Custom Clothing Blog by LEAD Apparel

Custom Polo Shirts for the approaching summer weather

2010-04-12T06:12:00.000-07:00

In recent years, the polo shirt has become the number one fashion staple around the world, made truly famous by Ralph Lauren when it was made a prominent part of one of his ranges in 1972, since then, polo shirts have been massively popular all over the world, but it’s not just because of their high fashion status. Polo shirts are comfortable, light and look great with everything, and with summer fast approaching, it’s about time you stocked up on this years summer must-have.

When talking men's polo shirts, there are a few brands that really stand out, and are providing a unique range of polo’s with unique technology to ensure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy summer as comfortably as possible, and these brands are Nike, Adidas, Izod, Port Authority, Ultra Club and Red House, so you’ll have a lot to choose from this year! Choosing a polo shirt isn’t difficult, most people tend to choose style over comfort, but why sacrifice your comfort when you can have both?

At the moment, Nike are excelling themselves with their new Tiger Woods Collection. A selection of polo shirts perfect for a day out playing golf, their Tiger Woods range utilizes dynamic styling and technology as only they can achieve, with special Dri-FIT moisture wicking technology ensuring you feel cool and dry throughout the day, all completed with Tiger Woods’ trademark metal link on the left sleeve, you’ll seriously look and feel the part.

Adidas have also followed the Polo Shirt trend with their ClimaCool Motion Mesh Polo, styled with a UV and anti-microbial finish. This polo is perfect if you live in a particularly hot climate, as its extreme mesh body and added heat seals ensure you never over heat the minute you step out of the house! They come in a range of fashionable colors and styles; perfect for whatever you may need it for.

Izod may not be as well known as a few of the more mainstream brands, but they still deliver on performance. Their Body Mapping Polo is a popular member of their selection, it’s body mapped construction and Antimicrobial UV protection make it a perfect polo for every day wear, or just lounging around in the sun.

If you’re a sporting professional, it’s obvious that you want a polo shirt that delivers on all bases and with Port Authority; you’ll get the performance you need from a polo. Their Rapid Dry framed sports polo is a popular choice amongst women, as its clean lines and superior moisture management make it an unbeatable choice for sporting professionals. On top of this, they’re ultra stylish with contemporary, short hemmed sleeves, and perfect for customizing with embroidery if you play as a team.

The UltraClub Cool-N-Dry Elite Performance Polo is a polo that utilizes only the best technology in order to offer up a men's Polo Shirt that gives the very best performance. Intuitive to your body, the polo wicking system keeps you feeling fresh, as if there was a fan inside your shirt; it has a relaxed fit as well as UV 30 sun protection and side vents for the ultimate ‘cool-n-dry’ experience.

Sometimes we just want to soak in some luxury, and believe it or not, Polo’s can be incredibly luxurious, especially if they are made by Red House. Their textured silk Polo is the epitome of comfort, style and elegance, all in the form of a polo shirt. It’s expertly crafted silk-blend fabric feels smooth and soft on the inside, and the unique pique knit adds a different and compelling texture on the outside. It’s a beautiful creation, and perfect for those days where you’re skins feeling a little sensitive or you just want to wear something that feels luxurious!

Polo’s always have been, and always will be, a crucial part of the fashion scene, whichever style or color, they go with everything, and they’re the perfect attire for the upcoming summer months, so if you’re sick of feeling hot and sticky every year, it’s about time you invested in a polo for a cool and comfortable summer.

Justin Morris is a managing partner of LEADapparel.com. LEADapparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidered Shirt services for men's clothes and women's clothes including corporate polo's and golf shirts. Companies purchase professionally embroidered polo shirts from LEADapparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.LEADapparel.com.

The benefits of Custom Clothing for Company Events

2010-03-31T12:24:00.000-07:00

This summer is set to be one of the warmest yet, so now is the perfect time to start planning those company events. Whether it’s a Summer Retreat, a Corporate Fund Raiser, a Company Meeting or even a Golf Tournament, you’ll want your employees to look and feel the part. In recent years, more and more businesses have turned to custom clothing for all of their company events, and why? Because they actually hold a wide range of benefits that you may not even have thought of, plus, it’s surprisingly cost effective to do, especially if you buy in bulk!

First of all, custom clothing for company events can help develop an ongoing company identity. If you’re meeting with other companies, for example: in a tournament, you will want something that can distinguish you from everybody else, and a simple embroidered shirt, jersey or polo can be just the thing to do this, it sounds silly, but having custom clothing can give your company a sense of professionalism and originality that other companies may not have.

As well as this, custom clothing can also double as a really affective promotion tool, especially if you’re planning a summer retreat for your employees. Something that has your company name on can be seen by everybody, wherever you’re going, for example if your employees are vacationing at a resort, all the resort staff will see these shirts, as well as this, locals will too, so it’s a great way of getting your business out there and known in new places. Plus, the affordability of custom clothing makes it a form of advertising at affordable prices, and you’re getting a wider and more unique scope of people to advertise to as well, making it a really great advertising technique.

Custom clothing also doesn’t have to just be for company events, it can be for your company too. If your business doesn’t yet have a dress code or a uniform, custom clothing is a perfect way of establishing it. You can choose a simple shirt or polo that’s comfortable and stylish, and then get it embroidered, then before you know it you’re done, company uniforms at affordable prices. Uniforms have the added bonus of establishing great company morale and team spirit, which means your employees are more likely to work harder to achieve the goals you may have set for them.

If your business is frequently involved in corporate events, safety programs, or sales incentives, custom clothing is perfect for this purpose. Custom clothing can be used as promotion for your company and will help make the name memorable and shows a real team bond which can make a better impression of the company as a whole. As for sales incentives, special custom clothing can encourage customers to buy your items or services as they are being advertised in a unique and more effective way.

With advantages like this, its obvious why more and more companies are turning to custom clothing for all of their company events this year, and you needn’t splash out either, something simple often works the best, and you’ll be surprised when you see the difference it makes not only to your team, but to your sales too.

Justin Morris is a managing partner of LEADapparel.com. LEADapparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidered Shirt services for men's clothes and women's clothes including corporate polo's and golf shirts. Companies purchase professionally embroidered shirts from LEADapparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.LEADapparel.com.

Why your business needs Company Clothing

2010-03-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

It’s been quite surprising how much company uniforms have shot onto the scene recently, as more and more businesses are taking the step towards investing in company clothing/ Company clothing hold a wide range of benefits that everyone from a small business owner to a corporate firm can take advantage of, and it’s surprising the difference simply having a uniform can make not only on your employees, but on your sales to. However, there are still many businesses nationwide that have still not taken this step, but only because they aren’t truly aware of why they really need to.

Company clothing should always be a representation of the standards you hold as a company, therefore professional work wear is always a must when running a business, and you will want to display your confidence and promote your reputation as a reputable company to customers and associates. More and more business owners are realizing that professional looking attire that is of a good quality can go a very long way when it comes to securing new associates and customers, as well as boosting your reputation as a professional establishment.

First of all, every business can benefit from professional looking attire, the right company clothing can make your employees feel smart and professional, which in turn can help them feel more motivated, boosting company morale. As well as this they will also really feel included within their company, and will appreciate the extra effort you went to in order to get them their own uniforms. Happy, professional and comfortable employees will definitely bring your company more sales and clients, it’s surprising the difference it can make.

Company clothing is actually surprisingly cost effective too, and very convenient for all of your employees. Affordability is something that most employers ignore when it comes to their employees, but in today’s tough and ever changing economic climate, they will thank you for thinking of them and their stretched pockets, as well as thinking about the fact that not all of your employees can afford professional working attire themselves. Investing in company clothing will allow your employees to forget about the worry of finding something new to wear each day, as they will have their uniform ready and waiting for them.

You could also take the step of adding embroidery to your company clothing, or logo printing. Personalizing work wear in this way can help to streamline your company by allowing you to divide up different departments with extreme ease, giving employees individual work wear can help you identify employees and their different sectors with ease, and allows you to be extremely organized.

Corporate clothing is a perfect addition to any successful business, it’s very affordable for any budget, from simply having a t shirt embroiderer, to an entire uniform imprinted with your logo to show off your brand, there’s an option for everyone, and you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes not only to company morale, but to your profits, and to your customers brand loyalty to.

Justin Morris is a managing partner of LEADapparel.com. LEADapparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidered Shirt services for men's clothes and women's clothes including corporate polo's and golf shirts. Companies purchase professionally embroidered shirts from LEADapparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.LEADapparel.com.

