There's no escaping the harsh reality that things are getting tough out there at the moment. Every time you turn on the TV or open a paper, you're faced with yet another story about the rising price of fuel, food and energy; a housing market crash; or, worse still, a recession. And while I think that sometimes the media is guilty of too much speculation and scaremongering, at the same time there is no point in burying your head in the sand and pretending nothing's changing.

Printers are moving towards promotional merchandising as they aim to diversify from markets with decimated margins, according to an industry figure.

Quayside, the fast growing Manchester-based clothing distributor, has added Mantis World to its list of brands.

Sunday opening will be dispensed with at the next TV Textilveredlung & Promotion trade fair in Stuttgart. The fair will instead run from Thursday February 4 to Saturday February 6, 2010.

The Promotional  Marketing  Exhibition team has selected a new venue in central London for next year's event.

REACH consultation

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is launching a 12-week consultation on how REACH will be enforced.

The redesigned Fruit of the Loom schoolwear website is now up and running and includes a comprehensive e-catalogue that can be e-mailed to customers and an easy to use Create Your Uniform facility.

Your Embroidery Services (YES), a UK and Ireland supplier of embroidery and digital print equipment, has appointed Martin Dennis as a store keeper.

Pandor Clothing has added new polo shirts and shorts to its range of leisure wear for corporate and promotional companies.

Continental Clothing has reduced the price of its EarthPositive range of organic T-shirts by 10%, bringing them level with the cost of its conventional, non-organic T-shirts.

Leading pen manufacturer Senator Pens has launched the new Solaris Chrome range, which it says combines sophistication with style.

Absolute Apparel has ‘ripped up the rule book' by offering only one price in its catalogue, rather than separate carton, pack and single prices.

MHM Direct is to market and  support the world renowned range of Newman Roller Frames and equipment throughout the UK & Ireland.

Tombo says it has received an overwhelming response to its new IQ performance range. Made from cutting edge ‘IQ' performance fabric, there are four garments in the range, which all wick moisture away from the skin to keep it cool during exercise, says Tombo.

Promotional expert Fluid Branding has launched an innovative new twist on the promotional bottle opener.

Listawood has been appointed as European Master Distributor for Swiss Travel Products, a company which it says has experienced impressive levels of growth over the past five years thanks to an exciting portfolio.

Saf, the organic clothing supplier has launched an information website for printers and embroiderers. The website is designed to help trade customers market Saf products and carries no pricing information.

The fashion retail market is becoming more and more eco-aware with branding increasingly reflecting the trend for clothes with a more organic, eco look, says branding specialist Nilorn.

UK eco-friendly business promotions company Eco Incentives has unveiled its latest ‘green' range of hi-tech gadgets.

The range includes a USB memory pen; a USB flashdrive; wireless optical mouse; mini retractable mouse; and wireless presenter, all of which incorporate recycled plastic. 

A national survey has found that most people believe branded promotional merchandise increases a company's brand awareness.

The Pen Warehouse has launched the 11th edition of its catalogue Pens Galore, which it says is the most comprehensive yet.

The majority of garment films available to customers will heat apply to common fabrics such as cotton, polyester and poly cotton  without any issues.

Final part. 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

Switch on the TV news or open any good newspaper and there it is - the R word. Nobody wants a recession and anyone guilty of talking business down into a hole deserves to suffer alone. Equally we have to be grown-up. We can't bury our heads in the sand and pretend that the doom-sayers are all entirely wrong.

B&B Leisurewear's (BBL) collection has been extended this year with eight new items for men. The new garments are enhanced, original and fashionable, says BBL, and have been designed by professional designers.

Over the past couple of years there has been move in menswear towards more sport inspired designs with functional fabric treatments which can be worn for all occasions, says Bella. Consumers are now looking for easy care products with great durability for their busy lifestyle, it says.

The Blue Max Stag Group, a major supplier of garments to the schoolwear, leisurewear and corporate sectors, offers a wide range of menswear garments - all representing excellent quality, combined with value for money, it says. The designs are deliberately classic in order that they stand the test of time and the fabrics have been carefully selected and tested to be hardwearing and built to withstand the rigorous demands of the working environment.  

The BTC activewear portfolio of menswear has grown considerably again for 2008 across all areas but with biggest growth coming from workwear and uniforms, with particular emphasis on heavier weight materials and easy-care.

