I don't know about you, but a bit of quantitative easing wouldn't go amiss in my own household at the end of every month - and especially after Christmas! Wouldn't it be great if we could all take a leaf out of Gordon's book and just print off a bit of spare cash whenever we felt like it?

With the banks in financial meltdown, borrowing money to bolster a cash-strapped business is just not an option these days.

The Co-operative Clothing have unveiled a new range of Fairtrade cotton workwear clothing licensed by the Fairtrade Foundation, displaying the Fairtrade Mark on the outside of the garments.

Everything Environmental, the UK's leading trade-only supplier of personalised recycled eco friendly promotional and business gifts, is to supply distributors with a range of branded products for the London 2012 Olympic games.

BTC activewear have launched details of their new eco friendly, money saving catalogue programme for 2010 - they have listened to what their customers asked for and believe their 2010 catalogue ticks all the boxes.

Free registration is now open for the exciting Printwear & Promotion Show 2010 which takes place in Hall 12 at Birmingham's NEC from Sunday, February 28 to Tuesday, March 2.

Some of the biggest and most influential names in the industry will be there and it's a golden opportunity to see all the latest products and services and talk to the experts.

Rutger de Planque is stepping down as CEO of global gifts company PF Concept International from February 1, 2010. He will remain an active shareholder.

De Planque has been associated with the company since 1990.

Adelco have supplied and supported Kornit direct to garment (DTG) digital machines in the UK and Ireland for five years. Now, after significant research and testing of various Epson hybrid machines, Adelco have reached an agreement to distribute the Azon range of DTG and direct to substrate (DTS) printers in the same territories.

Golden Finishes company secretary Jacky Gold took one giant leap for mankind when she took part in a charity abseil recently.

Brave Jacky, who was raising money for the Tenovus cancer charity, abseiled from the roof of the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

Since the invention of screen printing by the Chinese over 2,000 years ago, not much has changed and little has impacted on the methods they used. In fact the same techniques are still evident today - the art of pushing ink through a stencil on a mesh has been the system employed without change, other than that of screen material choices.

Dickies (UK) Limited of Radstock, have kitted out lecturers at Somerset College's Automotive Engineering Department with a complete range of workwear.

Specially embroidered Oxford and polo shirts and protective overalls, as well as safety boots and shoes have been issued to senior staff as part of Dickies' sponsorship of the college.

Jim Hopper, who founded Hatton Textiles - one of the UK's leading names in ‘own label' textiles - 25 years ago, has announced his retirement.

Having sold his controlling share to branded clothing specialist The Purple Company Ltd, Jim will retain the title of managing director until the successful handover to new sales manager Richard King has been completed.

The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has learned that banks are imposing a raft of charges, increasing interest rates and demanding personal guarantees as preconditions for lending to small businesses, including under the Government's Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme.

Despite the recession, M&R continues to develop new products and enhance existing ones. According to Rich Hoffman, the company's CEO: "Economic downturns force companies to cut costs, and product development is often one of the first things to go because innovation seldom carries short-term benefits. We think a myopic view callously dismisses customer needs and undermines long-term viability.

As businesses seek new ideas to stand out in a recession, a Milton Keynes clothing supplier has the answer for companies who are literally "dyeing to be different".

This Autumn, Cotton Roots, suppliers of Fairtrade and Organic corporate garments, launched its new range of naturally dyed fabrics.

J & B Sewing Machine Co are delighted to announce the launch of the all new AnaJet Sprint digital garment print into the UK market.

The garment printing industry is rapidly changing from screen printing to faster, cheaper and environmentally friendly direct digital printing.

TenCate Protective Fabrics has launched new durable fabrics and unique multi-layer systems for fire fighting apparel and electric arc protection based on a combination of textile technology and chemical processes, including unique fibre blends and durable finishes.

International Coatings Company has launched its new improved 3820 Direct Print Flock Adhesive for textile screen printing. 

The adhesive is phthalate-free, provides excellent adhesion to most flock fibres and results in a very soft and flexible flock print. 

The electronic Import Control System (ICS) becomes mandatory at the end of next year and according to warehouse management systems specialist, ATMS, many companies are unprepared.

ICS is a new EC-wide development providing for the electronic receipt of the Entry Summary Declarations that are currently submitted manually.

American Apparel have announced the addition of the sporty-looking, fitted zip hoody to their range.

Made from 100% fine jersey cotton (heather grey stripe contains 5% polyester) the RSA2402 has a matching nylon zipper and a matching polyester drawcord.