Options for work clothing for employees

2010-03-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

In recent years more and more businesses have come to realize that a company uniform can work wonders for their business. Not only can it boost company morale, but it gives an overwhelming sense of team spirit and company loyalty down to your staff feeling included in your company fully. If you’re yet to invest in a company uniform, then you’ll soon discover that there’s a wide variety of different uniform options available to you. The main reason that some companies haven’t yet invested in a uniform is simply down to the fact that it can be confusing knowing what uniform would work best, because after all, a uniform not only benefits your employees, but your customers too, because uniforms can often give your company the professional feel that will impress your customers.

The first step to determining the right company uniform for your business is simply basing it upon what your business does. It’s surprising how many different types of work clothes there are that are specifically designed to suit a range of different work environments, from kitchen to healthcare to industrial, so finding the uniform to suit your needs has become effortless.

Hospital uniforms are essential in today’s world, they help us to identify members of staff from the general public, and without them the hospital system would fall apart, so it’s important you get the right kinds of uniform for each member of staff. For Health Care employees, scrubs are one of the most purchased types of uniform, so why not take it one step further? You can now get scrubs embroidered for that personal touch, whether it’s a name of the employee, or even a department for easy identification by the public, it’s cost effective and can streamline your hospital by allowing all of your employees to be easily identified and addressed when they are needed.

The kitchen environment is a tough one, you need clothing that can stand up to the challenge. If you’re a restaurant owner, you will understand the need for your chefs to be properly outfitted for a wide variety of reasons. The kitchen environment is understandably hot, busy and sometimes very messy, so your employees will want a uniform that can keep them cool under pressure and won’t take messy stains lying down, so your kitchen shirt is the perfect choice for you. Plus, different custom clothing options will allow you to easily identify each chef, especially your head chefs and sous chefs.

And finally, industrial wear. Industrial uniforms are a must for the industrial environment, especially if you want to give your employees the professional edge they will need to succeed, as well as the toughness to survive in the industrial work place. Whether it’s office employees or employees out on the field, a professional industrial uniform can add the finishing touches to the reputation you will have built up for your company. With industrial clothing especially, logo printing is a must, as it will give customers and clients of new and old a long term image to recognize you by.

Company clothing has boomed in popularity recently because companies are realizing the surprising benefits that they hold. A company uniform can fully establish your business as a professional workplace that aims to impress.

Justin Morris is a managing partner of LEADapparel.com. LEADapparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidered Shirt services for men's clothes and women's clothes including corporate polo's and golf shirts. Companies purchase professionally embroidered company clothing from LEADapparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.LEADapparel.com.

What are benefits of company clothing?

2010-03-10T08:18:00.000-08:00

In recent years more and more companies have been taking a step in a brand new direction by investing in a company uniform for all of their employees. There are still many companies who have not yet made this step, but only because they don’t know the benefits that a company uniform has to offer. Company clothing can offer companies a range of new opportunities that bosses nationwide may not have even considered and now more than ever there is a wider range of company apparel in a variety of designs and styles to suit every business imaginable.

We’re all very much aware of the fact that in the business world, competition is tough, therefore, when choosing company apparel it’s easy to see what clothing with benefit your company the most. Company clothing should be a symbol of the standards and reputation you hold and want to display to customers and associates. It’s a little known fact that professional looking, good quality company clothing can go a long way when it comes to impressing and securing new associates and customers to your business, as well as boosting your reputation as a company by making a good name for your business.

Another benefit is that the right apparel can make your employees look really smart and professional, which will always motivate employees, as they will really feel like a part of their company. As well as this, they will appreciate that you’ve got to the extra expense to make them feel included. Happy, professional feeling employees will definitely bring your company more profits, it’s surprising the difference it can make to staff morale to.

Uniforms will also create a nice ambiance within your company that will be appealing to business associates and new clients alike. It also increases the confidence that people will have in your company, as the professional uniforms will give an atmosphere that screams original and genuine, which is also an advantage in the corporate world.

It’s also a lot more affordable and convenient for your employee. Affordability is something not many employers think of when it comes to their employees, but in today’s economic climate, your employees will thank you for thinking of them, and appreciating that not everybody can afford professional working attire for every day of the week. Professional work attire is very affordable for the employer, and can be passed on to employees for free, or for a small fee. Either way, it will allow your employees to forget about the worry of finding something new to wear each day, as they will have their uniform waiting for them, eliminating the expense of professional suits or work-attire.

Corporate clothing is a perfect addition to any successful business, it’s very affordable for any budget, from simply having a t shirt embroiderer, to an entire uniform imprinted with your logo to show off your brand, there’s an option for everyone, and you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes not only to company morale, but to your profits, and to your customers brand loyalty to.

Justin Morris is a managing partner of LEADapparel.com. LEADapparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidered Shirt services for men's clothes and women's clothes including corporate polo's and golf shirts. Companies purchase professionally embroidered shirts from LEADapparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.LEADapparel.com.

Company Clothing can promote your business!

2010-02-28T18:12:00.000-08:00

All over the world there have been companies who have tapped into the easy, yet surprisingly effective, marketing strategy. Companies such as Ralph Lauren have been well known to wear their own clothing lines as an advertising strategy, particularly their famous polo shirt, but what if your business isn’t clothing related? Where do you go in terms of promotional apparel? There’s actually a surprising range of different types of work attire perfect for any kind of working environment that you can personalize to meet your exact specifications.

Promotional company clothing has a range of different benefits, for one it’s very cost effective, investing in a uniform with your companies logo on it, or the name embroidered onto a polo shirt has a surprising effect on customers, it’s a form of advertising that can literally be ever on-going in contrast to other expensive forms of advertising, such as radio or TV adverts, which only get played at certain times of the day to a certain amount of people. If you wanted to, you could even invest in a few promotional caps or t shirts to give away to customers; you’ll be surprised about how fast word of your business gets around.

Let’s not forget your employees, its a little known fact that promotional uniforms can have a great impact on company morale. Something so simple such as just having the same company clothing will encourage staff to sell, as they will feel truly included within your business. Corporate embroidery has been a popular choice in recent years and has been named by many business owners as one of the most cost effective ways of boosting company morale and sales. Your promotional company clothing will also give your business a professional edge, which will increase clients confidence in you. A recent study showed that customers warm more to businesses in matching company clothing because it shows unity and brand awareness.

As well as this, if your uniform is comfortable to wear, your employees will love wearing it. When working, every employee will tell you that above all, it has to be comfortable so that they can work in it, if a uniform is uncomfortable then they won’t like wearing it, and it’s surprising how something has silly as that can make such a big impact on customers, if your uniform is comfortable, even if it’s just a polo shirt, your employees will love wearing it, and it will shine through to all of your customers.

Every business can benefit from customized company clothing, the possibilities are limitless, no matter what your company does and whatever your budget, there’s something suitable for every kind of business owner. It’s a fantastic, cost effective and unique way to build brand loyalty and new customer relationships as well as boosting employee morale too, you definitely won’t regret it or the comfort uniform company clothing brings to your business and your employees.

Justin Morris is a managing partner of LEADapparel.com. LEADapparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidered Shirt services for men's clothes and women's clothes including corporate polo's and golf shirts. Companies purchase professionally embroidered shirts from LEADapparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.LEADapparel.com.

Build your brand with Promotional Customized Apparel

2010-02-08T08:52:00.000-08:00

It’s a fact, today’s competitive market is one of the toughest to conquer, especially when you’re surrounded by every other company fighting to gain any kind of brand exposure that they can grasp, but now you can step apart from all the rest and finally gain some well earned exposure in a unique and effective way. Promotional Apparel is one of the best ways you can promote your company, either by having free giveaway, or even selling off some custom apparel to customers, either way, they will leave with something that has your company all over it, ensuring that your customer count shoots up as more and more people start to notice your company emblem walking the streets!

In recent years, promotional apparel has earned itself a very shining reputation when it comes to the competitive market within the corporate world; it has a fantastic success rate because it can truly help to promote your brand or company, mainly due to the large exposure that you gain through promotional apparel. If you think about it, it’s obvious, someone wears some of your promotional apparel, and wherever they go, people will be seeing it, they’ll recognize the emblem, or see your company details and they’ll remember to come to you, it’s a surprising chain of events that could have a massive impact on your sales and revenue.