Epona has concentrated its menswear range into two main products - the M001 classic cut t-shirt and the M003 hoodie. These products are both influenced by current trends and the hoodie has been updated to a more fitted cut, says Epona.

Menswear within the teamwear sector is all about comfort, performance and the look, says teamwear specialist Finden+Hales. "In a team situation it's important to create garments that suit a variety of shapes, sizes and ages: what works on a size XS has to work on a size 2XL as well," it states.

Men are fickle creatures but invariably their tastes never change, says Henbury. "The majority of men will still be wearing the same polo shirt, jumper and pair of chinos in 10 years time, but thank goodness the corporate and business wear market has changed in the last 10 years," it says. "Men are now offered a varied array of styles, colours, fits and fabric finishes to choose from. The Classic cotton polo shirts are still there, but they now come in a huge variety of colours and fancy and fashionable styles."

Front Row combines practical styles with new fabrics, vintage fits and vibrant colours. A specialist in the relaxed casual rugby look, Front Row offers a number of rugby shirts including the industry's first and its very latest brushed back cotton alternatives.

Jill Granger, director of distributor I.S. Enterprises, highlights the key menswear styles for 2008: "I.S. Enterprises offers a full range of menswear garments, including polo shirts, t-shirts, shirts, jackets, trousers and caps. The latest styles in the I.S.Enterprises collection include softshells from Result, the sporty R120 Soft Shell Activity Jacket and the new R118 Ice Fell Hooded Soft Shell - the company's first hooded soft shell, both aimed at outdoor activities such as cycling and skiing."

James & Nicholson's menswear collection offers everything from casual leisure time clothes to practical sports wear and business outfits, with new products and bright new colours for fashion-conscious men.

Taking its inspiration from the retail markets Jerzees Colours presents four distinct menswear collections: Original, Favourites, Vintage and Softshell, each one representing a retail trend.

Menswear, like women's clothing is influenced by the trends we see on the catwalk and in street fashion, says Mantis. "Both are equally influenced by the music and film scenes and to some extent by what we see worn by celebrities," says md Prama Bhardwaj. "Menswear arguably, is also more heavily influenced by sportwear. All this and many other factors are taken into consideration when we introduce new styles into the Mantis collection."

Multi-brand distributor PenCarrie is delighted at how well the many new menswear styles listed for 2008 have been selling. Andrea Charteris, customer services manager for the company, says: "New styles from top brands are often instant winners; we've seen it this year as in years past. 

The demand for menswear continues to grow with customers seeking garments which are stylish and also have performance properties, comfort and fit, says Prestige Leisure.

New trends in menswear this year tend be focusing on the feel and functionality of fabrics, says Ralawise, with a variety of new technologies in fabrics making them extra comfortable.

Regatta believes that its consumers are still looking for great value but when it comes to menswear purchases the performance and technical features of the product is key.  Hi-tech sporty styling is dictating the direction for new styles, it says, adding that an assurance of this trend continuing is proven by the rise of luxury designers adopting the look for their winter catwalk lines.

The Result Clothing Company's comprehensive range of jackets offers functional and technically advanced products that provide a real performance benefit, says the company.

RTY Engineered Clothing says it has gone from strength to strength in the past twelve months with its workwear, enhanced visibility and high visibility sectors, which are targeted essentially at the Menswear market.

Skinnifitmen says it is the only brand in the marketplace today that is designed specifically for men - and only men. "There aren't any women's products in the Skinnifitmen range, nor any superfluous extra-small sizes introduced to cater for the "female contingent". This is a men's brand and that's the way it's going to stay," it says.

The contest is over and the battle is won but how did you and your team perform? More importantly, how did your clothing perform? With the emphasis very much on teamwear at the moment, Tombo is dedicated to producing menswear pieces that have crossover appeal for different sports while using technical fabrics to help athletes perform better. Tombo's newest pieces reflect the growing trend in both fitness and fashion, combining the latest moisture wicking performance fabrics with strong teamwear colours.

"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."

The Schoolwear Association's campaign to reduce the rate of VAT to 5% on upper body, badged school uniform items is gathering momentum in the run-up to the back to school period.

As a trade association we are continuously asked by our members how best to go about winning tenders and contracts and what key factors influence that choice.

John Greenway MP announced the launch of the BPMA Academy to attendees of a recent reception at the House of Commons, organised by the National Incentive Show (NIS) and Print for Business Exhibition.

