Whether it’s logo apparel or work uniforms, today’s corporate apparel buyer is faced with an endless mix of brand names, trade terms and performance claims. Basically, they just want to buy a well made shirt that holds up to regular laundering and doesn’t require extensive ironing.

Easy Care, Wrinkle-Resistant and Non-Iron all seems very similar in nature, but what do these labels really mean?

• Easy Care. In the 1970’s shirt makers began incorporating blends of polyester and cotton, in hopes of resisting wrinkles better and to produce apparel that is less expensive than an all cotton shirt. The term “Easy Care” is used to indicate an untreated shirt made from a blend of cotton and polyester that is more naturally wrinkle-resistant than a garment made of 100% cotton. Easy Care does not mean wrinkle-free, but taken directly out of the dryer, a quality shirt will wear quite nicely without much touch up. A great example of a quality, affordable corporate easy care shirt is Tri Mountain’s Ladies Affinity.

• Wrinkle Resistant refers to the process when resins are applied to the shirt, which strengthen, stabilize and connect cellulose molecules in a cotton fiber. This permits the fabric to retain its smooth surface. When resin treatments are applied to a 100% cotton shirt, it makes the shirt behave more like a blend, resisting wrinkles better, and making them easier to iron out. The effect is magnified on a blended shirt, which is why so many uniform shirts can remain crisp and relatively wrinkle-free. Ranking high in the wrinkle free company shirt category is Van Huesen’s True Wrinkle Free Oxford.

• Non-Iron is the newest frontier in wrinkle management is different from Wrinkle Release in that no resin is being added to the fabric; instead, the physical structure of the fibers is changed permanently by dipping them in an ammonia bath. Since cotton fibers are naturally irregular in shape, the ammonia swells the fibers and makes them perfectly round. This helps the fibers resist wrinkling and makes them feel softer while adding luster to their appearance. A corporate favorite that has tested well with an embroidered logo is the Red House line of Non-Iron Wovens.

With NASCAR and Indy racing season rapidly approaching, Tri Mountain has announced a new promotional racewear line called TMR, or Tri-Mountain Racewear. The corporate apparel line not only reflects the company’s decision to target the racewear and automotive markets, but it also reflects the interests of Glenn Oyoung, Tri-Mountain’s vice president of marketing and an avid automotive enthusiast who has worked as a former executive with professional racing teams, according to the company.

The TMR racewear line from Tri-Mountain features a mix of classic retro styles and modern creations to appeal to various racers and automotive industry professionals.  After years of expanding into various sectors of the apparel industry, including eco-friendly and safety apparel, and work uniforms, Tri-Mountain, Irwindale, Calif., has targeted the racewear segment.

“When I looked around the promotional products and logo apparel space, I saw a lot of shirts put in that racing category, and I thought that our team here at Tri-Mountain could earn that business, especially by utilizing some of the feedback from real-world racers and ‘gearheads,’” Oyoung says. “I believe that true gearheads love their babies — whether they are cars, bikes, planes or boats — and no economic environment is going to detract from that passion. This line is for them.”

Designed with input from car builders, designers and grassroots racers, the TMR line features a mix of classic retro styles and modern creations to appeal to a spectrum of racers and industry professionals. It includes six styles, including twill and piqué golf shirts, as well as a jacket, in multiple color combinations.