As long as your promotional apparel is unique, creative or even just comfortable, the people who receive your apparel will wear it for months, everything from sleeping in it to walking the dog, popping to the shops, going on a shopping trip, anything you can think of. As well as this, you have the undoubtedly big advantage in that the public absolutely love free stuff, so if you choose to give away your promotional apparel, you can rest assured that your entire stock will soon be lapped up, meaning a LOT of advertising, for a surprisingly cost effective cost.

But promotional apparel is not just limited to raising brand loyalty through free giveaways. Promotional Apparel can be just as effective when worn by your staff. It’s a great way of selling products through your staff without them having to say a word. Company apparel is also a fantastic way of improving company spirit, by creating a true ‘team spirit’ vibe through matching company apparel, you’re sure to see an improvement in the attitudes of your employees as they start to really connect with each other and customers improving not just the sales, but customer relationships. Your staff will thank you for getting them some customized and comfortable company apparel, you can be sure of that.

All you need to do is find the right apparel and you’re away, you can have something printed on it, or for a more personal touch if you’re thinking company apparel, then you could get it embroidered with whatever you liked, including your company emblem. It’s less expensive than you might think, yet it could pay off big time, giving your sales a well deserved boost. You’ll find customers are coming back time and time again, and new customers will remember you, even if they don’t come back for a while, they will still have your apparel and they will remember you whenever the need something that you can help them with.

Promotional Apparel can be beneficial for everyone, no matter what your company or your budget. It’s a fantastic, cost effective and unique way to build brand loyalty and customer relationships.

Justin Morris is a managing partner of LEADapparel.com. LEADapparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services for men's clothes and women's clothes including corporate polo's and golf shirts. Companies purchase professionally embroidered promotional shirts from LEADapparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.LEADapparel.com.

Getting the very best Promotional Apparel for your Company

2010-02-03T11:12:00.000-08:00

If you’re looking to advertise your company you’re not alone, so with so many other competitors out there, all aiming to advertise, how do you set yourself apart from the rest? Promotional Apparel is fast becoming a big hit when it comes to promotion and brand loyalty, it’s simple, cost effective, and can reach a wide variety of people fast.

Of course, more and more people are turning to apparel to represent their company, whether it’s free give away, or just part of the staff’s uniform, it all works brilliantly. It’s surprising the difference it can make simply by having some quality promotional apparel, it can help build your brand as well as improve brand loyalty and even elevate company spirit. Many different companies and organizations world wide are missing out on this unique way of advertisement, so why try using a promotional items in order to improve sales or revenue to your company. This is a really first-rate way that you can approach the public because there are a variety of advantages to using promotional products and promotional items in your store or within your business.

You may be thinking that this form of advertising must be very costly, but they are in fact incredibly cost effective, surprisingly so in fact. Promotional items such as key chains, pens, hats or mouse pads that show your company’s name or emblem are hardly expensive, yet they can provide you with a lot of advertising that could be forever ongoing, as opposed to other expensive forms of advertising, such as television or radio, which only get played at certain times of the day to a certain amount of people, you’d be surprised how quickly your promotional items get around and get noticed.

Let’s take a promotional, embroidered hat for instance with your company name and number on, even just your logo, a lot of people are going to see it. If they’re close up they could catch your company name, or even the number, if they’re catch a glimpse of the logo, they will instantly recognize your company. It’s advertising on the go that a wide range of people can see, at a fraction of the price of other forms of advertising.

And of course, one of the foremost advantages to promotional apparel has to be that they allow you to truly connect to all of your customers in a memorable way that is unique from everywhere else is that they allow you to connect to your customers in a unique and memorable way. It’s a fact, everybody loves it if you offer them a free gift, whatever it is people will gladly take it, and they will always remember you for it, because you never know when in the future they may need your services for something and it will most likely be that free baseball cap that reminds them of you.

Let’s not forget your staff, promotional uniforms can have a great impact of company spirit, as well as showing off your services to customers. Having matching uniforms will offers on will encourage staff to sell, sell, sell, and they’ll be encouraging each other too, it could open up a wide range of opportunities involving sales, and before you know it, sales will be rocketing. Corporate embroidery is the way of the future, because it not only shows quality, but professionalism and pride too, whether it’s simple polo shirts, jackets or oxfords, it can help your staff to promote and sell without even saying a word.

Justin Morris is a managing partner of LEADapparel.com. LEADapparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services for men's clothes and women's clothes including corporate polo's and golf shirts. Companies purchase professionally embroidered promotional shirts from LEADapparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.LEADapparel.com.

Embroidered Polo Shirts Turn a Blank Shirt into a Brand Awareness Builder

2009-10-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

A polo shirt can become a fantastic marketing tool for your company. A professionally embroidered logo makes a difference when seeing the final results. Not to mention that a polo shirt looks much more sophisticated, stylish and attractive versus a t-shirt, and is accepted in more places with more affluent employees, clients, and potential customers.

Having your logo on shirts is vital in building your brand awareness, trust, and loyalty from your customers. Any business with door to door sales or retail location will benefit from having their company logo on uniform polo’s.

Polo shirt embroidery will help you to create a promotional uniform for your employees - in today's extremely competitive business markets it is critical to share your logo everywhere possible. Let your potential customers see the style of your employees through the appearance of your staff.

Embroidered polo shirts are also a wonderful product for handing out during benefits which are important to the company such as the anniversary of the founding of your business, a celebration of a recent achievement, big trade shows, exhibitions, presentations, important negotiations, seminars etc. It is also not a bad idea to reward your employees for some achievements. Or to send a polo shirt with your logo embroidered on it as a gift to your business partners, and new customers.

Embroidery is one of the most long lasting ways of putting a design on a fabric. Polo shirt embroidery will not only look good, but will also last for a long time, even if the clothes are used and washed frequently embroidery stands the test of time. This is a perfect addition for plain uniforms. With so many styles of polo’s, there is no reason you can't find a suitable design for your polo shirt before getting it embroidered and used in your promotional strategies.

The variety of polo shirts available makes it possible to choose the right one for every possible occasion: Sleeveless or long-sleeved, fitted or loose, striped, multicolored, made of cotton or polyester, with pockets and without, two- or three-buttoned etc. The size and position of your logo should be scaled according to the type of polo shirt you have chosen. Most logos are positioned on the left-chest, but the availability to put the embroidery anywhere on the shirt helps you be unique. In the middle of the sleeve or behind the neck are other popular spots.

Today polo shirt embroidery is done with the help of computer technologies and special sewing machines. After you provide the design of the logo, any professional embroidery company will provide a stitch out sample of your logo before running the entire order. Sometimes, if the logo is too small, it is impossible to reproduce all the tiny details, and your logo may look slightly different than the original artwork.

Once you review the sample stitch out of the final design and approve it the embroidery of your logo shirts will begin. Be sure to approve it before any embroidery is started, otherwise you might end up getting a whole volume of polo shirts you are not particularly happy with. You can use all basic colors for the embroidery. Stay away from subtle half-tones because they may not look the way you want in a tiny stitch.

Polo shirt embroidery can be expensive in large sizes, which is why your budget should be planned carefully in advance. Before starting to speak with embroidery companies, already have your size breakdown, ie S,M,L,XL and quantities ready so you can receive a fast quote. The larger your logo, the more it will cost because embroidery is priced by the stitch count. A higher stitch count equals more thread, time, and experience.

The cost of embroidery or the detail of your logo may prevent embroidery, perhaps a better option would be to choose a screen print instead. Custom embroidered polo shirts look more sophisticated and lasts longer than screen printing tees, which is a good investment for the growth of your business.

Justin Morris is a managing partner of LEADapparel.com. LEADapparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services for men's clothes and women's clothes including corporate polo's and golf shirts. Companies purchase professionally embroidered shirts from LEADapparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.LEADapparel.com.

Business Branding Basics

2009-07-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to differentiate your company from that of others, one sure way to start is with branding. What is branding? The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers.

A good branding campaign not only differentiates you from your competitors, it also delivers a clear message, confirms your credibility, connects your target prospects emotionally, motivates the buyer and concretes user loyalty.

If your business has not focused on branding – there are some fundamental aspects to consider in building that brand. Start by asking yourself these questions and answering them as honestly and as accurately as possible:

1. What products and/or services do you offer? Define the qualities of these services and/or products.
2. What are the core values of your products and services? What are the core values of your company?
3. What is the mission of your company?
4. What does your company specializes in?
5. Who is your target market? Who do your products and services attract?
6. What is the tagline of your company? What message does your tagline send to your prospects?

Once you have answered these questions, try creating a personality for your company – something that presents your products or services. Maybe it is a character, as in a book. Who is this character, what is it like? What qualities stand out? Is the personality of your company innovative, creative, energetic, or sophisticated?