Myrtle Beach's new spa collection is the perfect answer for taking time out.

The fluffy cotton terry hooded bath robe (MB 430) is made of 100% ring-spun cotton with the best possible absorption. The made-to-match bath towel (MB 428) has cord-structured ends which are ideal for embroidery. With a size of 70 x 140cm, the bath towel is a practical companion for the sauna or pool.

Printers and copy shops are reinforcing relationships with customers and protecting printed goods at the same time with a new range of postal tubes from Rose Plastic.

The tubes have an innovative 50/50 split, which means contents can be removed easily without damage, a fact that is being welcomed by customers.

To announce and market the arrival of their new Spiro athletic and Airdown jacket ranges for 2010, Europe's largest outerwear supplier Result have despatched to all distributors a quantity of their new product information booklets for both ranges to forward on to their customers, agents and representatives.

The Umbrella Company has announced the return of Stephen Reeve as Sales Director. Stephen began his career in the promotional gift industry with the company.

For the last three years, he was field sales manager at Adpads.

Members of Promota, the Promotional Merchandise Trade Association, have voted unanimously in favour of moving on negotiations with the bpma (British Promotional Merchandise Association) with a view to amalgamating the two trade bodies.

It was another action packed affair, with some new boys and girls as well as all the regular crowd. Katz Dancewear, Stabilo and Sensport made their debut. A return of Grays International and POD Shoes made the total 43 companies and more than 50 brands.

Ebenezer Scrooge is probably Dickens' most familiar character. He has worked his way into the language as the archetypal skinflint. Everybody knows his phrase bah, humbug.

Is this going to be the Scrooge Christmas? Most recessions see one at least and last year managed to avoid being entirely to Ebenezer's taste. Or are we going to say the hell with it, eat drink and be merry? Should business be a bit more Scrooge-like? That's a difficult call, because, if we want discretionary business spending to rise - and we do - clamping the wallet shut is hardly contributing to revival. But at the same time, a close eye on costs impacts on the bottom line fastest. Like I say, a tough call.

Editor, Debbie Eales asked some industry insiders for their thoughts on the year ahead. After a bumpy ride in 2009, they are surprisingly upbeat about the New Year, although lead times, pricing and cashflow will still present challenges for some.

American Apparel's latest New Style Guide includes 32 pages of new and classic styles and colours. 

American Apparel is a vertically integrated manufacturer and retailer of clothing for men, women, kids and dogs. All stages of production happen under one roof at its downtown Los Angeles factory - from cutting and sewing, right through to the photography and marketing.

Now in its twenty-third year, and with over a million pounds worth of investment under its belt, Blue Max is in a position to shout from the rooftops about its commitment to quality.

The journey starts with the launch of 2010 brochure, carrying the bold strap line "Quality Every Where you Look".

For 2010 BTC activewear is offering an exciting new format for their end-user catalogue - CataLite, a lighter, greener, less expensive document that still features their complete 2010 collection.

Front Row is all about leisure. Be it rugby, sailing or walking, just being outdoors is what matters most and our clothing collection provides all the gear you need.

Whether you choose from Front Row's authentic rugby shirts which stand the test of time or our extra special supersoft cotton with a luxuriously soft handle making it a delight to wear, all are comfortable, practical and above all thoughtfully created.

The "Seasons of Elms & Elms" 2010 leisurewear catalogue contains 200 carefully selected products, all ideal for decoration from leading brands such as Gildan Activewear, Fruit of the Loom, Regatta, Result and B&C.

The new Finden+Hales 2010 brochure looks set to continue the immense success of the 2009 issue with the brand cementing their reputation of offering the best range of totally co-ordinated teamwear in the marketplace.

Beauty, strength and durability. Together, these qualities make Gildan the industry's premier sweatshirt brand.

With the addition of the adult crewneck sweatshirt, our Heavy Blend category weighs in at 270g/m2, offers six styles and 26 eye popping colours.

Keeping it Simple 2010, the new 104-page catalogue, captures Fruit of the Loom's uncomplicated approach to customer satisfaction.

Themed on the simple pleasures in life - a spot of gardening, an afternoon's fishing, a morning coffee, playtime in the woods - it lets the company's market-leading activewear speak for itself.

The latest James & Nicholson Workbook by Gustav Daiber GmbH is teeming with action.

The High Performance chapter is a special highlight. It presents products with innovative extras and the new icon Fashion 4 Family offers products for the whole family.

