"We have always been ethical, right from the beginning, and before it was fashionable to be so," claims B&B Leisurewear (BBL) md Ranjeet Khara. "We've only ever used two factories, one in India and one in Turkey, and we actually started doing organic cotton in 2005/2006, it just wasn't accredited or that well known then."

In today's competitive marketplace, garment decorators are increasingly feeling the need to diversify, with the pressure to offer a 'one-stop-shop' solution greater than ever. But if you are a decorator looking to broaden your appeal and customer base, which areas should you look to?

We're all familiar with the Co-op and its ethical values, (not to mention how convenient it is when you run out of something half way through cooking!), and most of us know that it's part of the Co-operative Group. But how many garment decorators know that Mandate Clothing, the corporate and workwear brand, is actually part of that group? The answer is probably not many, which is why the company has recently re-branded as The Co-operative Clothing, with new values and premises to boot.

Orotoro is the latest company to join the eco revolution, with a retail-inspired range of certified organic promotional wear. We caught up with director Tom Watson to find out more about the brand and its values

If you Google ‘organic t shirt printing', a quick scan of the results shows that only one company really fits the bill: T Shirt and Sons, the Wiltshire based certified organic printer.

With the world's media on constant high alert for ‘scare' stories such as last summer's claim that dangerous levels of formaldehyde were found in children's clothes from China, it is more important than ever for clothing manufacturers to have the correct safety certification in place. Shirley Technologies, a textiles testing lab based in Manchester, offers companies, including those in the printwear sector, a range of expert textile testing, certification advisory and investigation services.

The schoolwear market was a very different place in 1935 when Rowlinson began making school jumpers. And although it's had its ups and downs along the way, one thing has remained unchanged, which is that there will always be a need for school jumpers. And essentially, that's what Rowlinson still does, says MD Donald Moore.

Manchester-based Quayside is relatively new to the printwear and promotional industry, but is firmly making its mark thanks to several key initiatives and innovative ideas. But while it might be new to this industry, its founders, Debra Hutchings and Michael Conway, both have a strong background in clothing and contract manufacturing.

Forget heroes in a half shell, this autumn the new hero for the the Purple Turtle Merchandise Company is soft. The Londonbased distributor, which is best known for its Boost Up jackets and bespoke ranges, has introduced a new soft shell range – Rocks Lane – a high end product for the promotional industry.

With the recent Stag acquisition now firmly under its belt,Blue Max Stag is going from strength to strength, say owners Mary and David Fawcus, with a re-designed warehouse and a strong portfolio of brands covering schoolwear, leisurewear, sportswear and workwear.

This year’s Printwear & Promotion exhibition was home to a slightly different business – one that makes designs for disabled people.

As one of the biggest distributors in the industry, Pencarrie prides itself on its customer service. Rebecca Green met the team and discovered how things are done the Pencarrie way

Sixteen years ago things looked very different at PenCarrie, which started out as a small clothing manufacturer before making the move into distribution.

The Continental Clothing Company has come a long way since it began in 1995 as a one Tshirt UK-based firm called Hardwear. Today, the wholesale blank T-shirt brand has a worldwide presence and over 1,800 combinations of T-shirts and sweatshirts to choose from.