Next, use the personality that you created and build a relationship with your target market that you defined in Step 5. How does that personality react to target audience? What characteristics stand out? Which characteristics and qualities get the attention of your prospects?

Now, let’s look at creating objectives for branding. Again, answer the following questions the best you can.

1. What is it that you want your brand to do for your company?
2. What do you want others to know and say about your products or services?

Objectives can include your position as a company in your industry – will you be one of the leaders? It can be a solid number of new clients you would like to gain or it can be as simple as being known for a particular quality.

* Being recognized by receiving a specific award
* Picking up a certain number of choice projects
* Gaining a specific number of new clients in the next year
* Positioning your company as an industry leader in the next five months

Add to your objectives time lines. This is also what one would do when creating their business’ strategic plan. Objectives and timelines allow you to step back from your business and evaluate your successes and goals.

What about your market, do you understand your market, have you performed a market analysis. There is a lot of information on the Internet and out there for one to use in analyzing their target market. Questions to ask yourself include:

1. Who is your target audience?
2. Where is your target audience located?
3. What do they think about your current brand?
4. What would you like them to think about your brand?
5. How will you attract them to your products or services?
6. Who else is competing for their loyalty and devotion?
7. Are you targeting business or consumer sectors?

The process alone of asking yourself these questions will help you clarify your business and what it is you want to achieve. If you have never answered these types of questions, it is difficult to create a brand. Think of popular brands and their taglines: Coke – It’s the Real Thing, Timex – Takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Sometimes one can just hear the brand’s tagline and automatically associate it with the brand – such as “Just Do It”.

Once your brand is created, use it as much as possible to convey your objective and meaning and the next thing you know, your business too could become an every household name and tagline.

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t-shirt. Companies purchase t-shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Promotional Screen Print T-Shirts

2009-07-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Using screen printers t-shirts for promotional purposes is an affordable, effective plan. Screen printed shirts can be custom designed to meet your specific needs. You can have your logo, event or campaign message easily designed and printed on a t-shirt for a very low cost. Let’s evaluate how this can be an effective tool for you to use in your next promotion, branding attempt, or employee recognition program.

Here’s an idea; you can have your customers or employees participate in a logo design or promotion design contest. This will help create a buzz about the promotion and engage your clients and employees in promoting your business. Customers and employees are loyal to companies that include them in business plans or promotions. Being involved personally helps clients and employees feel appreciated and part of your team.

This kind of motivational recognition can be instrumental in keeping staff and a customer base happy. It can keep customers from shopping around for a different company to work with. With the global economy in a slump, customers and clients may have no problem getting a deal on services from desperate companies. This activity is making business turn-over a nightmare for a lot of companies.

You need to take action to let your customers know that they are appreciated. At the same time, you do not want to blow a lot of money doing so. Screen printed t-shirts of a high quality make interesting motivational gifts. They create brand identity, image and loyalty where it may have been wavering before.

However you go about getting your design, it needs to be digitized by a graphic designer before it can be printed on a t-shirt. Once you approve the design, you can usually request a sample. Make sure that you like everything about the t-shirt print. High quality screen prints should not peel, bubble or crack even after multiple washings.

Sometimes it’s not the screen print quality, but the t-shirt quality. Check for see-through fabric, shotty seam work or a rough feel. Many people cannot stand a neck that is too tight. Put the shirt on to see if it is comfortable or not. You can use a screen print company that prints on name brand t-shirts so that you have an idea of the quality before you get involved.

Ordering in bulk can save you money. Check around for prices and quality. Ask about shipping deals or discounts for ordering in large numbers. Once you get the screen printers t shirt that is of the highest quality, you, your clients and your employees are sure to be happy with them.

Justin Hoehn is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t shirt. Companies purchase t shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Corporate Gift Ideas

2009-07-06T09:48:00.000-07:00

Corporate gifts and executive gifts often have a double purpose. You can use them to thank customers, clients and colleagues for business or a job well done, but you may also want to use your corporate gift to market your name and logo. Gifts like this are often called “promotional products” because they help to promote your business by displaying your company name or logo.

Promotional products are sometimes give-aways like pens, magnets, mugs and key chains. These are normally given away at promotional events or around the office. These are an effective tool to get people to recognize your name and remember your generosity. But what if you would like to say more? Sometimes a free pen just is not enough to say what you would like to say.

If you would like to give something nicer to employees, colleagues, customers or clients, consider having some custom clothing embroidered with your logo. People may not be very impressed if the workmanship is lacking or if the quality of the shirt is not up to par. Make sure that you choose trendy, name brand polos for your custom logo apparel.

For example, an executive playing golf is unlikely to wear your shirt to the course unless it is a unique, high quality style. For gifts like this, buy Adidas ClimaCool, PING, Nike Golf, Izod, Van Heusen or Tommy Hilfiger shirts. Some embroiders offer name brand shirts for your custom apparel order. Choosing to upgrade the shirt can be the difference in giving someone a shirt that they will never wear or giving them a useful, stylish and unique gift that they will be proud to wear around their colleagues and friends.

This sort of marketing is extremely effective. It offers you an affordable way to make your clients feel special. It is a great idea for your employee recognition program as well. Custom designs and quality embroidery can make your gift a memorable and treasured one.

Not only can you use these items as gifts, but also as gift shop or web site inventory. Custom apparel brings in a lot of money for many businesses. The value of selling promotional shirts and custom clothing has been recognized by many, many companies. Times like these require companies to really reach out and try to get as many customers as they can. Make a real impression, show your existing customers and employees that they are appreciated, and maybe make a little extra money by selling your custom clothing and embroidered apparel in your gift shop or on your web site.

Justin Hoehn is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t shirt. Companies purchase t shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Custom Screen Print and Embroidery

2009-06-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

Here are some tips for ordering screen print or embroidery on t-shirts, polo shirts, accessories or custom apparel online. Follow these guidelines and you are sure to end up with a quality product that you will be happy with.

1) Find out how long your screen print company has been in business. You may not want to use a company who does not have a track record yet.

2) Ask about print sizes. Some companies have a limit to how big they will screen print your image. If you need a large image, you may want to ask for oversize or jumbo print dimensions.

3) Minimum orders can vary widely from company to company. Some have an order minimum of only six, whereas others may require that you order at least fifty t-shirts.

4) Check out the quality of the apparel that they offer. Do they have just a few generic colored t-shirts and baseball caps? Or do they offer a wide variety of styles, cotton blends, brands and products? Ordering a name brand that you trust can help you avoid getting a finished product that seems cheap or poorly made.

5) Ask about embroidery detail. How small of print can you get before it looks blurry or unreadable? This could be an important factor in determining the provider. What good is your logo if no one can tell what it says or means?

6) Ask about color options. This is especially important for logos. Many times, the color that you choose for your logo needs to be consistent. If your screen printer can’t match the color, then the product will be useless at branding your image.

7) When getting embroidery, ask about thread contents. Cotton threads, cotton covered polyester, and polyester threads are generally not suitable for embroidery. This is because they can pill or fray after washing. Good embroidery thread should always be rayon. Metallic threads are also suitable for embroidery work.

8) Ask about specialty inks or processes that you might need. A high heat press will create a shiny and heavy screen print. This is often used for high visibility prints, like on sports jerseys. If you may need this, make sure your supplier offers it. Also ask about glitter inks, metallic inks, foil printing or 3D embroidery if you need it.

9) Find out how long orders generally take. Good companies usually have a turnaround of about a week. Shipping costs should be considered and usually deals can be made when you order in bulk.

10) The last thing to consider is how easy it is to get your design to them. Can you simply e-mail a file? Or do you have to actually meet with a designer and have it laid out in a certain way? Good companies will have someone on staff who can take an e-mailed design and create a template for you.

With these tips, you are sure to end up with a screen printers t shirt or embroidery custom apparel company that you are very happy with.

Justin Hoehn is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t shirt. Companies purchase t shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Embroidery Logo Concerns

2009-06-30T15:16:00.000-07:00

When ordering custom apparel for your business or organization, you can’t go wrong with a high quality embroidered logo. But, how can you be certain that the embroidery services you order will come out how you expect? Will the colors be right? Will the logo look crisp and sharp? Will the threads fray or get fuzzy? These are questions and concerns that you may have. Here are some basic embroidery facts to help you know what you are getting when you order your company logo embroidered on custom apparel.

