There's no denying that 2009 has been a tough year with some of the most testing trading conditions for many a decade.

The printwear and promotions industry has not emerged unscathed, so it is extremely gratifying to hear of companies that are not just treading water, but are thriving.

Blue Max Group is to expand its offering in the protective workwear arena by forging a relationship with DeWalt, the worldwide leader in the production of industrial power machinery, tools and high performance workwear.  

Following an assessment by an independent body, Team Colours has been awarded ISO 9000 Certification.

The award recognises Team Colours' commitment to an exceptional quality of service. With only around 3% of UK businesses holding this Certificate, Team Colours are now at the forefront of quality service and customer care.

Anatol, which makes screen presses for textiles, has appointed GK Marketing Services Ltd as their UK distributor.

GK Marketing was established in 1984 to supply heat applied transfers for the decoration of Plastic products. Since then it has grown to offer an extensive range of print-related products and services.

BTC Group has won an exclusive contract to supply Coca-Cola Enterprises with a collection of promotional clothing following an official tender process.

To celebrate their 20th birthday BTC activewear staged a staff party to remember.

Sponsored by a number of key suppliers including Gildan, Kustom Kit and Russell the leading distributor invited their staff to enjoy an afternoon of ‘It's A Knockout' games using the original costumes from the hilarious BBC series of the 1970s.

The Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM) has chosen ecocard to provide environmentally friendly membership cards to its 4,000 plus members.

The institute is Europe's leading skills and qualifications provider for direct, data and digital marketing professionals.

The BPMA's annual Charity Golf day at Chobham Golf Club, raised £1,600 for Myeloma UK.

Thanking the BPMA, the charity said: "The event was extremely successful raising over £1,600 that will go towards funding our vital programmes and services. We greatly appreciate the continued support of BPMA."

To celebrate their 15 year anniversary, Europe's largest outerwear supplier Result have announced a new charitable association with the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation (DSWF) which saves critically endangered mammals in their wild habitat and benefits the local people who share their environment.

 As reported earlier on the Printwear & Promotion website, the boards of the British Promotional Merchandise Association and Promota have agreed that the two associations will come together in the spring of 2010 to form one association. The new Association will have a base of around 1,250 members.

Leicestershire firm The Marketing Worx have parted company with their Australian off shore liaison manager, Brad Lower by mutual consent. The office in Brisbane has now closed, with all responsibility for factory visits and liaisons passing to the UK.

The Printwear & Promotion Garment Decoration Awards are back by popular demand and there are a host of new categories. Winners will be announced at the Printwear & Promotion Exhibition 2010.

Digital, offset, screen and other printers seeking in-line laser die cutting for their production lines can now obtain a Finecut Laser Die Cutting Station from Spartanics

Waypoint Exhibition and Event Group, has announced a new national exhibition to support the marketing sector. Incentive & Promotional Marketing Live! will co-locate at Birmingham's NEC, alongside established trade events Call Centre Expo, Event UK and Service Management Expo, September 21 to 22, 2010.

Workwear firm Dickies have won the Highly Commended award in the Bath Spa University sponsored ‘Best Employer in Bath and North East Somerset' Open Award category, of the Small Business of the Year Awards 2009.

Fruit of the Loom has updated the Workwear section of its website (www.fruitoftheloom.eu), adding the latest Fruit at Work photography, plus the easy to use Create Your Uniform feature.

You can download a PDF file containing the full garment specification for your chosen style. Alternatively, you can e-mail the details directly to a customer or colleague.

A new advertising function has been added to Fruit of the Loom's online Marketing Toolkit.

"Fruit of the Loom customers now have the capability to produce their own, personalised, press-ready artwork for advertisements in a matter of minutes, and without the requirement of an ad agency," says brand director, Alison McKenzie.

