Anchors Away--Offshore Manufacturing: Article for UniformMarketNews.com

It’s nothing new that these days Americans are buying offshore merchandise by the billions of dollars.  Uniforms are no exception.  Any uniform manufacturer—any article of clothing used for uniforms and sold by a manufacturer or a distributor—that has any sort of volume to it at all, is made overseas.

There is no question that the world grows smaller by the nano-second.  That the United States has multiple trade treaties and tariff agreements with other countries, either pending or in effect, is undeniable.  It is absolutely true that cheaper goods purchased overseas have allowed millions of American citizens to have a better quality of life, just as it is also true that our economy has been pumped heartily by those who shop for offshore-made goods—not only at the Wal-Mart’s, K-Mart’s, and Target’s—but at the Penney’s, Sears’, Macy’s, Saks, Neiman’s, and Nordstrom’s, too.

We can debate and argue about geo-politics and economic forecasts from now until Doomsday, but the bottom line is that things aren’t going to go backward; if any changes occur in our present economic situation, they will only be to further the global economy. 

It used to be that supply and demand was a local, regional, or even national issue.  Now, it has expanded to an international one.  Manufacturing is in the midst of a huge revolution; the dust nowhere near settling.  What is so is that production is about the survival of the fittest.  It used to be that the United States filled that bill and came out on top.  Now, it no longer does for many reasons.  Sadly, we are the worse off for it.

It is safe to say that if we went to war with the Chinese, we would have to order our military uniforms from them first, in order to dress for the occasion.  Executives, hotel concierges, dignitaries, enormous numbers of corporate individuals in our country wear elegant attire made offshore.  Very few could dress to meet the public if it were up to what’s left of stateside American uniform manufacturing.  The same holds true for industrial, public safety, hospitality wear, medical apparel, and athletic wear.  Even school uniforms are made overseas—what ever happened to motherhood, Uncle Sam, and apple pie?  With the exception of very few companies, and even fewer genres (such as the band uniform business), most garments today are no longer made in this country.

Yes, there are very fine tailors—but fewer of them.  There are excellent cut and sew operations, but so sparse that those which are of value are backlogged with work for weeks and weeks in terms of turnaround time.  There are small companies here and there—maybe ten or twenty at most in the entire country—who still do custom uniforms to specification, for groups such as Shrines, fancy parades, designer restaurants and hotels.  There are a few costumers.  There are those small factories which are affiliated with single garment operations, such as aprons, shirts, certain dress military or fraternal order uniforms.  They keep going.  But even for them, it’s difficult.

Almost everyone who manufactures in the United States today does private label, because it’s another way to survive—making something for someone else, as well as under one’s own name.   It’s a daily struggle, and while some are doing better than others, the apparel business—which has never been easy—is now harder than ever.

It’s not just the manufacturers themselves, but suppliers that are choking, too.  Since so much weaving and dyeing of cloth, production of notions such as thread, buttons, shoulder pads, etc., all come from offshore now; because the machines are also made offshore; because labor and goods are so much cheaper there; why pay customs and freight to bring all of this into the country when it could be utilized where the garments are now being made? 

Relatively speaking, there is so little production here in the ‘States, it’s easier to job goods onto the Mainland in much smaller quantities, rather than to stock giant amounts hoping that some American manufacturer will snap it all up.  American uniform suppliers, as well as American uniform manufacturers are dying on the vine.    

There are two real wrenches in the garment business in this country:  The first is that there is no real labor pool anymore.  Certainly, there are pockets here and there.  But very few Americans know how to sew today.  The two groups who do most of the actual work are either Hispanic or Asian immigrants.  Truth be known, as they become more integrated into our society, they, too, go on to do other things.  Hiring is murder. 

The second wrench is that the cost of production is so high.  Americans demand American wages and so far, others around the world work for much less, and as a result, merchandise is made for much less overseas.  These two issues alone are killing us as we try to compete in our own marketplace.  Our own bigger manufacturers go offshore, making it even harder for those who are smaller and take pride in putting that little red, white, and blue flag inside their garments.

As the trend for uniforms to be made offshore continues, the one small glimmer of light in all of this is that eventually trade balances.  Water seeks its own level.  As the dollar drops, people begin to think about the United States: Suddenly, it’s cheaper to buy merchandise made here than in China or Central America.  As other countries become more prosperous due to American dollars pumping their own economies, their wages and standards of living increase, as well.  Things begin to even out.  The real question is, can American uniform manufacturers and suppliers stay afloat long enough until some sort of prosperity returns?