1) Ask about number of stitches per square inch. The number of stitches is usually about two thousand per square inch. If your embroiderer uses a machine that maxes out at one thousand stitches per square inch, then you can expect that the logo will be thin and that you may see the fabric through the design. This is not a good thing.

2) Talk to a knowledgeable person about your choices. Number of stitches can vary greatly depending on the type of fabric that you choose. If you want your embroidered logo to look its best, then ask if the shirts or custom apparel that you chose works well with embroidery.

3) Consider 3D embroidery for very bold designs. Your logo or design may have to be altered to look its best in 3D embroidery, but the payoff could be great. 3D embroidery is most popular on hats.

4) Find out what thread options your embroiderer offers. Polyester and cotton threads may be strong, but they will lose their sheen, get fuzzy and pill up after washing. Top embroiderers only use rayon thread for embroidery.

5) Ask about colorization. Most companies will dye embroidery thread to match your logo colors exactly. This is of great importance when you are using embroidered custom apparel to help brand your image or send a consistent message.

6) The image that you send needs to be digitized in order to show up exactly as you planned. Take a look at the final image to approve it before you order, or ask for a sample to be sent before you order in bulk. Letters generally cannot be read if they are smaller than 3/16”.

A good embroidery company will talk to you about all of these things when you get ready to order. They should happily address all of your concerns and be able to give you details about the work that they do. They should also be able to point out reasons for doing things the way that they do, and the reasons should point to higher quality, not saving money. Choose the right embroiderer and your custom clothing will come out looking great and stay looking great, wash after wash.

Justin Hoehn is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t shirt. Companies purchase t shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Custom Art on Custom Apparel

2009-06-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

Some companies may charge a fortune to review and prepare you custom art for print. But, if you look around, you can find screen printer companies that do not charge for having their art department make your design look fabulous.

You can expect a charge if your logo or art design needs a lot of work, but it should not be more than a couple of hundred dollars. Some companies will even let you see before and after designs that they have worked on. Determine for yourself if they seem like they are proud of the work that they do, or if they are trying to get work off the line as quickly as possible, even sacrificing quality to do so.

Remember that screen printing is an art. Even though the process is becoming more and more automated, you still need an artistic mind to look over your custom work and help you determine the best ideas for printing it. The best designs are printed after being diligently worked on and digitized by a competent art department. The screen printing industry generally hires the best designers for this job, so take advantage of their talent, input and ideas.

Custom art can also be applied by embroidery. Here, you are looking at many of the same issues. Make sure that your color scheme, design details and image size are exactly right to get the results that you are looking for. With embroidery, you will need to make sure that a rayon thread is used. Also, make sure that letters are not too small to read. Specify instructions like 3D embroidery, heavy visibility or fine line embroidery. Make sure that you and the artist are on the same page.

With both embroidery and screen printing, you should make sure that the clothing or accessories you are using are compatible with the options you have chosen. For example, slick fabrics may need to be heat pressed for screen printing to stick and not peel. This will have you end up with a much heavier, thicker appearance of the artwork. If that is not what you want, then you may want to look at other forms of apparel.

Embroidery is best when done on heavier fabrics. Thin fabrics can bunch up, or the heavy embroidery can pull down on the light fabric, making it look low quality, even if it is not. Select fabrics that are compatible with the results that you would like to see. Furthermore, select name brand custom clothing for a guaranteed high quality result.

Justin Hoehn is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t shirt. Companies purchase t shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Who is Ralph Lauren and What is the Polo?

2009-06-29T09:42:00.001-07:00

If you have heard of the Polo shirt, it is most likely the name Ralph Lauren is also familiar to you.

While the polo is older than Ralph Lauren, it was Ralph Lauren who made the polo shirt what it is today. The polo shirt’s beginnings may have started as early as the mid-1800s. Sporting teams were wearing long sleeved jerseys made from the same knitted material as the polo is today. Rene Lacoste added some flare to the shirt in 1926 producing it in white with short sleeves and with an un-starched, flat protruding collar. It also had a buttoned placket, and a longer shirttail in back than in front for tennis players. As a tennis player, he first wore the shirt at the 1926 U.S. Open championship.

Later on, clothing retailer Ralph Lauren, born Ralph Lischitz, was getting his own name brand off the ground. This was in the late 1960s. By 1971, Polo Ralph Lauren launched its first women's collection and his first standalone store in Beverly Hills, California. Ten years later, in 1981, the brand went global with its first international store on London's New Bond Street. The Polo Sport line was introduced in 1993.

Ralph Lauren’s brand now produces clothing, accessories, fragrances, furniture, operates the restaurant RL in Chicago. The flagship store is located in the former Rhinelander Mansion on Madison Avenue in New York City. Ralph Lauren is one of the largest retailers in the United States with revenues reaching $4.2 billion in 2007.

Some of Ralph Lauren’s classics are of course his Polo. One of the most famous pieces in the Polo line is the classic polo short-sleeved knit shirt featuring the now-iconic Polo player on the left breast of the shirt. This shirt in particular became a fashion must-have in the 1980s with the preppy set. Other Polo classics include the cashmere cableknit sweater, chinos and the oxford cloth button-down shirt.

Since Ralph Lauren's first brand, Polo, was launched in 1967, the company has expanded to include a variety of luxury brands. They include:
* Purple Label: Launched in 1994, this is Ralph Lauren's signature, and highest end, men's line, with classic, traditionally British styling. It includes ready-to-wear suits and sportcoats (made by St. Andrews and Cantarelli), dress shirts, sportswear, accessories, and footwear, as well as a collection of made-to-order suits, sportcoats, shoes (made by British company Edward Green), dress shirts, exotic skin luggage, small leather goods, and jewelry. Purple Label is only available in Ralph Lauren stores, the company's online store and high-end department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.
* Black Label: Black Label for men and women. The men’s clothing tends to have a more modern, Italian cut to its suits, sport coats (made by Raffaele Caruso), dress shirts, and sportswear, with higher armholes and a slimmer silhouette. Black Label for women demonstrated more modern, high-end casual and semi-formal women's wear.

* Polo Ralph Lauren: His first brand for men, and also the most widely available. This 'blue label' line spans from tailored clothing (ready-to-wear and made to measure), sportswear, accessories (including luggage) to small leather goods. Available at many department and specialty stores as well as Ralph Lauren stores and the company's online store.
* Polo Golf: A sporty collection catering to golfers since 1987 and often featuring celebrity golfers as advertising models (see Sports sponsorship below).[4]
* Polo Jeans Co.: Denim inspired line. Now discontinued in the US.
* Polo Denim: A 2007 relaunch of the Polo Jeans Co. line of 1996. Denim basics available online and in department stores.
* Lauren Ralph Lauren: Basics and suiting. Divided into Green and Silver (slightly slimmer cuts) Label. Available primarily through department and outlet stores, and not at RL stores or ralphlauren.com.
* Ralph by Ralph Lauren: Men’s clothing exclusively available at Dillard's stores, this label offers suits, sport coats, dress trousers and suit vests.
* Collection: The highest end clothing line for women (also carries a purple tag), as seen in his runway shows. Includes classic eveningwear, tailored blazers, outerwear, sportswear, handbags, and accessories.
* RLX: A technical sports apparel line, focusing on clothing and outerwear built for outdoor sports such as tennis, golf, skiing, sailing, and hiking, launched in 1998. Primarily distributed through RalphLauren.com
* Polo Sport: A discontinued line of casual sports clothing that was introduced for men in 1993 and women in 1996. It was retired in 2005 and ultimately replaced by RLX as well as the Golf and Tennis lines. The Polo Sport fragrance lines continue to exist as remnants of this label.
* RRL (pronounced "Double-R L"): A denim and sportswear line that takes its influence from the American West. Available in Ralph Lauren stores as well as several smaller signature Double RL stores.
* Rugby Ralph Lauren: A brand launched in 2004 focusing on collegiate apparel with a similar look to the pricier Polo and Blue Label brands. Sold at signature Rugby stores.
* Tennis: Sports clothing for tennis players. Special collections for the US Open tournaments.
* Pink Pony: A charity line of sportswear and accessories all carrying a pink Polo pony. A portion of the proceeds benefit cancer research. Predominantly for women, the line also includes polo shirts for men.

Yes, the polo shirt spurred on the growth of a number of other types of clothing but it is still the preferred style of shirt for outdoor enthusiasts and for business casual. It is still comfortable and colorful, even after all these years.