AWT World Trade Inc has announced the development of a fully automatic screen cleaning system. The Kleen-View Automatic features an all air operated system for screen cleaning, solvent recycling, and safe capture of ink residue for proper disposal. The system includes convenient see through front doors and is available in a range of sizes up to 180 x 24 x 80ins (458 x 61 x 203cm), with larger and custom-sized models upon request.

Award-winning NKD Clothing is investing in its staff by bringing in of the UK's leading professional coaching and training experts. The company has teamed up with leading development experts, Shirlaws.

Embroidery thread manufacturer Madeira have said goodbye to one of their longest-standing members of staff, Linda Kippax who has retired after more than 20 years' loyal service.

A new product with decoration potential has been launched by a London-based inventor.

Greeper laces are the world's first ever shoelaces that can never come undone. And the good news is that they can be easily branded.

Companies looking to cost-effectively add value to their marketing activities need look no further than the new Sunny range from promotional pen manufacturer, Senator.

The high performance, economy, retractable ballpens are ideal for use in promotional campaigns where cost-effectiveness and quality are paramount.

Coolactive has launched Thermocool, a new performance fabric which can be used for a wide range of garments, from polos and T shirts to base layers.

Coolactive, which has previously been using the performance fabric Coolmax, will now be using Thermocool as its main fabric.

Hot on the heels of the new Embroidery Designer launched earlier this year, RSK Tech have released the latest specialist edition of RSK NetShirt - the Print and Embroidery Mixed Design Edition. 

Lewis Print have added reflective transfers for workwear to their range of bespoke single and full colour transfers.

They are available in a wide range of colours and styles to suit the requirements of customers looking for British Standard reflective prints on their garments.

Hybrid Services Ltd have announced a limited time promotion on Mimaki's award-winning, integrated solvent printer/cutters - the CJV30 Series - with two of the four sizes currently benefiting from greatly reduced prices.

American Apparel has introduced a team wear necessity, the RSASKL Unisex Stripe Knee-High Sock.

Made from a cotton blend (80% cotton/15% nylon/5% elastane), the approximate leg length is 41.28cm.

In March 2008, when Mascot opened its own factory in Northern Vietnam 50km from Hanoi, social responsibility was already a natural driving force in the organisation.

Managing Director, Michael Grosbøl explains: "It is important for Mascot not only to create value for the organisation but also for the society we operate in. We do this, particularly, by acting as a responsible citizen and to secure stability in the operation and being a good employer for the employees."

Whether you need to prepare a business plan, undertake a strategic review, or review your forecasts and business plans, a chartered accountant can help.  With an independent perspective and a network of finance providers to call upon, chartered accountants can advise businesses at all stages of development from start-up to exit.

I don't pretend that committing to a day at the NEC is necessarily easy - clients come first. That said, Printwear & Promotion 2010 (see details below) includes a Sunday in its schedule so you don't have to miss a trading day. Still, it's easy to come up with half a dozen matters that look more pressing. I think that's missing a big trick.

Headwear specialist, Beechfield has announced the 2010 launch of the new B920 Morf Hi-Viz, aimed mainly at the workwear market.

It follows the success of the B900 Morf Original, introduced at the beginning of this year.

The Blue Max Group is pleased to announce a substantial workwear portfolio for 2010 which now includes garments from DeWalt's Protective Workwear collection.  

BTC activewear has recognised the massive potential that branded workwear can offer the imprint industry and has lined-up an exceptional stable of leading workwear names. For the first time ever, such iconic names as Mascot, Caterpillar, Snickers, Helly Hansen, DeWalt and Panoply are available on a next day before noon delivery.

Attracting attention is the aim of the new reflective safety wear by James & Nicholson, which is part of the latest safety and workwear collection.

The brightly coloured products are suitable for wear in danger zones, at night or in bad weather.

Giving the wearer the choice of three options depending on the weather and work conditions, the versatile Dickies Silverton 3-in-1 Jacket (JW86900) can be worn on its own and with or without an inner fleece.

Drew Brady & Co Ltd have combined their skill, expertise and many years experience to produce a range of socks aimed specifically for the workwear market and to complement the many styles of PPE footwear now available.