Do It Up Brown: Essay for Made to Measure Magazine

Bachman1973/Shutterstock.com

Chances are that when the teacher asked you what your favorite color was, brown wasn’t the first choice.  It’s one of those things.  Ubiquitous like air and water, brown is an all-pervasive hue that just is; as a result, most folks take it for granted rather than think of it as being really special or unique.  Let’s face it: brown lacks pizzazz.

On the other hand, brown in the uniform industry—despite objections to the contrary by navy’s, blacks, and grey’s—has been a staple that has not only been around forever, but commands identity and respect because of its no-nonsense down to earth connotation.

You have to figure that clothing was originally brown—animal skins.  Plants and natural dyes were often in the browns, so as fabrics evolved, brown was still the staple.  When man discovered weaving and color processing technologies, brown stepped back for the emergence of red’s, blue’s, green’s, yellow’s, and so forth.  But in all native societies, brown still held the prominent spot as a shade.  It became the color of the common people. 

Brown reminds us of wood, nature, and earth.  It’s a warm mix of other muddied primary colors, and often borders on yellow, orange, green, or burgundy.  It’s all about comfort, reality, and the inevitable.  Brown just is.

UPS knows about brown—“Pullman Brown” to be precise.  The largest delivery service in the world has chosen plain ‘ole dark chocolate as its uniform masthead.  It’s not fancy like Fed Ex with purple this and navy that; not a food product like DHL—red and yellow as ketchup and mustard on a hotdog; not catchy like all the other freight companies.  Nope.  UPS is basic brown, and the genius who decided on this particular color as the single identifier of the company, knew it was a winner.  The entire world knows “Brown,” as UPS has come to call itself.  Practically speaking, with the traveling, the dust stirred up by the delivery trucks, all the boxes—mostly in coordinated brown cardboard containers—these delivery folks don’t have to worry about too much dirt and laundering; everything matches brown.

Ever bought Girl Scout Cookies?  Do you know how many millions of girls and women are in the Girl Scouts?  From the earliest years of elementary school, kids join this mammoth service organization; guess who the entry level participants are, and what they wear: Brownies.  Any American child either knows or is a Brownie.  (Remember the beanies that look like Hershey’s Kisses?)   Speaking of which, if you’ve been to Hershey, Pennsylvania, you know all about chocolate, and more brown. 

One of the ugliest chapters in history was the German Nazi elite during the Second World War—Hitler’s “Brown Shirts,” as they were called.  But Hitler’s murderers aside (if one may dare to be so cavalier with such heinous memories), the land-based military in more recent times has made enormous use of brown.  Part of this is because of the camouflage with the ground—soldiers are more difficult to see when they match the terrain (lighter tans for the sandier soil, and darker browns for richer farm lands); part of the reasoning is to remind the people what these soldiers are fighting for: terra firma, the motherland.   

During the ‘70’s, brown was “in;” if you can believe it, brown was actually a fashion color.  Between the military look of soldiers and the psychological connotations of “warm,” “friendly,” and “no-nonsense,” several police forces expounded on tan and darker brown tones.  County, state, and city police all went to brown, with the hopes of commanding user-friendly respect from citizens as they politely handed out summonses and tickets: A cross no doubt between the Park Forest Rangers and the Boy Scouts.   (In downtown Manhattan, however, the response to the traffic police dressed in brown was so negative that the Commissioner had to spend $24,000 to change all the uniforms back to blue in order to physically protect his men.  The “cops” became known as “the Brownies,” and were literally either pummeled, teased, or treated as doormen for the finer hotels.)

In athletic apparel, brown goes in and out with style and public fervor.  The Cleveland Browns (owned by Paul Brown); the once St. Louis Browns aka now the Baltimore Orioles; the San Diego Padres: Brown.   

In the corporate world, brown has pretty much followed fashion.  Browns were big when polyester first came into vogue.  President Reagan used to wear brown suits instead of Washingtonian black or dark navy—he wanted to present as a man of the people.  But then it was gone.  Now, with the re-emergence of coffee (yes, Starbucks and cyber cafes are our new national pastime), brown has seen a renaissance.  Poly wools and polyesters are back on the scene.  Poly cottons:  Khaki, a lighter shade of brown, has become so prevalent that certain pants have taken on the same name—not as a color, but as an entire style: “Khakis.”  Of course, all the popular organic fabrics come in varying degrees of brown, too.

One can open any catalogue or check a group of swatch cards and find contemporary browns in delicious abundance: Hazelnut, mocha, toffee, taupe, dark chocolate, cocoa, latte, or milk chocolate.  For the purists, the mundane:  Tan, brown, medium brown, dark brown, rust, or puce.  Don’t forget nature:  Mahogany, heather, hickory, bark, sand, sable, and mink.  A plethora of tones.