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t-shirt. Companies purchase t-shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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The Life and Times of the Scarf

2009-06-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

When we think of scarves we may conjure up images of Hollywood celebrities riding around in convertibles. Scarves have an elegancy about them… a style. So where did the first scarf come from, who invented it and how did it evolve through history?

According to research, the scarf dates back at least as far as ancient Rome. At that time, a linen kerchief known as a sudarium (Latin term for “sweat cloth”) was used by the Romans to wipe sweat from their faces. Something that started out for pragmatic use quickly became a fashion statement and the ancient Romans quickly developed the scarf into an accessory. Women weren’t to be left out, seeing the men in their scarves, they too began wearing them.

The Chinese of course aren’t to be left out of scarf history. Warriors of the Chinese Emperor Cheng (Shih Huang Ti) wore scarves made of wool, which indicated their rank.

Scarves seemed to be a hit around the world over time. The French loved the idea of wearing pieces of fabric around their heads or body, especially if they had color. They called their scarves cravats, from the Croatian word kravata. Ones political inclinations were often demonstrated by the color of their scarf.

Scarves have and may always have a practical use. In drier, dustier climates, or in environments where there are many airborne contaminants, a thin headscarf, kerchief, or bandanna is often worn over the head to keep the hair clean. Religions have integrated the use of the scarf to show modesty. Many Muslim women wear a headscarf often known as a hijab, and in Quranic Arabic as the khimar. The Keffiyeh is commonly used by Muslim men. Women in the Haredi Judaism community often wear a tichel to cover their hair. Several Christian denominations include a scarf known as a stole as part of their liturgical vestments.

During the First World War, silk scarves were used by pilots in order to keep oily smoke and exhaust out of their mouths while flying. These pilots often preferred silk as it helped prevent neck chafing, especially fighter pilots, who were constantly turning their heads from side to side watching for enemy aircraft.

Scarves are also popular with British sports enthusiasts. Since at least the early 1900s, fans of football teams have worn colored scarves. These scarves come in a wide variety of sizes and are made in a club's particular colors. They may also have the club crest, pictures of renowned players, and various slogans relating to the history of the club and its rivalry with others. In the United Kingdom, the most popular and traditional type is a simple design with alternating bars of color in the individual team's traditional colors.

As part of pre-match build-ups, or during matches, fans will create a 'scarf wall' in which all supporters in a section of the stadium will stretch out their scarves above their heads with both hands, creating an impressive 'wall' of color, usually accompanied by the singing of a club anthem such as "You'll Never Walk Alone". This was initially solely a British phenomenon, but has since spread to Europe and South America.

Scarf wearing is also a noted feature of support for Australian rules football clubs in the Australian Football League, and are always in the form of alternating bars of color, usually with the team name or mascot written on each second bar.

Scarves have had fashion ebbs and flows throughout time. Having flexibility in how they are worn, they always make a comeback in color, design and style without seeming to have to strong of tie to the past.

Whether you are wearing your scarf for your favorite team or to add some elegance to your wardrobe, your scarf can represent your unique personality and preferences.

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t-shirt. Companies purchase t-shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Screen Printing Materials

2009-06-15T15:08:00.000-07:00

Screen-printing has been around for thousands of years. The concept has remained the same but the available materials today as well as types of inks have evolved.

To start, screen-printing is a printing technique particularly suited for flat or relatively flat surfaces. The heart of the process involves a fine mesh or screen that is tightly stretched around a rigid frame. The areas that are not to be printed are masked out on the screen. There are several ways to create a stencil for screen-printing. An early method was to create it by hand in the desired shape, either by cutting the design from a non-porous material and attaching it to the bottom of the screen, or by painting a negative image directly on the screen with a filler material which became impermeable when it dried. For a more painterly technique, the artist would choose to paint the image with drawing fluid, wait for the image to dry, and then coat the entire screen with screen filler. After the filler had dried, water was used to spray out the screen, and only the areas that were painted by the drawing fluid would wash away, leaving a stencil around it. This process enabled the artist to incorporate their hand into the process, to stay true to their drawing.

So what types of materials are used in today’s screen-printing world? Let’s look at them:

1. Plastisol – Plastisol is an ink and one of the most commonly used, especially in the commercial garment industry. It has Good color opacity onto dark garments and clear graphic detail with, as the name suggests, a more plasticized texture. Using plastisol, a print can be made softer with special additives or heavier by adding extra layers of ink. Plastisol inks require heat (approx. 150°C (300°F) for many inks) to cure the print.
2. Water-Based inks – Water based inks are known to penetrate the fabric more than the plastisol inks. With this penetration comes a much softer feel to the print. Water-based inks are ideal for printing darker inks onto lighter colored garments. They are also useful for larger area prints where texture is important. With water-based inks, sometimes they require heat or an added catalyst to make the print permanent.
3. PVC/ Phthalate Free – This ink is relatively new to printing and has the benefits of plastisol but without the environmentally toxic phtalate.
4. Discharge inks – These inks are used to print lighter colors onto dark background fabrics. They work by removing the dye in the garment – this means they leave a much softer texture. They are less graphic in nature than plastisol inks, and exact colors are difficult to control. If you are looking for distressed look, these inks are excellent. They are also wonderful for dark garments that are to be printed with additional layers of plastisol.
5. Flocking – This is a technique and material that consists of a glue printed onto the fabric and then foil (or other special effect) material is applied for a mirror finish.
6. Glitter/Shimmer – Using metallic flakes that are suspended in the ink base, a glitter shimmer or sparkle effect can be created on the print. These flakes are usually available in gold or silver but can be mixed to make most colors.
7. Metallic – Metallic is similar to glitter, but smaller particles are suspended in the ink. To apply, a glue is printed onto the fabric then nanoscale fibers are applied on it.
8. Expanding ink (puff) – To create a raised effect or puff, inks with a plasistol additive helps raise the print off a garment giving a 3D feel.
9. Caviar beads – These beads are applied with a glue printed into the shape of the design. These beads work well with solid block areas creating an interesting tactile surface.
10. Four color process – You may have heard of this in printing, it also works with screen-printing. The artwork is created and then separated into four colors (CMYK),which combine to create the full spectrum of colors needed for photographic prints. This means a large number of colors can be simulated using only 4 screens, reducing costs, time, and set-up. The inks are required to blend and are more translucent, meaning a compromise with vibrancy of color.
11. Gloss – This is simple a clear base laid over previously printed inks to create a shiny finish.
12. Nylobond - A special ink additive for printing onto technical or waterproof fabrics.
13. Mirrored silver - Another solvent based ink, but you can almost see your face in it.
14. Suede Ink - Suede is a milky colored additive that is added to plastisol making any color you print have a suede feel.

While the technique of screen-printing is ancient, the new inks and additives are new and always changing, which gives the artist more license to create an array of designs for you.

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t-shirt. Companies purchase t-shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit http://www.leadapparel.com/

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Style, Fashion and Tennis

2009-06-15T14:55:00.000-07:00

Tennis players and their apparel have changed drastically over the past one hundred years. This is especially the case for women who once had to play in large bustles and petticoats.

But it isn’t just comfort that tennis players have evolved into, it is also fashion and performance. With new types of performance fabrics being created from fabrics like polyester, nylon, and spandex – which breathe unlike traditional textiles allowing you to stay cool and dry even during the height of summer, tennis clothing has become functional in addition to fashionable. They are also practical in that these high tech fabrics hold their shape and color much better than their cotton counterparts, allowing you to look good before, during, and after your match, and their high durability will allow you to continue to look good in the future.

While tennis apparel for many years came in the colors of white or white, so that when one sweated it couldn’t be seen – today tennis apparel comes in numerous bright colors and prints. Tennis players are enjoying more and more the versatility they are offered off the court, during warm up and during competition. Most tennis players own a warm-up outfit, which is typically a two piece suit consisting of long pants and a long sleeved top. A warm-up outfit helps the athlete stay warm and get loose before a match, and it is also the traditionally preferred attire for arrival at the court. Tradition also holds that warm-up suits should be removed during the actual match unless it happens to be a very cold day.

Yes, there is still tradition in tennis apparel, despite the evolution of fabrics. What are some of these traditions? During a match, men should wear tucked shirts and tennis shorts, although more and more the untucked look is becoming a presence in professional and amateur tennis. Women should wear short sleeved or sleeveless shirts paired with skirts or skorts – shorts that have styling that resembles a traditional skirt.

In some places, such as country clubs or in certain countries, proper tennis attire is very important. It is important to note that the traditional tennis attire is still alive and well in some places, particularly at some tennis and country clubs. If you are invited to play as a guest at a club, check with the club or your host in order to be certain that your tennis clothes are appropriate and fitting with their dress code.