Fruit of the Loom's fleece outerwear collection now includes two styles in bright colours for enhanced worker visibility.

The Full Zip Fleece and new Sleeveless Fleece are now available in bright orange and bright yellow.

Within the Henbury range, there are a number of garments that are durable and practical, ideal for manual indoor and outdoor workwear.

Even in the Industrial Sector colours, fabrics and fit are now far more important to the buyer as well as the end user. 

Sourcing workwear in small volumes from a reliable, single specialist supplier can be problematic. But no more...

Garment decorators are looking for workwear that offers good quality at a reasonable price. A perfect example of this from the I.S.Enterprises workwear range is the Jerzees J010M Workwear T shirt.

This Autumn Mascot launches jackets within its Frontline range and Safe Compete range. As a direct result of customer feedback and needs two new jackets are set to hit the market this autumn.

Workwear must be high quality for a number of reasons, stresses Andrea Charteris, PenCarrie's customer services manager.

Prestige Leisure have a wide range of products available to customers who service the workwear market.

RTY's HV76 High Visibility Bodywarmer is available in fluorescent yellow and sizes from S to 5XL. It has a full zip, mobile phone pocket, two reflective tape bands around the torso and over each shoulder. It also conforms to EN471 Class 2.

The workwear sector provides excellent opportunities for decorators to target all sorts of businesses with a professional look in comfortable and durable clothing.

A recent addition is the Dickies 22 range. Styles include the WD225 22 Work Jacket with chest pockets and stud fastenings and the WD226 22 zip through sweatshirt with contrast stitching and a zip fastened chest pocket.

Regatta's 2010 range reinforces its impressive offering in the workwear market. Using the brand's outdoor clothing credentials of quality, protection and value, the new styles are destined to be a great addition to the workwear sector.

Until now, commercial workwear for trades and services has been neglected in favour of advances in corporatewear and arguably it is this sector of the industry that need to get the most out of their clothing.

In the current economic climate one thing remains certain. Every worker still needs workwear and as such it remains a stalwart of the printwear trade.

RTY workwear has been established for more than 10 years as a major brand in the industry and has a great reputation for design, durability, quality, reliability, washability and availability.

The Russell Workwear Performance range is designed for use in demanding workplaces. Each garment is made to resist high degrees of stress and dirt, and all performance garments (excluding the 017M jacket) are made from fabric suitable for 60 degree wash and tumble dry.

Industrial workwear is a specialist clothing area and often requires a specialist brand that really understands the needs of the user. Davern Workwear and Harbour Lights are just such brands

When it comes to workwear, good quality materials, comfortable fits and traditional styling are the key elements. With its great selection of top half staples, you need look no further than Whytes for your outdoor workwear needs.

It isn't about being the biggest, it's about being the best, managing director Inder Jain tells me as he shows me some of his latest bits of kit. In front of us is an 18-head Barudan. The only one in Europe. And, there are probably three more on the way.

For many businesses the tendering process can be a daunting prospect for those who have not been through it before.

In the modern business world, tenders will stipulate a high level of criteria against a range of disciplines and services. It can be detailed and time consuming; but with planning and some prior knowledge it is certainly manageable.

Set up by founding directors Andrew Talbot and Andy Barton in 1999, PromoServe Business Systems have specialised in providing technology solutions to the promotional products, corporate clothing and print industries since 2005, and have more than 1000 customers worldwide.

Dye Sublimation is a process that is used to create high quality photo quality printed gifts in small to medium volume, also known as "personalisation."

With dye sublimation (also known as dye sub, or subli printing) you're not just transferring an image on to an item - you're imprinting the image in to the surface of the product, so it's permanent.

Whether you are seeking a method of personalising a one-off mug, bringing your own promotional items in-house or broadening your product range, Nova Chrome UK can help.

Xpres was a pioneer in bringing sublimation technology to the European market almost 30 years ago.