Hanes 52-page 2010 brochure features 80 models in more than 60 stylish colours with three new product lines - Hanes Tagless, Tagless sports and Tagless organic.

Tagless stands for high impact products in leading edge fabrics. Customers can choose between seven new models: a crew neck for men, women and children, a V-neck for men and women and a long sleeve for men and women.

This year we have ventured to the Cote D'Azur and even the surprisingly sunny banks of the River Clyde to bring you a vibrant 2010 brochure. With some fabulous additions to the range, the Henbury label, as ever, represents quality, innovation and design in the world of corporate, promotional and workwear clothing.

The Larkwood Baby and Toddler Collection offers the cutest range around.

It uses the softest of fabrics and the gentlest of styling to ensure that they are always comfy to wear and easy to get on and off.  

The 2010 brochure has 100 pages of detailed brand information and comes in an A4 portrait format. It features 10 brands including Bagbase, Big Hits, Fruit of the Loom, Gildan, Jerzees Colours, Kustom Kit, Mantis, Quadra, Result and Result Headwear. Several new items have been added for 2010.

M&R is the world's largest maker of screen printing equipment, with a wide range of presses, dryers, and ancillary equipment.

M&R also make the i-Dot direct-to-garment printer, the i-Screen computer-to-screen imaging system, and the new Alpha 8 oval textile press.

For 2010, The Marketing Worx has two brochures, one trade and one for end user marketing use. Both brochures are A5 in format and contain 16 pages of product and information.

The trade brochure features bespoke promotional products in a clear and informative format. All of the illustrations are products supplied by the company in the last 18 months.

Mascot's latest brochure is hot off the press. This fantastic 88-page full colour brochure showcasing all the company's new products and best sellers is now available.

A different "face" presents each range of products and gives the readers a little insight into why they all wear Mascot Workwear.  It is easy to see the New products as they have a larger representation and new colours are noted also.

Teddy bears have been a lovable gift ever since they were named after the American President Theodore Roosevelt, whose nickname was Teddy, back in 1902.  

Teddy bears have continued to be a prized possession by young and old and are an excellent gift for any occasion.  

PenCarrie's new brochure for 2010 features more than 250 new products and five exciting new brands.

The new brands are Craghoppers (outdoor adventure clothing), Dunlop Workwear, Lee Cooper Workwear and KooGa (professional standard rugby kit).

As one of the industry's leading distributors, flexible, responsive and friendly service with next day delivery is what you will get on our extensive range of brands now totalling 48 with the addition of Adidas Golf, Craghoppers and Lee Cooper.

Building on its outdoor clothing brand credentials of quality, affordability and style, Regatta's all-encompassing new range, featured in the 2010 brochure, continues to lead the way in the promotional, corporatewear and workwear markets.

THE 2010 catalogue includes a welcome and note page, contents page, polo shirts, sweatshirts, T shirts, ladies fitted tops, then a bespoke section and, of course, terms and conditions.

There is a detachable order form for ease of use, and information about our vertical manufacture unit.

At Russell Europe we're a family. So for 2010 we have taken the decision to show all our brands in one great directory.

Our brands are different in many ways, but the same in others. Different in the fact that they cover promotional wear, schoolwear, workwear and corporate wear but the same in the way they reflect our outlook and the things that are important to us. Our garments have a purpose, so cutting edge fashion we aren't - contemporary however, we very definitely are.

The Result Clothing catalogue clearly illustrates all 143 products in great detail by using both product only and lifestyle photography.

A double page spread has been dedicated to each product within the range, with clearly defined user friendly information that includes full product specifications, sizes, colours, product usage suitability and decorators access points.

Skinnifit 2010 is funky, fresh and fun and continuing to go from strength to strength. Their commitment to offering garments that people really want to wear is clear with this retail-inspired brochure.

The new Stedman catalogue stands out with its handy size and unique design. It continues last year's look in one respect: the cool image. You will find one product per spread explaining everything you need to know about each style: weight, sizes, colours, material, reference number and the number of items per box. While the three categories men, women and juniors are still in place, as always, you can have a closer look at a large photo of each product.

The Tombo 2010 brochure shows a range of dynamic, fresh and energetic clothing for the sports and teamwear sector. 

Tombo 2010 is bigger, bolder and brighter with new products and new colours throughout. The format is similar to last year's but the bigger A4 size creates a much stronger team and sportswear message.

For 2010 we have introduced three separate brochures to assist in simplifying the different technologies available.