Beyond the regular tennis apparel are the tennis accessories. No tennis outfit is complete without the ever-important accessories. There is the very important tennis shoe. As with most shoes, the tennis shoe is designed specifically for tennis and it is important that you wear such shoes on the court. Not only will such shoes perform better, but they will not have black or dark colored soles, which can leave scuffs on the court and are therefore banned from many courts

And what about the sweatbands, hats, wristbands and such? These too are important as they will keep the sweat out of your face and your hands dry so that you can keep a good grip on your racket. A good sun visor will help protect your eyes from the sun above and shade your face.

Yes, in many ways the apparel and fashion of tennis has evolved and changed and in many ways it is much the same. While there is flexibility in some areas of tennis wear, there is practicality and tradition in others. The most important thing is to be comfortable and enjoy the game.

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t-shirt. Companies purchase t-shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit http://www.leadapparel.com

Defining Apparel And Why We Have It

2009-06-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

As a species, we humans wear articles of clothing, also known as apparel, dress, garments or attire) on the body. In its broadest sense, clothing includes coverings for the trunk and limbs as well as coverings for hands (gloves), feet (shoes, sandals, boots), and head (hats, caps).

While we also adorn ourselves with accessories such as purses and scarves or decorate our bodies with makeup or cosmetics, perfume, jewelry or arrange our hair with a hairstyle or our body with tattoos, scarifications and piercing, all of these decorations just contribute to the overall effect and message of clothing, but do not constitute clothing per se.

People wear clothing for many reasons, from functional to social. Clothing protects the body against strong sunlight, extreme heat or cold, and precipitation; protection against insects, noxious chemicals, weapons, contact with abrasive substances. Humans have shown extreme inventiveness in devising clothing solutions to practical problems.

Clothing also delivers social messages to other humans. These messages can include social status, occupation, ethnic and religious affiliation, marital status and sexual availability. Humans must know the code in order to recognize the message transmitted. If different groups read the same item of clothing or decoration with different meanings, the wearer may provoke unanticipated responses.

In many societies, people of high rank reserve special items of clothing or decoration for themselves. Only Roman emperors could wear garments dyed with Tyrian purple; only high-ranking Hawaiian chiefs could wear feather cloaks and palaoa or carved whale teeth. In other societies, no laws prohibit lower-status people wearing high status garments, but the high cost of status garments effectively limits purchase and display

People also dress according to their occupation, ethnic, political or religious associations and even martial status. For instance:

* Occupation: Depending on your occupation, whether you work for the military or as a policeman or firefighter, you will typically wear a uniform. School children can also wear uniforms. Although belonging to a religious order isn’t an occupation, many religions require a particular kind of dress, such as nuns who wear ‘habits.’ In many regions of the world, styles in clothing and ornament declare membership in a certain village, caste, religion, etc. A Scotsman declares his clan with his tartan; an Orthodox Jew his religion with his (non-clothing) sidelocks; a French peasant woman her village with her cap or coif.
* Marital status: In some cultures, ones clothing indicates their marital status. Hindu women, once married, "wear" sindoor, a red powder, in the parting of their hair; if widowed, they abandon sindoor and jewelry and wear simple white clothing. Men and women of the Western world may wear wedding rings to indicate their marital status.
* Sexual availability or modesty - Some clothing indicates the modesty of the wearer. For example, many Muslim women wear a head or body covering (hijab, bourqa or burka, chador, abaya) that proclaims their status as respectable women. Other clothing may indicate flirtatious intent. Clothing that is tight fitting or body revealing could be meant to show sexuality. Clothing accessories such as extreme stiletto heels, flashy jewelry and perfume also are meant to entice sexual behavior.

Depending on what culture you are from, clothing’s message fro modesty to allurement varies. A person can also choose to ‘wear’ a mixed message. For example, a Saudi Arabian woman may wear an abaya to proclaim her respectability, but choose an abaya of luxurious material cut close to the body and then accessorize with high heels and a fashionable purse.

Western fashion and apparel have a definite international draw. Very few parts of the world remain where people do not wear items of cheap mass-produced Western clothing. Even people in poor countries can afford used clothing from richer Western countries.

Will apparel become universal over time, despite culture, religion or occupation? As long as humans enjoy being unique, it is possible people may compromise for likeness but cling to uniqueness. Who knows how fashion will be defined or who will be defining it?

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t-shirt. Companies purchase t-shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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The History of Tennis Apparel and Fashion

2009-06-11T15:35:00.000-07:00

Clothing, from style to fabric, has changed drastically in the past one hundred years. This counts for tennis as well. Since tennis competition began, apparel wore by tennis players has gone from full-length dresses for women to short skirts, from pants on men to shorts.

Tennis apparel has become so important that there are numerous designers in the business and Wimbledon has now become the stage for tennis fashion as well as play.

Let’s look back in history to see the changes. Starting in the 1860s when women first began playing tennis, the outfit of the day was a heavy material, like flannel or serge. Believe it or not, some women’s tennis apparel included a bustle and sometimes a fur. But that was all changed. In 1884, when Maud Watson won the first Wimbledon Ladies' Championship, white tennis apparel had become the most popular. Why? It was simple – it was all because of sweat. When the trussed-up ladies of the 1890s played in earnest, they wore white because colors revealed sweat stains. This was the start of the tennis whites, which prevailed as acceptable tennis apparel for many decades.

So now that women’s clothing was white, it was time to experiment with styles. When Lottie Dod won Wimbledon, she wore calf-length skirts. But she only got away with it because they were part of her school uniform.

May Sutton, in 1905 won at Wimbledon wearing one of her father's shirts. She claimed it provided extra freedom of movement. She created even a bigger stir when she rolled her sleeves back revealing her wrists. She had complained that the sleeves on her dress were “too long and too hot.”

Hats and bustles went out of style between 1903 and 1914. Dorothea Lambert Chambers, Wimbledon’s seven times champion during this time wore two or three stiff petticoats, as well as corsets with her tennis apparel. This must have been difficult to play in!

Suzanne Lenglen changed tennis apparel again in 1919. She wore a flimsy and revealing calf-length cotton frock with short sleeves and delivered women from the corsets on the court. Ms. Lenglen changed her tennis apparel even more. She added several yards of colored silk chiffon, shiny white stockings that were rolled to her knees, and a headband. She created quite a stir on the court with her new tennis apparel.

It seemed that the women who dominated Wimbledon set the fashion mood for other tennis players who followed. Before the Second World II, Helen Wills Moody dominate Wimbledon for 14 years. She made the golf-style eyeshade a fashionable addition to tennis apparel and also wore the familiar school-type white blouse and pleated skirt. On cool days, she stopped her tennis apparel with a lambswool cardigan.

Today’s game not only embraces new fashion as well as color beyond white, but also sophisticated fabrics. Performance fabrics that include Coolmax™ and Wickaway™ are available in a wide range of knits and colors. People on and off the court enjoy these performance fabrics not just because they are utilitarian but also comfortable while relaxing or playing.

Where will the future of tennis apparel go for men and women? Who can tell, but it should be interesting to see its potential.

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t-shirt. Companies purchase t-shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Custom Artwork Screen Printing

2009-06-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

Screen printing has come a long way. Custom screen printing is a great way to get your personal designs and artwork on to lots of different custom apparel.

Remember when screen prints and iron-ons used to fade and peel? Or if you ordered a shirt, there were a lot of limitations on size, color and location of the print? Sometimes you even had to let a company’s artist come up with the design. If you did have your own logo or picture, you would have to go to great lengths to get it put on the shirts and it still may not look exactly like you wanted. Today, you can simply make your design, e-mail it to the screen print company, and expect that your exact design, color and specifications will be what ends up on the custom t-shirt.

Today’s screen print technique is a lot more accurate and versatile than the printing of the past. There is no worry of peeling or fading with a high quality print. Furthermore, you can choose from many name brand products to put your image or artwork on. You know that you are not ending up with t-shirts that are nearly transparent, strangely sized or with shotty seam-work.

Not only can you get custom printed t-shirts, but you can screen print on almost anything. Hot press screen printing is perfect for thicker or heavier prints, such as the ones you see on jerseys. You can get hats, sweatshirts, tank tops and a wide variety of other custom apparel.

Because the industry has had some great advances, the process has become very streamlined and fast. All of these things have brought the price down. Schools use screen printed items as fundraisers because they can get the wholesale screen printing done so cheaply. Using your own logo or artwork is so easy, that you can custom design apparel to create your own unique wardrobe or line of clothing for very little cost.

