveaway. It was a great presentation of gifts to attendees or trip winners, and a fun use of a shirt gets everyone in the mood to party, celebrate and enjoy.”

3. Supersize It: Londe suggests making T-shirts oversized for wearers to use when sleeping, or as a beach or pool cover-up. “A comfortable cotton tee could be a hit with a sleepy recipient,” she says. 

4. That’s a Wrap: “Use a wraparound imprint to attract attention,” she says. “People can’t help themselves; they have to walk around the wearer to capture the full message.” 

5. Bright Idea: This concept is perfect for kids on a field trip, adult groups on a hike, or a club. Suit up everyone in the same bright color – think neon pink or squint inducing yellow. “It makes it easy to spot another member of the group,” Londe says. “You can even add a number on the back of the shirt, so it’s easy to know who’s missing.

What Exactly Is “Antimicrobial?”

“Antimicrobial is a chemical treatment applied to fabric to prevent odor-causing bacteria from growing while perspiring,” says Kate Souza, internal communications specialist for Charles River Apparel. “Inhibiting the growth of odor-causing bacteria leaves the wearer feeling dryer and cleaner.” (A common misconception is that antimicrobial treatments “kill” bacteria; rather, they prevent growth in the first place.)

During or after the manufacturing process, garments are chemically treated to gain antimicrobial protection. “While this technology has been available for a while,” says Danny Tsai, vice president of merchandising for Tri-Mountain, “it’s only been in the last few years that it’s become more popular and commercially viable for apparel.” The very first antimicrobials were derived from silver ions. Those treatments are still in use today, though there are questions about whether the silver leeches into the environment or the human body. A multitude of other antimicrobial treatments exist now; three new active ingredients and 15 new uses in antimicrobials are registered with the Environmental Protection Agency each year.

What are its benefits?

+ No more smelly clothes.
Or bacteria against your skin, for that matter. “The bacteria cause an unpleasant smell,” says Morey Mayeri, president of Royal Apparel. “Putting in this antimicrobial treatment controls the growth and keeps the fabric fresher longer.”

+ Teams up with moisture-wicking.
“Antimicrobial is mostly being put on polyester, especially knits and any active-wear,” Tsai says, “and pretty much 100% of the time, these garments have moisture-wicking properties.”

+ Machine-washable.
Any embellishment method that works on non-antimicrobial apparel should work equally well on apparel that includes the feature.

Who should consider antimicrobial apparel?

Athletics and Sports Teams
A rigorous workout or day out in the sun is going to cause some perspiring, which is why consumers want antimicrobial garments. “We’ve had great success with our golf shirts that feature antimicrobial protection,” says Tsai. “At the end of the day, consumers are gravitating toward more functional apparel that’s easy to care for and comfortable.”

Restaurants and Hospitality
A hot kitchen, spilled food, the brisk pace of service: An antimicrobial garment is perfect for that environment. “Some people in the uniform business might wear the shirt for an extended period of time,” Mayeri says, “and for health reasons, they’ll buy fabric with the antimicrobial treatment in it.”

Hospitals and Healthcare
Any medical facility is a haven for germs, bacteria, and who knows what else. Antimicrobial scrubs and other apparel can keep medical workers healthier by preventing the spread of such agents.

Trend Alert: Puffer Jackets

Puffer jackets and vests are in again for those bitterly cold winter days. While the garments are best known for their bulky look (stemming from their Gore-Tex origins all the way through their rise to massive popularity with The North Face), they continue to evolve with thinner materials and more robust performance properties. Retail names both low and high, from Eddie Bauer to Burberry, continue to feature puffer jackets as a staple of their outerwear selections.

Industry suppliers too have tapped into the puffer trend. "We recently introduced the Apex, a new highly-thermal jacket compressible enough to pack into its own pocket," says Lauren Cocco, senior merchandiser at Vantage Apparel. "This puffer jacket is available in men's (7320) and women's styles (7321), in either bright navy or black onyx."

Although puffer jackets and vests have been making appearances for a while (think of Marty McFly's rust-colored vest from Back to the Future), the fabrications and enhanced technologies are advancing. "For example, the Apex Compressible jacket is wind-resistant, water-repellent, breathable, ultra-soft, lightweight, highly compressible and thermally efficient," Cocco says. "It's been temperature rated from 5° to 50°F, which represents a guideline comfort range when worn as part of a clothing ensemble."

These technologically advanced jackets and vests aren't just for kids; in fact, they're most popular with men and women between 25 and 40 years old, according to Cocco. She adds that clients should keep an eye on fabrications that are becoming even softer, more lightweight and more breathable. "Fabrics with ease of movement that complement active lifestyles are key," she says. "Look for more blocked silhouettes that use an additional fabric like fleece or contrasting zipper details."

Corporate Apparel Lightens Up

Corporate culture is a fascinating thing. It changes from company to company, even department to department. In the wake of the worst employment downturn since the great depression, it has never been more important to build a strong corporate culture, one that unifies and creates team spirit. If there is an channel of the promotional products industry that is super-strong at building camaraderie and team spirit, it is branded corporate apparel. With more companies incorporating fitness into their corporate culture, relaxing dress codes to be more casual and sporty, creating a corporate apparel campaign can be a lot of fun for everyone.

Kate Souza, public relations specialist, Charles River Apparel, explained how this new trend is impacting corporate apparel programs. "We have seen a huge surge in requests for wellness and fitness items for corporate programs. Everything from wicking tees to yoga-styled apparel has been recent hot items," she noted. This uptick in fitness apparel is not just for sports teams; it is for all kinds of corporations, from finance and banking, to pharmaceutical and real estate. "We're seeing a demand for performance fabrics in corporate apparel, not just for team markets," she said.