PenCaraie feels very strongly that the key to keeping a grip on the market is to focus schools' attention on the promotional clothing industry's very real USP (unique selling proposition): continuity of supply coupled with excellent service. 

Andrea Charteris, PenCarrie's customer services manager, expands the point: "Schools want consistency year after year in terms of garment style, colour, sizing and overall quality," she says. "Year-round availability is also key as a school may want to re-order at any time: children are forever outgrowing clothes; items get lost and need replacing; or perhaps an identical style in a different colour is wanted for children attending a new after-school club or going on a school trip." 

She adds: "Only garment decorators can offer schools such huge choice with a fast, flexible, highly personal and value-for-money service.  As a distributor PenCarrie strives to support garment decorators in achieving all this: it is why we stock top brands (all ethically sound); and why we make sure that we hold significant quantities of all schoolwear (clothing and accessories), in all colours and all sizes, all year round." 

Top-selling day-to-day schoolwear styles, namely sweats and polo shirts, come from Jerzees Schoolgear and Fruit of the Loom, says PenCarrie.   When it comes to outerwear, including high visibility tabards and vests, Result and RTY score highly. For school sportswear, teamwear providers such as Tombo Teamwear, Finden & Hales and Kustom Kit Gamegear are favourites.  Accessories, such as book bags by Quadra and caps from Beechfield are also hugely popular and are amongst many other items that PenCarrie's customers regularly order on behalf of schools. These include leisure styles for ‘extra curricular' school clubs and expeditions, such as the new Just Hoods JH001B Kids Hooded Sweatshirt available since July (it comes in 15 colours).

Raglan sweatshirts are staple items of uniform for many schools: they are comfortable, versatile and suit everyone, says PenCarrie. Fruit of the Loom's SS8B Kids' Raglan Sweatshirt and Jerzees Schoolgear's 762B Kids Raglan Sweatshirt are two particularly popular designs. Some schools, reports PenCarrie, are adopting a more contemporary uniform style featuring hooded or zip-through ‘jacket' sweat tops and Fruit of the Loom added the SS92B Kids Sweat Jacket to its schoolwear range for 2008 to meet the demand. 

Polo shirts made from 65% polyester / 35% cotton are also top choices for schools. Best sellers here are traditional short-sleeved plain styles, including kids' pique polo shirts from Fruit of the Loom (SS11B) and Jerzees Schoolgear (539B).  There is demand for tipped and long-sleeve versions too, says PenCarrie.

As brands, Fruit of the Loom and Jerzees Schoolgear score highly on all fronts, says PenCarrie. Their clothing is robustly constructed from hard-wearing fabrics that keep their shape and won't pill, with both brands priding themselves on the colourfastness of their garments wash after wash. The clothing also comes in a wide range of sizes to cater for tinies through to teens, with many styles also available in adult sizes. Crucially, both brands are dedicated to maintaining the five core school colours of red, navy, royal, burgundy and bottle; although many other colours are available too. Jerzees Schoolgear underlines the quality of its garments with a Pledge that (subject to certain conditions) offers to exchange any item of Jerzees Schoolgear that does not meet performance expectations.

With regard to children's outerwear, PenCarrie offers a number of jackets that are ideal for the schoolwear market.  A favourite is Result's RS160B Kids/Youths Storm Stuff Reversible Waterproof Jacket (made from waterproof PVC coated polyester pongee with pill resistant polyester active fleece reverse). Good looking and practical, it has reflective safety triangles on each side; and the design includes snap tab access for decoration.

Safetywear for children forms its own very important category of schoolwear and PenCarrie offers three kids' high visibility styles, all of which conform to recognised standards. From Result there are two Safeguard high viz styles: the RS21B Vest and RS212B Tabard. The third style is the HV77 Kids High Visibility Vest from RTY. All three are perfect for ‘walking bus' use; or when cycling to school.

Tel: 0800 252248

Email:  sales@pencarrie.com

Web:   http://www.pencarrie.com/

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