Continual research and development has seen its use increase dramatically by garment decorators both for garment decoration and as a cost effective method of personalising business and promotional gifts and today offers a wide choice of printers, inks, paper and substrates for this hugely popular method of personalisation.

I manage a quick "Through the Keyhole" type snoop around TheMagicTouch (TMT) foyer before managing director Jim Nicol arrives to greet me. In the words of Howard Carter opening up Tutankhamen's tomb, I discover all manner of "wonderful things", from transfer printed designer bags and Dr Marten boots to a Pandora's Box full of colourful personalised giftware.

Beechfield Brands is adding a range of new team colourways to its popular teamwear styles, across the Beechfield (headwear), BagBase and Quadra (bags) collections.

Blue Max has announced a number of exciting new team wear garments for 2010.

Hoodies are loved by boys and girls alike and Blue Max are expecting high demand for their two latest colours - sky blue and hot pink.

The stunning KK982 Gamegear Cooltex Sleeveless Sports Top in four popular colourways is produced from a 140gsm dry wicking fabric to keep you cool and comfortable. It has contrast binding around inner neck and armholes, contrast shoulder inserts and contrast curved inserts at hem front and back.

The rise in use of synthetic materials in the garment industry has been inexorable. And with the abundance of sportswear and cross-over garments in the market place, a means of marking was being called for by customers.

Finden+Hales know teamwear. They know co-ordination of product is key and realise the need to be able to select from men's, women's and kidswear.

The Coolplus Piped Performance Polo for both men and women (LV370 and LV371) perfectly embodies the best of teamwear.

Fruit of the Loom reports growing sales of its Baseball teamwear styles within the corporate clothing market.

Changes in technology have expanded the teamwear market, making personalised embroidery, printing and sublimation easier, quicker and most cost efficient.

Once, a badge or a name directly embroidered onto garments would be the limit. With printing technology and the arrival of the less formal sports wear, printing can be a less expensive option onto garments, especially where budgets are limited.

On the sports field or in the gym, the new team wear by James & Nicholson will always look good. The team wear collection is an addition to the sportswear range of Gustav Daiber GmbH.

At Henbury we cater for teams in the workplace, ensuring colour, style and quality is consistent throughout all our products. Allowing your employees stylish and fully co-ordinated ranges from woven shirts and trousers to sweats and polos when a more casual ‘uniform' is required. The influences of fashion trends are playing an ever-increasing role in the design and developments of styles for the work wear market.  Colours, fabrics and fit are now far more important to the buyer as well as the end user. 

The brand-new Club Wear collection from Hanes has been developed for all teams and organisations needing their own look.

What's more, they can now emblazon their logo or emblem not just on any old T-shirt but on a genuine branded article. In a nutshell, they can display authentic style from Hanes!

I.S. Enterprises offer a large range of sports/teamwear garments suitable for a variety of promotional activities across the sporting arena. The company handle a number of brands including Fruit of the Loom, Gildan, Jerzees, Kustom Kit, Mantis, Quadra and Result jackets and headwear.

Teamwear comes in many forms and although the new JH03 Varsity Hoodie may not spring to mind as out and out teamwear, it certainly, in its very short life so far, has slotted very well into that category.

PenCarrie offers teamwear for men, women and youngsters from a number of brands including Tombo Teamwear, Kustom Kit Gamegear and Finden+Hales.

Prestige Leisure UK carry a number of brands and specific product lines to suit the needs of customers servicing the sports, teamwear and leisurewear markets.

Teamwear is a market Ralawise see as having a great potential for growth in value in forthcoming years. Sport England predict the sector will grow by 16% over the next five years, providing decorators with a large consumer base to target and increase activity with.

Working with teams in the big outdoors? No panic. Whether it's for children, men or women, we'll have a jacket that's more than up to the job. Softshell or hard-shell all our jackets breathe to keep you comfortable on the inside and protected from the wet and cold on the outside - ideal for the touchline and training situations.

