If like me, you are breathing a sigh of relief that the football season is now over, make the most of it because there are plenty of other sporting events waiting on the sidelines to take its place. Just when I think I may finally get the attention of my boyfriend again, along comes the cricket ... or the motor racing ... or the tennis ... or the golf - you get the picture! But while I despair at this never ending cycle of sport, it is of course great news for those of you in the garment decoration industry.

Embroidery software manufacturer Wilcom International is warning UK embroiderers of the dangers of pirated software after it was contacted by a number of its clients who said they were offered illegal Wilcom software.

Tullis Russell, a specialist in the papermaking and coating industry, has launched Texitran ECO, a revolutionary new eco-friendly paper, to its trutextile range.

Beezer has introduced a new low-pill yarn to its 2008 garment production.

Applicable to its fleece range of garments, the Beezer low-pill yarn reduces the pilling effect of the garment by allowing the raised bobbles to fall from the surface leaving a clean, pill free product.

UK and Ireland supplier of embroidery and digital print equipment Your Embroidery Services Ltd, is welcoming back Glen Keeton to its technical team.

Digital open day

Adelco will demonstrate a Kornit direct on Garment Digital Printer at an Open House on June 12, 13 and 14.

The Calvin Klein brand, which has already diversified into the swimwear and fragrance markets, has entered the corporatewear market with a new golfwear range.

Pandor Clothing has introduced two new hoodies to its range for summer.

Suitable for sports or leisurewear, the Sports Club Urban Walk Hoody (style code SC-161) is made from 100% combed cotton with French terry inside and features a high neck zip jacket with a stylish detachable zip hood.

The Co-operative Group has unveiled ambitious plans to expand its long-established clothing business, as it moves into its new headquarters.

AJS has made several new appointments and added a new website and a range of new products for embroiderers.

RA Smart (CAD & Machinery) has installed the first Mimaki JV5 320cm super wide printer in the UK at Image Fabrication in Crayford, Kent and only the second in Europe.

Andy Lunt, director of T Shirt and Sons, the UK's first and only licenced organic printer, has been named an Organic Hero by the Soil Association.

Drucktech has used new designs and concepts in making the diaphragm table - its new pneumatic heat-press. This final solution works very well, said Drucktech, and has proven to have many advantages over the manual heat-press system.

Promotional product sourcing specialist Tomato Source Ltd has added a further industry trophy to its award cabinet by winning the Most Innovative Service Award at the Promotional Marketing Exhibition, held earlier this year.

At the recent Sign & Digital UK show, TheMagicTouch gave a sneak preview of the new software tailored specifically for customers focused on the image transfer market - the MagiCut 6.0.

Along with a new look and a bigger stand at this year's Printwear and Promotion exhibition, Doro Tape unveiled its new textiles brochure, with its biggest ever selection of products.

Denmark print shop Greve Transfer System Aps (GTS) is the first print shop in Europe to invest in the latest generation of ink dispensing equipment from Wilflex.

After 18 months of sustained growth, UK green promotions company Eco Incentives and its sister company Fluid Branding have moved to brand new flagship offices.

Leading pen manufacturer Senator Pens has launched new additions to its award winning New Spring range.

Schoolwear, workwear and leisurewear supplier Blue Max Stag has invested £1M in a brand new 23,000 sq ft warehouse, which has doubled capacity at the Trowbridge site.

Part two. With ethical issues dominating the headlines, we're constantly being bombarded with cryptic acronyms that are difficult to decipher and words like ‘sustainable', ‘green' and ‘eco' are banded around on a regular basis. To try and diffuse this ethical minefield, Epona's Juliet Bacon has broken down some of the more common terms into an easy to use A-Z guide and looked at why you might, or might not, choose to go for some of the eco options available

I often receive calls from customers who are having issues after pressing their transfers. One of the main problems is an adhesive outline around the logo, which is caused by too much pressure on the heatpress.

I will own up right at the outset. This subject is something of a hobby horse of mine. Over the past 25-plus years I've spent in marketing, I've seen the printwear industry grow from pretty much a cottage industry to a serious, mature business sector. During that same period, I've seen radio advertising and more recently the Internet do the same thing. However, both the latter have developed an advantage which still shackles printwear: they have figures to support their sales arguments.

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.

The womenswear market is booming, says B&B Leisurewear (BBL), and with particular strong growth during the past year is now BBL's most important collection.

Two of Balmoral Knitwear's successes in the past year have been in ladies' knitwear - fashioned ladies' knitted jackets and ultra-lightweight, stretch-fabric ladies' sweaters.

Blue Max Stag has developed a range of garments specifically for women. 

The current BTC activewear portfolio reflects the increasing popularity of Ladieswear as a fashion sector, with many new additions for 2008.

EthicStar is offering funky styles in ladies hoodies from stock. With many different colour combinations already offered in its striped skinny fits, purple/black has also been added to the collection.

