Alo, which stands for Air, Land and Ocean, was introduced to the European market in January 2008 to combine fashion and function. The line blends performance-driven fabrications, technical features and sport-inspired design to create a look and feel that its makers say can be worn for almost any occasion whether in sport or everyday life.

The nine men's and 15 women's styles each feature several special fabric treatments, designed to provide optimum performance for the user.

These include:

• CoolFit, a dry wicking capability which draws moisture away, keeping the wearer cool and comfortable.
• Anti-microbial treatment, which prevents the increase of bacteria and keeps clothes odour free for multiple uses.
• StretchFlex, a fabric make-up that allows a twoway stretch which provides garments with comfort, freedom of movement, lasting recovery and a great fit.
• Anti-pilling treatment, which leads to long lasting wear with minimal pilling.

The range features everything from polo shirts to micro fleece pullovers and technical outwear to athletic pants.

Custom fabrics like Alo's Birdseye knit jacquard, which is characterised by a textured surface with a micro mesh like appearance, are lightweight, offering breathability and high performance. Another custom fabric used in the women's line is the peached knit jersey fabrication, with a soft matte finish and an elegant hand feel, says Alo.

Each style has been meticulously designed utilising sporty contrast colours, special seaming, piping or multiple fabrications.

"Alo is a line for everyone, regardless of how active your lifestyle may be," it says. Alo believes sportswear is finding its way more and more into people's wardrobes as their everyday outfit. "Whether it is for business occasions or leisure life, if you are a sports minded person or not, there is an undeniable trend towards expressing your sportive and active lifestyle," it says. "However, at the same time customers have become more demanding than ever before. Consumers see great choices of performance products in retail shops and quickly discover the benefits of high tech materials with dry wicking abilities.

"The promotional products marketplace changes constantly and is influenced by the major trends of the retail industry. As such, several fabric manufacturers have already adapted high tech manmade fibres such as polyester or polyamide mesh knits featuring great performance."

Alo believes that anyone who still thinks that polyester materials cause an intense body scent and feel like plastic against the skin, will change their mind once they feel their first Alo product.

It adds: "Alo's lightweight fabrics offer breathability and high performance for anyone wanting to take advantage of functional apparel. We strongly believe this is the future in our promotional garment industry."

Web: http://www.alosport.com/

Available through UKL: http://www.uklonline.co.uk/