Organic and fair-trade have become buzz words in the garment decoration industry of late, says B&B Leisurewear (BBL). But with more and more companies ‘jumping on the bandwagon', customers are confronted with a wide range of expressions all suggesting high environmental and ethical standards, it says.

Bella believes awareness of organic and ethical issues is growing and that customers have a good general understanding of most of the terms associated with these areas. However, it doubts whether the majority of consumers really understand what organic cotton and fair trade regulations comprise in detail.

The industry can't fail to have noticed the impact of Earth Positive's range of carbon-neutral garments launched earlier this year - organic and ethical clothing manufactured solely using green renewable sources.

Over the last year the Green movement has exploded, says Epona. There has been a staggering amount of media coverage and a rise in awareness of the different types of ethical clothing available. Many people now think about where their clothes come from and recognise that their purchasing decisions can directly impact the lives of workers in developing countries.

Just Hoods by AWDis, which launched in January this year, says it is committed to environmental and ethical considerations in all matters including production of its garments. 

The organic/ethical market is still a bit of a minefield, says Mantis World, and although awareness has increased, people are still quite confused by the various terms and the relative merits of organic, Fairtrade and fairly traded clothing. 

As newcomers to this sector, Orotoro says it has found it a challenge trying to communicate to its customers what organic means, its implications and benefits. It has tackled this problem with the launch of its sister website, www.live.orotoro.co.uk.

Although there is still confusion customers are becoming more educated about the organic sector, says distributor Quayside. "Organic and Fairtrade product is available on the high street and people are becoming more aware and gaining greater understanding of the issues," it says. "Press articles and television programs like the Blood, Sweat and T-shirts are clearly bringing the subject to the end consumer."  

Andrea Charteris, PenCarrie's customer services manager, believes most people now understand the difference between organic and Fairtrade classifications. "Some may stop briefly to clarify in their own minds which is which - and whether it is organic or Fairtrade clothing that their customer is more interested in - before we talk through the different brands and styles available," she says.

Prestige Leisure has increased the amount of organic and Fairtrade clothing in its range for 2008. However, customer demand has not been as high as expected for 2008 and Prestige is hoping to see a marked increase in sales for 2009. 

In recent years consumers have become more conscious of the products they buy and want to know they can trust the businesses that produce them. Ralawise is noticing an increased demand for Organic and Fairtrade products, and offers brands such as Okarma and Wombat who provide organic and Fairtrade products for this niche market.

Customers often ask me whether our backing is recyclable, but before I answer, I suggest they consider ways of producing less waste material in the first place.

As consumer interest in the environment has grown to an all time high, so too has that of businesses, which not only find themselves needing to meet the demands of the consumer, but having to do so in a commercial environment that is increasingly shaped by green legislation.

The growth in all things green in the promotional sector is likely to see record growth continue in 2008, predicts Eco Incentives.

UK independent coating and converting company Tullis Russell is making its mark with a new and improved range of transfer papers designed specifically for the textiles market. The trutextile range comprises three different grades of quality transfer papers, each designed to be used with offset litho, screen and flexo printing.

In recent years, the printwear and promotion industry has seen bespoke merchandise dramatically increase in popularity. It seems that the opportunity to design a completely unique item is becoming more and more appealing to customers. 

In 1958, the trade association now widely known as PROMOTA, was set up to promote ethical trading in quality goods within the promotional merchandise sector.

PROMOTA member BTC Group is a company that is proud to offer bespoke merchandise.

The Middlesex-based company was established in 1977 and has been actively selling bespoke clothing options for more than 20 years.

The demand for underwear is extremely strong, both in the promotional and retail markets, says Bella. "Underwear makes the perfect giveaway at tradeshows or other events," it suggests.

Embroidery isn’t rocket science. Today’s machines and software modules automate many of the practices that, years ago, required the skill of the digitiser or operator. But some things still need personal input and by ignoring them you may only achieve, at best, extra cost for your company or, at worst, a very annoyed customer who will never use you again.

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?

I wrote this from France, firmly in the grip of Hurricane Pierre; you know that level of thunder that literally blasts you from the bed clutching your genitals. And the wind! It was a gale I'd only seen previously in North Atlantic submarine films. In an attempt to lighten the air I turned to the Mrs and said: "Is it time for cocoa Number One?"... Wherupon I was advised to ‘Sod off' and make my own.