Did you think Sharon Lee was just a manufacturer of headwear? With years of knowledge and experience of the sector, headwear is a specialist area for the company. Though as business proves time and time again, it helps to branch out and explore new ventures.

This is what Sharon Lee has done over the past 18 months, where it has developed a bespoke clothing design and manufacture service.

Headed by Andy Crowther, who has extensive sourcing and garment design knowledge from time spent working within similar operations in the promotional and retail clothing industries, the Sharon Lee bespoke service allows you to source anything with no limit to the options on fabrics or garment styles.

Andy said, ‘We are known as a headwear company, but we found that people were going somewhere else for their promotional clothing after ordering. We decided to add this service so that customers know they can get what they want from here too. We want them to know that they can get what they want.’

The service allows customers to order a garment style and make additions to it as desired, and depending on cost – determine on how quickly they want to receive the completed order.

The company reports that often, customers will come to Sharon Lee with an initial thought or design but they will want to increase the specifications in some way. The design team will then offer ideas on how the style can be improved and the value raised to the end user, all within the customer’s cost bracket.

Often, corporate end users will want the garment to arrive with added features such as labels and tags that will give it credibility to the wearer. These are services offered, all at a price that is comparable to off the shelf garments.

This also allows decorators to have an option other than plain garments, that will allow for completely decorated and finished pieces (if required) to be delivered direct to the end user. So far, woven shirts and fitted blouses have proven to be popular option, and appear to be a must have item.

This has been mainly due to the amount of pubs, restaurants and breweries that have bought into the idea of bespoke design and sourcing, and the option of having all the staff in a professional matching uniform. This is also easy to re-order as the company catalogues all orders made so that repeats can be easily made.

It is not just workwear that is provided, though this is a sector that has been particularly popular since the service’s conception. The company has also supplied fashionable styles with popular finishes such as acid washing.

Andy said, ‘What we can offer is a completely finished product, we have worked with brands and well known high street retail stores so we know what end users are looking for.’

The problem with customer’s ordering is that the clothing requirement is often left to the last moment, and the decorator is left to source, purchase, decorate and deliver the order in a very short time. When an order is a contract though, orders can run on and on, and this is where bespoke clothing can fill the niche.

Andy said, ‘If customers are prepared to wait 12-13 weeks for bespoke orders on headwear, then they can do the same with clothing too. If they want garments sooner and are prepared to pay a higher rate then the order can be completed in the EU and completed faster.’

So if you thought Sharon Lee was just headwear, then this new addition to the company has not only impressed current customers, but also allowed the industry to have a new facet for bespoke ordering from a reputable name. Contact Sharon Lee for more information on the new service.

T: 01376 552255

W: www.sharonleeltd.co.uk

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