The chill in the air is here – it starts as a caress in September and blows into an icy assault by December. It’s outerwear weather.
The scope of what is available for your clientele is wide; promotional outerwear today conforms to consumers’ high expectations and also for a wide array of personalities and needs. It’s never been more exciting or easier to sell a promotional outerwear program.
That said, you may still have a number of clients that may acquiesce to garments but want to stick with a T-shirt, fleece, and/or cap, thinking that outerwear is just “too expensive.”
However, points out Danny Tsai of Tri-Mountain, while certainly valuable in promotional campaigns, “A T-shirt or cap is a common giveaway, that in most cases are worn once and may not be seen again. An outerwear piece is less common and is viewed as a premium gift, therefore the life is much longer, at least several years. Therefore, your client’s logo will be seen that many more times, because the life of the garment is so much longer.”
Doug Burkett of Burks Bay, which provides luxurious leather and other high-end outerwear, says that he helps distributors to make their case by explaining that outerwear, especially the high-end variety, creates a lasting impression that conveys high esteem and that is deeply valued by the wearer.
For example, he offered, “John Deere wanted to offer an incentive for technicians to take special classes and develop new sets of skills. Not only did one of our leather jackets get the technicians motivated to take the classes, they created a culture where ownership of this jacket represented a special elevated status.”
Greg Brown of Citadel Brands has an interesting take that may help open the door for you to close the sale: “In today’s market, more companies are promoting the ‘team building’ concept, so providing outerwear as layering provides brand awareness and an additional opportunity.” Additionally, he points out, more companies now are relaxed, allowing the business casual dress regularly, which creates perfect layering opportunities.
And there are other opportunities that are suitable for jacket/outerwear sales. Tsai notes that the holiday season is ideal for outerwear as corporate gifts. “Companies are more likely to spend a bit more on their apparel gifts during their holiday season, as they're killing two birds - gifting and using up the balance of their budgets,” he comments.
How about those restaurants/bars that sell logoed tanks, T-shirts, and caps? They should extend the collection with a windshirt or fleece zip-up. Election season – political party clubs can hand out jackets to donors.
Burke’s Bay recently polled a group of distributors asking them if they had a choice between a plaque and a leather jacket to receive as a reward, which one would it be? “Every one of them responded that they would prefer the leather jacket,” Burkett reported. Then, when asked had they ever presented leather as an incentive, only a handful said they had. When those who never presented a leather or upscale jacket were asked why not, the most common response was that their customers just never asked for it. “We explained that your customer doesn't ask, because they don't know it's an option. You (the distributor) have an opportunity to open the eyes of your customers to new possibilities and your own preference is an indication that the demand exists. Programs like Sales Awards, Years of Service, and Safety Awards are great examples of programs where apparel, high end apparel like our leather, is very effective. Ask UPS and Fed Ex, both are using our leathers to reward their safe drivers,” he counseled.
Newest Trends
Outerwear is a fashion statement to any degree. In cold weather, it is the first layer that others see.
Trend Reports’ market research focusing on outerwear has identified the following trends: multi-functional utility, outerwear eccentricity (desire for individuality, distinction, outerwear with personality), tech-enhanced, naturalistic (back to basics), feather-light function (“more payoff with less material”), alternative insulation (combining novelty and function), fabric flexibility (adjustable material and accessories for convenience”), and “outerwear outlandishness” (fashion-forward inspired by previous decades).
Yoga has become mainstream among men and women who want to follow a healthier, more holistic lifestyle, and Vantage Apparel’s Vansport Zen pullover for men (#3450) and women (#3451) suit yoga enthusiasts. Whitney Robinson of Vantage Apparel shares that testimonials “revealed that yogis enjoy the basics when it comes to their apparel. ‘Simple as possible – not a lot of construction or overly designed details,’ was one of the comments we received. Participants were pleased to hear that the Vansport Zen Pullover is free of extra construction and extremely stretchy due to its 94% polyester/6% spandex mix. Yoga apparel is synonymous with comfort due to the fluid movements and poses that are normally completed within every class.”
Sherpa jackets and vests, notes Patrick Black, president and CEO of Perfect Imprints, “are in practically every retail store there is. Their popularity has grown tremendously this year, and the trend will most likely carry into the winter season for end of the year as well.”
Choices the company offers are: Unisex Sherpa quarter-zip pullover (#PI-283-36703-GP) and several ladies’ Sherpa vests and jackets.
In outerwear, Tsai observes, technical fabrics will always be trending. This can mean in the look of the fabric and/or performance. One of the new technical fabrics introduced this year in TriMountain’s Performance line is the company’s double-knit poly spandex knit. “The special knitting process gives the fabric a high/low textured stripe, which gives it a technical, sporty look and can be found in four new styles: Lane mens’ double-knit jacket (#F7278), Layna (#FL7278) double-knit jacket for women, Lane double-knit quarter-zip pullover for men (#F7258), and Layton (#F7268) hybrid quarter-zip knit pullover for men. This latter outerwear, notes Tsai, combines the double-knit fabric with the company’s 2017-launched smooth layer knit. This hybrid also is found in the Headwind Hoody (#F7060) that has the body of the layer knit, and the popular "puffer" look paneling along the front and back body. “Not only does this create a unique, sporty look, but the insulated, heat pressed quilted panels provide warmth where your body needs most - the front chest and back torso,” he describes.
Burkett observes that “what is becoming more evident (trending) is interest from corporate clients in programs like our partnership with the Believet Foundation, an organization committed to helping injured veterans gain greater independence with custom-trained assistance dogs. Businesses are becoming more socially aware and proactive in giving back.”
Citadel Brands’ Letterman Jacket is offered in the Just Hoods products for an economical option, points out Brown. “This outerwear has a slightly retro look accompanied with color offerings that accommodate many corporate colors for ease of branding,” he comments. “In the past year, the Just Hoods color palette has provided color and style offerings to many of the top Fortune 100 companies.”
As you sort through your clientele to prioritize those that would be most likely to add outerwear pieces, remember the rule of samples to bring: good, better, best. This way, you will be truly “covered!”