So the next time you think about a customer’s need for something unique and stylish, be creative in a down home way: Think friendly and welcoming, low-key and with an image that says “Hey, we’re one of you, and we mean business.”  Brown isn’t used that often but yet when it is, it’s a terrific success.      

Blazer of Glory: Article for Uniform Market News

Just in case you’ve been lying awake nights wondering, there is no difference between a sports coat and a blazer.  Some people will say, “Why, yes, of course this is correct,” while others will insist, “No, this cannot be.”  But the consensus is that there is really no difference between the two. 

The umbrella term “sports coat” is used to define any upper body outerwear that is worn for casual affairs.  Confusing but technically correct, even a mackinaw or a parka could be considered a sports coat.

However, for most people’s and our purposes as well, a sports coat is a lightweight jacket worn with slacks (and/or a skirt in a woman’s case), and while hopefully it has a sense of style and coordination with its bottom counterpart, it need not be made from the same fabric or color, as a suit coat would be.

Simply put, the sports coat evolved from folks who wanted something more casual to wear for sporting events, but still wanted a sense of style and presence; hence, the name.  Before golf, lacrosse, polo shirts and Ralph Lauren, or cardigan sweaters and Nike on the back nine, men were wearing sports coats with ties and plus-fours (knickers for those of you who weren’t around in the first half of the twentieth century). 

For their Saturday jaunts into the woods with a picnic basket, a ride in an automobile to see the circus, or a stroll down the broad way to the tennis match, the sports coat was the “in” symbol of fashion and good taste.   It also became perfect for school attendance and teaching, or any job that required propriety but not necessarily a full dress business suit.  It was perfect for every occasion that wasn’t about a business suit or a tuxedo, but needed a tie for social acceptability. 

Within a milieu of various sports coat styles—some with notch, peak, or rounded lapels; with pockets that were inset or patch, with flaps or without; with various thicknesses of shoulder pads to emphasize a particular fashion focus or time, came a specialized garment that evolved from England (as usual)—the blazer. 

Some will tell you that the blazer was a more relaxed version of a naval coat that could be worn to sea—that it was derived from the HMS Blazer, a frigate from the Victorian era whose captain wanted a coat that was more casual than the standard formal uniform, but had the style and sense of dignity that an officer would wear.  It was originally made in navy blue with metal buttons, was double breasted and had patch pockets. 

Others will adamantly insist that the blazer came about from Lady Margaret’s Boat Club, the rowing team from St. John’s College, Cambridge.  The uniformly matching sports jackets were all in brightest of red; thus, the “blazing” color defined the name.  Who knows? 

Whichever is correct, the blazer, aka the sports coat, has become a staple of our western society.  Especially with colleges and special fraternal orders, they come in solids, stripes, or plaids in order to identify the groups they represent.  They come in all colors, often symbolic, sometimes revealing the hierarchy within a group.  The Masons, for example, display multiple colors as each level of philanthropy elevates an individual up the ladder:  purple, red, grey, royal blue, navy blue, French blue, etc. The Florida Elks and Florida Kiwanis, on the other hand, have blazers that are naval orange to remind us of their flourishing fruit crop.

As for the professional sector, blazers usually come in navy, various shades of grey, and black.  Less frequently, there will be burgundy, red, or khaki.  There are the single breasted or the double breasted, with lapel (notch or peak) or without (cardigan).  Sometimes, they are longer in length, and sometimes, shorter.  One, two, three, or even four-button blazers are possibilities these days. 

Usually, the more conservative corporate look sticks with standard styling and colors in 100% cotton, poly cotton, polyesters, poly-wools, or 100% wools, depending on formality, image, affordability, and the weather.   However, as our world is ever-shrinking, we not only learn about other designs and fabrics from various cultures and workplaces, but we grow accustomed to them and borrow them for ourselves.   These days, it’s not so unusual to see a silk blazer as a uniform, and in a vibrant pink, at that.  Or, something in eggplant, chocolate brown, or rust—especially if it’s an organic, custom dyed fabric.     

Sportswear—the sports coat—has become a permanent part of our society, even though what we think of as more formal or dressy in today’s world was once considered to be very casual.  One would have never thought of going rowing, for example, without a sharp looking jacket and ascot or tie.  And, as a part of this tradition, blazers have become key in our wardrobes.  We use them for everything:  dining out, cocktail parties, work, group identity, image and presentation.  We use them wherever we go and for whatever we do, and as uniform entrepreneurs, we wear them and we sell them all the time.  So, if you do lie awake nights thinking about this ubiquitous item—the sports coat or blazer—hopefully, you can now rest easily, as most if not all of your questions about it have been answered.      