The growth in the ladieswear market has been well documented and it is hard to find a brand that does not offer products specifically designed to fit the female form, says Finden+Hales. "Gone are the days when a men's small was an acceptable substitute for the growing number of women in the British workforce," it says. This is especially important in the sports and teamwear market where garments are often expected to perform as well as be worn in a team or uniform environment.

Launched in 2003, Fruit of the Loom's cotton/elastane Lady-Fit styles marked the company's entry into what was then the fledgling imprintable womenswear market. The garments instantly became modern promo' wear classics, says Fruit of the Loom, and today they are established as staples of the Fruit of the Loom collection. Tellingly, sales of the T-shirts and polo shirt have increased year-on year since their launch.

What women look for when it comes to corporate and leisurewear clothing is simplicity - a flattering fit combined with a comfortable, classic design, says Front Row. Although it definitely has its place, high fashion is best left to the high street - leisurewear garments are all about longevity and practicality rather than passing fads, it adds.

The corporate identity market has changed dramatically over the last few years and this has demanded that the market diversifies and caters for these demands, says Henbury. 

The latest James & Nicholson Workbook 2008 offers 32 ladylike and informal products for women, with many new highlights and trendy new colours - from casual outfits to beachwear.

Colchester based corporate wear distributor I.S. Enterprises handles a variety of different clothing and apparel brands including, Fruit of the Loom, Gildan, Jerzees, Kustom Kit and Result jackets and headwear.

Kustom Kit offers an extensive range of stylish women's corporate and work apparel that's suitable for all applications, including a choice of coordinating options in a wide choice of colours and sizes. Kustom Kit's flourishing sub-brand Gamegear also now includes a range of sportswear for women with innovative styling.  

1. Has the womenswear market continued to grow over the past year?

Demand for innovative womenswear has continued to grow, and with promo' wear now closely mirroring retail trends, customers have more choice than ever before. The Mantis collection offers 27 styles just for women, ranging from hoodies to basic tees, to high fashion pieces all available to order from stock. Over the past one to two years, the market has turned its attention to more sustainable production with growing interest particularly in organic cotton clothing. The Tender Loving Clothing collection (‘TLC' from Mantis World) offers a range of 100% organic cotton styles in more colours for women as well as men, kids and even babies.

Ladies garments are present in the two ranges of the JHK catalogue. The basic range, the Regular, features a basic t-shirt of 155gsm (TSUL 150) in 13 colours. This is the feminine version of the TSUA 150, both of which are ideal for big promotions.

Tombo's selection of women-orientated sports garments focuses on the current trend of using new performancce based fabrics and new designs.

Brands with an ethical slant are big news at present, both on the high street and in the corporate wear industry. Supply chains and production methods are becoming more and more open due to customer interest, which in turn makes for a more informed market. This means that brands have had to become more accountable in order to retain customers, with some offering Fair Trade goods and other garments made from organic cotton or other environmentally friendly materials.

"Womenswear fashion is ever-changing and it takes a little time for trends on the high street to filter down into promo wear," says Andrea Charteris, customer services manager at PenCarrie. "However, there are certain staple styles that women always want in their wardrobe and these styles are perfect for the promotional market."

The demand for ladieswear garments that offer feminine colours and have a fashionable look continues to grow, says Prestige, and it is key for brands to offer garments which have male and female equivalent styles.

The womenswear market has made huge strides in recent years, and Ralawise believes 2008 will be no exception. With a host of new lines, brands are clearly focusing on fashion, most notably Bella, Skinnifit and Wombat, it says.

The Regatta 2008 collection has been revitalised for 2008 to incorporate better design, with a greater attention to detail to ensure the range is practical and stylish. The new designs for women encompass a diverse choice of new styles and contemporary colourways.

In the past ladies have had to endure a ‘one size fits all' scenario as far as promotional leisurewear is concerned. But with Result Clothing Company's La Femme range of ladieswear, this is no longer the case. The following is a selection of styles from the range:

Russell Europe aims to offer ‘a little bit more' with its womenswear - more detail, more feminine, more relaxed etc. With this in mind its new range of TENCEL® blouses within Russell Collection ‘offer more' in many ways.

Skinnifit has been in the business of offering (specifically designed and developed) womenswear for nearly ten years now, and has one of the biggest and broadest ranges of women's clothing in the marketplace today. Its current range spans vests and T's to hoodies and jackets.

The UKL brochure features a dedicated Womenswear section for ease of sourcing, which is rapidly becoming one of its fastest growing sections.

This year, Bella not only sees a major trend towards longer length tees but also a shift towards sheer lightweight fabrics.

Why do referrals work? Simply because there is no more powerful marketing than a positive unsolicited recommendation from a trusted independent source that has benefited from your business service.

Marketing is one of those odd subjects in business. It is something that everyone thinks they do but in reality don't or, if they do, then they don't give enough thought to it.