Skinnifit has been successfully dressing the nation in Ts and tops for many years, so branching out into the fitnesswear marketplace is a natural and well received progression.

The new Result Spiro range, available from January 2010, provides the latest and most cutting edge high performance fabrics and technologies with products designed to meet or exceed the rigorous requirements of the wearer under tough workout conditions.

Teamwear are suppliers of co-ordinated sports clothing. And because we have a button up shirt as part of our range, we pick up a lot of motorsport and associated industry work.

UK garment manufacturer Team Colours offer their bespoke services to the printwear industry as a vibrant and comprehensive alternative to stock teamwear solutions.

The company produces on-field kit and off-field teamwear to your exact requirements, with low minimum orders.

Tombo has a great line up to tickle those teamwear taste buds - whether it's in the workplace, on the football pitch or on the running track. Tombo combines performance materials with coordinating colours and cutting edge designs to create garments that you'll really want to wear.

UKL exclusive Phase One has a mission to provide matching and co-ordinated teamwear and sports gear for men, women and children.

Wombat has performed well with its two inspirational new teamwear ranges so far in 2009. The Exploration Sweatshirt and the Adventure Zipper are designed for those looking for individual clothing that will set their team apart.

Thanks to Tajima ingenuity - and your own capabilities - you can do more with less. More profit that is, and less room needed in your crowded shop or family room.

That's because Tajima has stepped up the game with new, versatile applications built specifically for its industry-leading line of single head embroidery machines.

Blockmaster are the inventors and originators of arguably the finest and most versatile hand-operated desktop hotfoil printing machine on the market, designed and manufactured in the UK since 1964.

Coventry Silvercraft is at the forefront in producing bespoke awards that truly reflect the image and brand of the client and at the same time honour the recipient's hard work and achievements.

Dunelm Glass has been a glassware manufacturer and supplier of personalised crystal and glassware to the promotional industry for nearly 30 years. We operate a strictly ‘trade only' policy which has allowed us to build solid relationships with most of the UK and Europe's leading distributors. We offer a range of personalised crystal and glassware to suit all budgets, from inexpensive paperweights to bespoke handmade globes and decanters.

The LaserPro C-180 available from Grafityp UK Ltd is a sleek and stylish yet compact all purpose laser engraving and cutting system that delivers spectacular results and makes every job a pleasant working experience. Packed with features it is an ideal starter model for new users or professionals.

In line with their policy of providing the most comprehensive range of engraving systems and materials, Identify have added Roland mechanical engraving systems to their popular range of laser systems.

When you choose a silver plated item such as a clock or desk accessory you are looking for something that will communicate how much you value your customer or member of staff; a desirable gift with high perceived value that will have an immediate impact but also something that the customer will want to keep.

David Pollard, UK sales manager at Signature Engraving Systems, asks: Do you sell Engraving or Personalisation?

The difference between engraving and personalisation isn't immediately obvious but can make a big difference to your profits.

The Speedy 100 from Trotec is one of the finest lasers that will help your business to grow.

Good value and technically mature, the Speedy 100 is the perfect laser engraver for customers wanting sign engraving, production of stamp textplates or the marking of promotional items.

In addition to a wide range of digital transfer systems and consumables for garment decoration, Xpres also offer Metaza printer/engraver machines suitable for trophy and gift suppliers.

Roy started his career in embroidery in 1976 when he joined the industry's then leading supplier Geoffrey E Macpherson Ltd. He began as a young engineer and his enthusiasm was soon spotted resulting in a swift rise to a management position looking after a growing team of technicians.

Ashes to ashes

A lot of people got very excited and England won back the Ashes. Add to that the hoop-la over Freddy's retirement and there was plenty of material for the media to feast on. Only one problem: it was poor cricket. I can't remember an Ashes series featuring so few top class players nor so many sub-standard individual performances. The question is, does it matter? Especially from the perspective of printwear sales, does the quality of the sport count for less than the excitement level or an England win?