His and Hers/The Gender Gap: UniformMarketNews.Com

There are more women in the world than men, and women live longer than men.  In some parts of the country, there are more female business owners than male.  There are more women in college than men, and there are more women in professional graduate schools, such as law and medicine, than men.  Simply put, there is every reason to believe that our workforce, where both men and women are working, would have at least as many uniform choices for women as men.  But it doesn’t. 

I talked with one uniform company representative today who said that their sales are 90% male-oriented.  We’re not talking deep-sea diving-suits, here.  This is about high class corporate apparel.  Another one volunteered that it was at least a 2 to 1 shot, men over women in terms of sales in today’s workplace.  The sheer volume of garments, styles, fabrics, and items available to men compared to those accessible to women is amazing.  In general, uniform manufacturers gear themselves to a predominantly male population in spite of the preponderance of female workers.  

The why of it, in addition to the reality that our working class society has evolved more rapidly than the offerings of the uniform manufacturers, is largely that women simply don’t want to look like other women—particularly when a uniform is merely utilitarian and without a sense of style.  As one R.O.T.C. officer said when she tried on her new military togs, “This isn’t just about being in the Army; I want something that shows off my figure!”

 

The good news is that things are changing.  Women are being heard not only on the shop floor but also in the boardroom, and there are signs that “unisex” [politically correct for “it’s really a guy’s, but a woman can get into it, too"] is becoming passé.   The supervisor is finally coming to the reality that the “girls” no longer have to fit into men’s pants.

Uniform companies are adding whole new lines directed at female employees coming into male territory.  VF Industries, for example, has come out with an entire focus on women in their updated Bulwark protective apparel line:  A woman fire fighter or welder?  Edwards Garment Corporation has re-styled all of its pants and skirts not only because of changing styles and times, but because there is a new recognition that women are in the corporate marketplace to stay and want to look attractive as well as appropriate.

Microfibre has been a huge player for both men and women in the uniform world.  Easy to care for, elegant, and soft, it’s a fabric that lends high class to a man, but also a sleek, chic image to a woman: Suits, slacks, skirts, blazers, even blouses, have never looked better.

The styles are more jazzed.  In 2007, the Hardwick Company came out with a drop-dead gorgeous blazer that is long-lined, slimming, and made from a hazelnut Micro-suede.  It couldn’t be more professional and feminine at the same time.

These days, there are baseball hats, jackets, golf shirts, fleece wear and casual apparel for gals.  The cap-sleeved fitted v-neck polo with a Johnny collar is a favorite.  Several companies are manufacturing in ice-cream colors exclusively for women:  Hanes, Bella, Anvil, Alternative, Great Republic, and more.   There are even women’s boxer shorts and leggings. 

Smocks:   It used to be that the only smocks in town were for the barber, the dentist, or the pharmacist.   They all had 3 pockets and a zip front.  Light blue or white.  Period.   Now, there are estheticians—primarily women—who are in the business of bodies and beauty.  Suddenly, the uniforms of the clinicians are more svelte than the street-wear of the clients—every color imaginable and in every style.  Not to stop there, lengthen these smocks to labcoats:  Sleeve variations, belts, gathers, and hemlines.  Science will never be the same.

Hospitality and hotel wear are also narrowing the gap between his and hers.  In addition to matching waiter and waitress, host and hostess, front desk and concierge uniforms, there are back of the house ensembles as well.   Housekeeping is no longer only about the drab prison-inmate styled garb, but is adorned with cool, customized, colorized, and spiffy-looking outfits.  Chef wear has added a touch of the feminine for women; aprons are coming out in new colors and styles that take into account that women have busts, and are entitled to look pretty while working.   It’s an atmosphere where skirts and slacks match pants.  Blazers match coats, and blouses match shirts.  Vests are cut with double sets of patterns—for women and men.

A lot of these styling accommodations have been in existence for quite some time, you say.  That’s true.  But what was a luxury before has become a necessity now; women are insisting on having the same number of choices, colors, patterns, and fabrics, as men.  Instead of the flat, utilitarian will-do humdrum schoolmarm appearance of so many of the uniforms in the past, today’s corporations are focusing on looks that captivate and enhance a woman’s beauty in accordance with her professionalism.

End-users know that appearance can make or break a deal; manufacturers are aware of this and have begun to gear up their feel for fashion and practicality in the workplace.  As the years go forward, let’s see what unfolds.  Will these ventures into gender-pleasing aspects of apparel bring more customers to our industry or will they merely be wasted on a group that still wants to do its own thing—where every girl counts on looking unique and different from her peers?