In continuing response to the ever-changing wholesale marketplace, the makers of Bella have launched Alo, a technical garment line to address the growing need in the decorated garment industry for high quality performance apparel with a fashionable edge for a busy lifestyle.

BagBase has collaborated with promotional headwear brand, Beechfield to develop a new Teamwear bag range that perfectly complements Beechfield's Teamwear cap and hat styles.

Cricket sweaters in bespoke team colours have become hugely popular, according to Balmoral Knitwear.

The latest Beechfield brochure includes a dedicated Sports section, presenting five of the brand's best performing team and sports headwear styles.

Medallion, the new umbrella brand name for all sportswear lines in the Blue Max Stag portfolio, is well known throughout the trade, primarily for its heritage in the production of quality rugby shirts. Medallion promises to supply whatever design a customer wants in rugby shirts, be it for men or women, either from the huge quantity of stock kept in the warehouse, or bespoke items for teams. Medallion Rugby Shirts are made from top quality raw materials (cottons, poly/cottons and acrylics) and using the most up to date machinery.

BTC activewear has greatly expanded its sportswear offering for 2008, with over 45 garments now available.

Sports' growing influence on retail fashion and leisure clothing is penetrating the promotional market, according to Fruit of the Loom, whose Baseball and Ringer Ts address the demand for sporty casual wear.

Finden+Hales' 2008 collection focuses on coordinated sports teamwear , where each garment can be matched with any other garment in the range.

The Gamegear range of unbranded team wear is designed for a diverse range of sports and the 2008 collection boasts 14 new styles.

Colchester based corporate wear distributor I.S. Enterprises handles a variety of brands, including Fruit of the Loom, Gildan, Jerzees, Kustom Kit and Result jackets and headwear.

The Mantis polo collection is best known for its high quality Stretch360º performance fabrics and fashion influenced style details.

Performance, sports and teamwear is one of the fastest growing markets in the printwear and promotional industry, and moisture management is one of the key performance criteria in the sportswear industry, says Prestige Leisure.

"Sportswear today is about helping people to perform to the best of their ability," says Andrea Charteris, customer services manager at PenCarrie. "Technical fabrics and garment structure clearly are key; but the look of the clothing is also important, boosting a player's confidence and adding to the visual enjoyment of spectators. In our industry, where a client's image is also in the arena, high quality, stylish sportswear is essential."

Nordic walking, jogging, fitness and biking are becoming more and more popular, according to Gustav Daiber GmbH. Its latest James & Nicholson Workbook 2008 features a new running and functionals collection, with 25 fashionable, new products.

Sportswear is always a popular sector for the printwear industry, offering excellent customisation options for a variety of teams and sports clubs.

When it comes to high quality performance outerwear Result says its range of garments offers functionality, comfort and protection for almost any sporting activity from track to slope.

Skinnifit has indeed ventured into the world of sportswear. To some extent, Skinnifit has been in the sportswear arena since it started, with its T's and tops being used for many sporting activities, sports club attire and associated promotions.

When the days start getting longer and the weather warmer, thoughts turn to how to spend more time outside, and how better than to partake in some sporting fun?

It's those little touches that make all the difference to a corporate day or promotional event, says Towel City, and a golf towel is the ideal giveaway item to help endorse almost any brand or company.

UKL exclusive Phase One Performance delivers technical training kit manufactured using the latest sports fabrics, ensuring ease of care, comfort and most importantly the ability to dress all teams from the under 11's through to the seniors and coaches in the same kit. The Phase One range is used by both professional and amateur teams across the UK.

Sportswear covers many items of clothing as well as various parts of the body and, over the years, has become more desirable in the fashion sense as well. Embroidery forms a very important part of sportswear, from both the manufacturer's and wearer's point of view. For the former it is important to keep their name in the public's eye and for the latter it is key to promoting their sponsor or simply in showing that they have the latest version of a particular garment or product.

The England football team may not have qualified for Euro 2008, but there are still plenty of sporting events for those in the promotional merchandise industry to get involved in and generate business from.

Summer is the perfect time to take up a new sport, or one you may have neglected in recent months, and improve your health and fitness.

PROMOTA member LSI Limited knows how busy the summer months can be for those involved in the promotional merchandise industry.

Bespoke solutions are available and in demand across all sectors of the printwear and promotional industry, but for Balmoral Knitwear, the demand is greatest in school knitwear and corporatewear. Here bespoke has become very important for the company, says md Mike Carden, as schools and businesses increasingly want to stand out from their competition.

I'm a bloke, and as such when it comes to taking out the recycling I'm unable to make several sensible journeys. Firstly I collect all the tins and cereal boxes, and build an eight-foot structure that resembles the Manhattan skyline. Then, after some preparatory blowing I attempt what I believe in weightlifting circles is called the clean and jerk. Propelling myself at speed and fuelled by foul language I then career towards the bins. There can be only one outcome, and within seconds I'm wearing a pair of cornflake box slip-ons and fully drizzled in tuna oil.