By now, everyone has unfortunately become accustomed to the words pandemic, social distancing, shelter-in-place, and working remotely. While it is true that we are still grappling with COVID-19, it is vital to try and remain optimistic as the second wave of the virus begins to rear its ugly head. As a result, people are turning to items that bring them solace and comfort. Apparel and outerwear are no exception—especially as the holidays approach and people are spending more time outdoors to connect with family, friends, and coworkers. Plus, essential workers continue to be at the forefront of the pandemic and are gearing up for a busy holiday season.
According to Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom, 42 percent of the U.S. labor force is now working from home full-time. Bloom calls this the new “working-from-home” economy and predicts it will continue long past the pandemic itself. This workforce craves clothing that is appropriate to participate in a Zoom call from the home office, and then take the family pet and/or children outside for some fresh air.
Tiffany Anderson at DRI DUCK discusses this need for comfortable attire. “The change to work-from-home for a lot of people has helped drive that trend, but we’re also seeing folks from our core industries, like construction and agriculture, who are looking for that comfort aspect in their workwear,” she states. “Workwear is historically restrictive, so we take extra steps to make soft yet durable fabrics and added movement features to provide full range of motion on the jobsite.”
Storm Duds Raingear’s Meredith O’Brien expands on Anderson’s thoughts. “Just like everything in 2020, Covid-19 is driving trends in promotional products,” she comments. “People are home more, spending more time outdoors and taking advantage of home delivery services, contactless pick ups, and more. This has been a factor in our poncho sales, which have been through the roof.”
Fortunately, the demand for workwear also remains strong. “The demand for workwear hasn’t slowed down,” Anderson at DRI DUCK maintains. “The bulk of those businesses who source workwear are considered essential, so they are still going out and working in the elements every day. For our more casual categories, like our exclusive Mountain Fleece™, we’re also seeing an increase in demand due to end-of-year holiday gifting.”
DRI DUCK has rolled out a new workwear collection called POWER MOVE™ that features three feature-loaded canvas styles with enhanced movement built for hard work, Anderson notes. “A few of those movement features includes our Flex Action back for full range of movement across the shoulders and Flex Action articulated elbows to prevent sleeve ride-up,” she elaborates. “One of our most popular styles in that category has been our 5060 Yukon Flex, which also boasts four-way stretch canvas with water-resistance for ultimate comfort and protection on the job. In our best-selling Mountain Fleece™ collection, our new 7355 Brooks and 9345 Cypress Sherpa fleeces have been extremely popular. These fleeces provide anti-pill and anti-static performance with high-end styling, all at an affordable price.”
Over at Storm Duds Raingear, the company is relying on its best-selling poncho. “The tried and true style 1000, heavy duty poncho has continued to be a top seller with our billboard poncho style 1400 close behind,” O’Brien comments. “In third place is our emergency poncho where first responders and medical professionals have been using them to cover their PPE.”
Next Level Apparel has introduced some cozy women’s tops for working—or relaxing—on the homefront. The women’s heavyweight long sleeve crop is made of super soft, pre-washed, 100 percent combed ring-spun cotton. It has a drop shoulder sleeve with ripped cuff, and is available in black, white, dark heather gray, desert pink, midnight navy, military green, and red. The eco performance V is constructed from an eco-friendly fabric made with 70 percent recycled material, and comes in black, white, heather black, cardinal, dark heather gray, heather red, sapphire, heavy metal, midnight navy, and royal pine.
Unisex clothing is what’s new from Charles River Apparel. The women’s and men’s mystic sweater hoodie is available in black, heather gray, and navy heather. The women’s version is made of 72 percent bio-based carbon and recycled materials—with a moisture wicking and anti-fog coating to allow for all-day comfort. The men’s style is constructed of 60 percent cotton/40 percent polyester and is an ideal transitional piece from work to play. The unisex Sherpa full zip comes in black, gray, and navy. Made from 100 percent polyester shearling, it features a full zip styling for easy on and off, a modern self-fabric mock neck, welt pockets for a clean look, and rib knit sleeve cuff and bottom hem for a comfortable fit. Finally, the unisex heathered fleece quarter zip hoodie—available in charcoal heather, light gray heather, and oatmeal heather—is made of 100 percent polyester sweater fleece, brushed on the inside for added comfort and warmth, and yarn-dyed to produce that unique heathered appearance.
Suppliers agree it is important to educate clients on the value of apparel and outerwear during these challenging times. Anderson at DRI DUCK says the company spends a great deal of time educating its customers about the value proposition of selling DRI DUCK, especially in the workwear category. “In a category that is traditionally on the higher end of the price spectrum, we find ourselves positioned close to 38 percent less wholesale than the competition,” she says. “It’s also a good reminder that distributors are looking to provide high-quality/high-perceived value solutions to their customers this year, all while being respectful of budgets.”
Ponchos are a great alternative to a company looking for rain wear but need affordability and don’t want the hassle of sizing. O’Brien at Storm Duds Raingear adds. “One size fits most!” she enthuses. “There are so many opportunities for poncho sales—from delivery drivers to grocery store employees, curb side pickups, landscapers, medical professionals doing outside clinics, sports teams, and more.”
One thing is clear during such uncertain times: cozy, comfortable clothing and outerwear is a must in order to boost morale and raise spirits while offering layers of protection from the elements!