Consider screen printing for band t-shirts, team t-shirts, Christian t-shirts, casual wear, team spirit wear, club t-shirts or personal wardrobe. Custom shirts, when you buy name brand, can last through years of wear and washing. Screen printing companies can even hold your designs on file for contract screen printing jobs. This is useful for bands, corporate apparel and branding a logo.

Custom printed tees are inexpensive, especially if you buy t-shirts in bulk. Wholesale priced t-shirts, even name brand t-shirts, make it easy for you to complete your project for less than you may imagine. T-shirt printing on custom clothing has never been easier.

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t shirt. Companies purchase t shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Creating Company Culture

2009-06-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

For company’s, creating culture is important because the first indication that a company might be in trouble is not decreasing sales or shrinking profits but rather an eroding employee morale.

Whose job is it to improve company culture? Often the CEO, but any type of manager will do. It is then his or her job to help the company build values, vision, and cohesiveness and pride in what they do and with the company.

People are the common denominator of any organization. And people are anything but simple. But instead of looking at "the people issue" as a problematic quagmire, I suggest that you embrace all those thoughts, feelings, emotions, and moods that all people have as the solution rather than the problem.

First of all, to help build company culture, you need to know that people must be encouraged to express themselves. By their very nature, people need this. They need to know they are being heard or not and creating an atmosphere that embraces people who are expressing their true feelings is the first and biggest step in protecting a company's culture. Of course even this can be taken advantage of as some employees may use it as a way to sabotage others or the company itself. But this isn’t often the norm and can be worked with.

Encouraging employees to communicate their hopes, dreams, fears, and worries is, in and of itself, protective of the company's culture. But beware. Some employees might use their self-expression to sabotage your company culture. Those saboteurs are called weeds, and a good company culture pulls its weeds quickly.

Secondly, you want to help people feel comfortable in their environment. People need to know that you as a CEO or manager, care about their everyday environment and are appreciative of what they have to offer the company. Without setting a tone from day one of a new hire's start, and without the understanding of how important employee morale is to the health of an organization, employees of a company may not reach their fullest potential.

Third, it is important to define and display company goals. Every individual working for a company needs to know why they are doing what they are doing and how they are responsible for accomplishing such goals.

After you have described the company goals to employees, try and keep them displayed or at the top of their mind so that nobody loses track of the mission. Some people make posters of their company goals, others place them on their screen savers. Goals, whether long term or short term, should always be discussed and made relevant to current issues during company meetings. Timeframes are also important in when goals should be met, where everybody is in meeting those goals and how much further there is to go.

Fourth, there is ownership. Make sure your staff understand their ownership of goals, their personal win that is theirs when they accomplish goals. As stated above, people need to know what they have to offer and what their value is. With ownership, employees feel goals of the company are theirs, not the managers or CEOs. They also don’t want to feel coerced into making goals theirs, goals should truly be made theirs through personal responsibility in meeting them or input in creating them.

Fifth, what kinds of best practices are other company’s using. There is no shame in copying what other people are doing in other company if they are successful.

And last, create a social agenda for your employees. Your “social agenda” can include initiatives like donating a portion of proceeds to a particular cause, or encouraging employees to volunteer for local charities. Social agendas help create teamwork. Employees often love being part of a bigger picture, a group and a whole. Providing your employees with company shirts with the business logo and matching colors can also help create a feeling of teamwork and belonging. It is also valuable when doing social promotions in your community that your employees are showing what company they work for with their company shirts.

Practice these few things above and you too can help your company create culture and longevity among its employees retention.

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t-shirt. Companies purchase t-shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Golf Custom Clothing

2009-06-02T07:56:00.000-07:00

Golf has a long history of interesting knickers and pants. Thinking about golf in generations past reminds us of bright golf caps with big fuzzy balls on top, pastel plaid pants and argyle polo shirts all being worn at the same time. These styles make a bold statement and are a bit crazy for some, but the vintage style golf clothing has made its way back into the mainstream.

Golfers, like everyone else, want to look good while they play. They want to have style, class and something unique about their wardrobe that sets them apart from others while subtly demonstrating that they are, in fact, part of the club. Even if they are not playing, they want to dress appropriately for the club that they are in or the crowd that they want to be a part of.

The vintage style knickers worn with bright knee-high socks is a good way to make a very bold statement, but this particular style can be a bit much for your run of the mill golfer. So, how do you stand out in the sea of polo shirts and khaki pants? The answer is uniqueness and quality.

You can design your own custom clothing that fits in with the crowd while standing out as something special. You can get in good with the club owners by designing an attractive logo for the course and having it embroidered on a name brand golf shirt. You can start friendly rivalries with your golfing buddies or different golfing groups. Make team shirts with custom clothing designs that identify each team.

Custom designed polo or golf shirts also make great merchandise for golf pro shops. They are commonly used for fundraising or charity events. You can charge top dollar when you use a custom logo, high quality embroidery and name brand shirts. Recognizable, respected and elite golf polo brands are best if you want to sell your shirts to serious golfers. These brands include names like Nike Golf Tiger Woods Collection, Adidas, Ping, Tattoo, Reebok and Tommy Hilfiger. Upgrades like pique designs or climate control fabrics make your custom clothing even more desirable, marketable and valuable.

Using top brands with top quality embroidery can make a big difference. Remember that what you sell, as well as what you wear, reflects on you and your organization. Use custom clothing
to help you stand out among the crowd. Make a bold statement with your custom embroidery and style without having to bring out the pastel knickers.

Justin Hoehn is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t shirt. Companies purchase t shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit www.leadapparel.com.

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Building Your Business Identity

2009-05-25T15:15:00.000-07:00

Owning your own business requires a lot of savvy to stay ahead of the pack. You want to stand out above the competition, you want to be remembered and you want to make a positive impression. So what does it take to keep your business in the mind of your targeted audience? An identity!

Impressing customers and driving sales get a lot easier when prospects know your name. There are easy ways to quickly and efficiently create a company identity. Here are just a handful of ways.

1. Create A Blog - Web logs or blogs are online journals that can be used to help supply your customers or potential customers with the latest industry news. Blogs also encourage the input of readers, which makes them feel a part of your business and its ideas. There are many articles online regarding how to build blogs and if you do not have the time, how to hire a content writer.

2. Put Your Name In A Public Place – Now this kind of advertising seems obvious but getting it done in perpetuity is the trick. One way is to contribute to a local charity, neighborhood project, public park or playground. Choose a group that has some affinity with your company goals to donate to. You can then send a press release jointly with the organization to announce your gift and hopefully that organization will put up a plaque with your company’s name in a public place. Discuss this option with the organization you are donating to ahead of time.

3. Stay Visible - If you can't afford to underwrite an entire project, just get involved in the community. Join a local service club, such as Rotary. Make sure you're personally connected to the community. Stay visible by serving on the board or chairing events or committees. That will get you known around town and reel in clients.

4. Identify How You Are Unique - Invest in your brand. Hire somebody to help you design a logo and then a public relations campaign to go with it, something that shows how unique your company identity is.

5. Get People to Wear your Brand - Once you have had your unique logo designed, have it either embroidered or screen-printed onto T-shirts, hats, workout gear, scarves and more. Use the clothing as premiums for favored clients or employees. Free T-shirts not only make people feel special, but they get worn on weekends and when customers travel. Depending on the identity you want to promote you can make people look fashionable, promote an adventurous life, fight for freedom of speech, or make people laugh. Your brand could go far.

6. Use Your Online Presence Wisely – Keep your website looking professional and relevant. If it is outdated, hire somebody to help you keep the content up or make changes to it. Don’t leave a half built website up, it is better to have no website than one that looks incomplete. Remember this is your identity people are checking out and judging you by. Use your website to provide information to your customers, show them you are on top of things as well as trends. When using your email, always have an e-mail signature. You can add your logo and tag line as well to your signature.

Remember that identity or brand building is the ongoing relationship between your business and your most influential audience, including customers, media, investors, employees, family, suppliers, and so on. A brand is created from the inside out, from the CEO to the administrative assistant.

So stay ahead of the pack and start building your business identity today.

Justin Morris is a Managing Partner of LEADApparel.com. LEADApparel.com offers first class Screen Printing & Embroidery services, custom clothing including printers t-shirt. Companies purchase t-shirts print services from LEADApparel.com at heavily discounted prices. For more information, visit http://www.leadapparel.com

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