Vested Interests: UniformMarketNews.Com

This month’s edition of Uniform Market takes a look at the timeless vest as it continues to re-invent itself and have greater presence in the uniform industry.  It is without question one of the most economical, yet outstanding ways for any organization to make a definitive statement about itself.

If you go back far enough, it can be argued that the first vest-like garment was worn by a caveman, made from animal skins and worn for protection against the environment.  Simply put, the vest (Latin for clothing) is that which covers the upper part of the body but omits the sleeves. [Add sleeves and it can be called a “jacket—” the two are interchangeable; a coat is too large and bulky to do this—take out its sleeves and it could never be a vest.] 

In addition to its existence as an open bolero style in warmer climates, or as a quilted more padded affair in northern Europe and Asia, the vest has been a familiar and mandatory part of dress for centuries.  When made from metal, it even served as armor during the Middle Ages.  Various sleeve openings, lapel preferences, lengths, and closures have evolved with cultures and time.  Usually worn as a complement to an already existing outfit, the fabric, colors, and/or cut of a vest can reveal a person’s job description and social standing; the garment has been so specifically designed.  

Although decreed a fashion imperative in 17^th century Britain, the traditional vest has gradually begun to disappear as a staple in men’s wear for a few reasons: After World War I when the pocket watch became replaced by the wrist watch, there was no more need for the vest pocket; during World War II when fabric became a premium, money was better spent on the War effort; our society has become more and more casual and formal vests have been replaced with 2 piece suits, or sweaters and slacks.     

The vest as a uniform has increasingly grown in popularity as our low budget economy looks for high visibility in the marketplace. The vest is an excellent way to draw attention to identity.  Because it has no sleeves, the vest is simply cooler and easier to navigate.  No bulkiness, nothing to dirty or roll up, as with long sleeves.  

Further just as telltale vests marked a person’s status and job description many years before, vests of today do the very same thing.  Restaurant and food-service wear will have vests of one color for the

maitre d’ and hostesses, another for the waiters, and a third for the bus-staff.  Or, there is the idea of the front part of the house having waiters’ jackets (sleeved vests), but removing the sleeves (vests), while maintaining the same unique fabric and style for the bartenders.  The continuity is very smooth. 

Vests in the hotel industry go with the most formal Victorian styling by adding braid, embroidery, tassels, lace, gold or silver brocade, shoulder straps, and even epaulets.  Being cut away at the waist, they were once called “waistcoats,” as they were worn under much longer and fuller frock coats.  For a more corporate appearance, the conservative business vest still maintains that fabulous look when everyone was bandbox:  Single or double breasted with notch, peak, or sans lapels and a sophisticated presentation that says, “Yes, Sir!” 

There are loose vests for sports, such as soccer, baseball, basketball, volleyball, and other lower contact activities where heat, cleaning ease, and cost all make a difference.  Screen printing is a definite plus here.  Or, let the colors alone carry the ball.

There are elongated tunic vests that reach the thigh.  This style, having originated in the colonial American South, has the advantage of offering a slimmer look when not everyone has a perfect figure. 

There are even multi-colored sleeveless knit T’s, undershirts, and women’s lingerie.  There is the alternative “vestee,” which is a faux set of front panels set into either side of a coat.  This provides the look of the vest without the expense or the added warmth of extra fabric in the back.  And speaking of a backless vest, there is the timeless tuxedo style.  Best of all, everything can be made adjustable. 

For protection, whether it’s DuPont’s magic fiber, Kevlar, or some other wonder substance, being bullet proof in today’s world hits the mark.  The impenetrable vest is one of many ways law enforcement officers, political officials, security guards, and even teachers find physical protection.  Add reflective tape, remove the Kevlar, and it’s a street scene for construction and/or safety.  Quilt them and you’re outside with terrific warmth.

Whether it’s Wal-Mart, 7-11, Target, Kroger or Safeway, Circle K or Quick Mart, McDonald’s, a Mexican restaurant, Walgreen’s, a gas station, car dealer, or the local school band, vests are everywhere.  Fancy or plain, expensive Italian tapestry or imported poly cotton, Microfibre, cable knit sweaters or fur; they are one of the most prevalent means of visual identity that we experience as consumers.  Check them out in your major uniform supplier catalogues.  From baby Ottoman knit weaves, to fancy brocade with lame, waist length to tunic, wool to Oxford Nylon, buttons, zippers, Velcro, or snaps: There’s a vest concept that’s just right for your customers. 

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