With its reputation for the production of high quality garments for the workplace, Blue Max now offers a range of caféwear, which is both stylish and durable.

Blue Max tabards are made from a 245gsm 65/35% polycotton, making them extremely durable and hardwearing.

Last year UKL added the Authentic Cherokee Workwear range, which has been extended for 2007 to include tunics as well as the core scrub style range.

Also joining 2007’s expanded workwear range is American giant Dickies. Founded in Texas in 1922, Dickies has grown from its humble beginnings as bib and brace manufacturers to one of the most internationally recognised workwear brands.

A positive first impression created by a smart, uniformed workforce can go a long way to ensuring the success of a business. With this in mind, 2007 sees many new styles added to the Ralawise corporate and workwear ranges. This includes the Fruit of the Loom corporatewear range. The range of work shirts, including the SS118, is expected to prove very succesful, in eight new styles with male and female versions (see Fruit of the Loom section for details).

Premier’s products are firm favourites with Ralawise customers. One of the key sellers is the PR260 light blue Ottoman weave double cuff shirt. The brand also specialises in workwear, with a range of products for the hospitality and industrial sectors, like the PR150 Colours bib apron, which is available in 28 colours.

“Pinnies make a practical choice when bar, café and restaurant owners set out to provide clothing for their customer-facing staff,” says Andrea Charteris, customer services manager for PenCarrie, which stocks an array of aprons for the sector. Most are made by Premier, such as the PR150 Colour Bib Apron, but there are other designs too, such as TR83 and TR84 from Tour Collection, which let staff fly the flag for the home nations when sporting events are screened at the pub. For kitchen staff, PenCarrie also stocks high quality chef attire from Premier, including jackets, trousers, skull caps and neck scarves, all unisex in design.

The new 2007 portfolio from BTC Activewear now includes a number of extra new brands, including Medline – an exciting range of workwear garments offering excellent quality to the healthcare market.

Promotional products distributor LSi Gifts has taken a new approach to catalogue production aimed at reducing its carbon footprint. Using the CreateCatalogue tool from Industry Software, LSi can now produce personalised PDF catalogues that can be emailed out to individual customers as an alternative to the more traditional bulky paper catalogues.

‘Green’ promotional items firm Eco Incentives is helping businesses carry a stronger marketing message with the launch of a range of recycled and eco-friendly bags.

Blue Max is to introduce a new collection of football strips under the Medallion label this season, which it hopes will appeal to both garment decorators and children.

The current craze for charity T-shirts and hoodies, sparked off by the reality TV show WAGs Boutique, has highlighted the printwear industry’s ability to influence fashion, claims an industry figure.

The show centres around two rival London boutiques, set up by the WAGs (wives and girlfriends of professional footballers) in a bid to turn their passion for fashion into profit for their chosen charity.

Following a £750,000 warehouse extension project, United Brands of Scandinavia is now stocking four new brands. New Wave, Clique, Texas Bull and Airak have joined existing brands James Harvest, Craft Sportswear, Harvest Golf, Harvest Printer, ProJob Workwear, Sagaform, DAD Sportswear, Cottover toweling, Orrefors and Kosta Boda crystal.

School uniform supplier Trutex is offering free badging on its sweatshirts and a free digitisation service on orders over £10,000. The company has also extended its portfolio of clothing to include corporatewear and leisurewear and is offering the same free service on sweatshirts in these ranges.

The British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) will reveal the results of a new survey into the value and power of promotional merchandise at the Promotional Marketing Exhibition this month.

BTC Activewear has won the prestigious PROMOTA Clothing Supplier of the Year Award for the second year running. Explorer and author Brian Blessed presented the team with their award during the PROMOTA annual dinner and awards ceremony, which coincided with the show held at the NEC on February 20 and 21.

Liverpool City Council has chosen BTC Group to produce the promotional merchandise for its 800th anniversary celebrations. BTC Group will supply textiles, pens and key rings to be sold at retail outlets including John Lennon Airport, Albert Dock and St George’s Hall.