For 2010, UKL's 324 page brochure format provides easy navigation with many new styles from the brands.  

The brochure has five unpriced versions suitable for overprinting, key collection brochure containing core styles and also mini category brochures. To make life easy UKL can also print matching customer specific price lists to match the chosen unpriced brochure.

Towel City offers a fabulous collection of towels, robes and bathwear accessories, which are easy to decorate with trademarks, logos, designs or motifs to promote your brand.

All of our bath and sports towels are Oeko-Tex approved, so you can be confident that they really are as good as they feel. There are three qualities that cater for different levels.

Victory Design's new 2010 catalogue and wall chart is now available. Victory Design specialises in supplying heat applied transfer films for garment personalisation along with equipment and software.

Immaculately dressed, with carefully matched accessories, Jill Granger breezes into her Colchester office with a warm smile and a polite inquiry about my journey. She sympathises when I say it's been awful. An hour stuck on the M25. Jill is at once, friendly and down to earth.

We are all lucky enough to work in a business community where communication is quick and easy. Surrounded by email, the internet and mobile phones, doing business across a city, the country or the world is now possible without leaving your office.

Visitors and manufacturers attending the BTC Group private Promotional Merchandise Exhibition at the new Wembley Stadium on October 21 were all agreed on one thing, according to the company's senior marketing manager, Jon Birrell. This was arguably the best private show ever produced within the industry. Attendees arriving at the magnificent stadium were greeted by the massive bronze statue of England hero Bobby Moore standing proudly at the entrance. From the marbled halls of the reception area up to the impressive Bobby Moore Room, it was first class all the way.

Specialist headwear brand, Beechfield has almost doubled its knitted hat offering with the launch of six new styles for 2010, available from the end of November for the winter headwear season.

With the introduction of the brand new DeWalt workwear range for 2010, the Blue Max headwear range now boasts five styles.

DeWalt's stylish knitted beanie hat featuring the trademark yellow logo is a must for every outdoor worker. Made from a wool and polyester mix it has a fleece lining for added warmth.  

BTC activewear offer a wide variety of headwear including the comprehensive collection from Result.

The Urban Cameo Cap - ideal for embroidery - comes in 100% cotton twill, is available in three camouflage colourways, with a pre-curved short peak and stitched eyelets.

International Insignia is different to most promotional clothing companies in that they decided early in their development to focus on headwear, rather than offering the full range of promotional garments, although they are pleased to supply other garments when required.

I.S.E. offers a range of headwear suitable for varying needs from the innovative Result TECH Performance range. The collection is fully waterproof, breathable and affordable, making it the ideal choice for customers.

Mascot Workwear, Europe's largest privately owned manufacturer of workwear produce Mascot Complete, a range of accessories you simply can't live without. 

Included are a large number of hats and hoods. Very popular with tradesmen in the UK is the Mascot Kisa knitted hat. Made from 30% wool the Kisa hat provides the perfect way for tradesmen to keep the winter cold out on early mornings on site. 

PenCarrie stocks an impressive collection of headwear, most of it from Beechfield. "Beechfield has an excellent feel for what is needed by promotions people and develops headwear that decorators can work with easily. New designs are always right on-trend and have tremendous appeal to the public at large," explains Andrea Charteris, customer services manager. 

Our comprehensive collection of quality headwear covers every requirement whether it be for work, school, sport or fashion.

New for this year from Beechfield is the B900 Morf. Available in four colourways and made of 95% microfibre polyester and 5% elastane this is the most versatile product in the market place which can be worn in any number of ways.

Headwear has become a key sector in the embellishment industry, with decorators not only providing headwear for standalone sales, but also benefiting from increased orders by offering hats and accessories as add-ons.

Urban styles and earthy colours including camo make up the exciting range of headwear products available from the Result Headwear Company.

Fashionable and easy to decorate the new RC72 five panel Printers Plush Cotton Cap is made from plush finish cotton with a sandwich contrast colour pre-curved peak, fabric size adjuster and polished metal buckle.

Looking for something a bit different in a promotional cap or hat? Can't find what you are looking for? Well the promotional headwear market has been turned on its head because that problem now has a solution.

Hair-pulling items such as umbrellas, golf bags, swim suits, and bags can now be done quickly and easily by with the use of specialty platens and specific types of heat-seal machines that allow for the positioning of awkward shapes. In other words, now you can say yes to once-difficult items, giving your shop a competitive edge and another avenue to increased revenue. 

Having ethical aspirations is all well and good in business, but in order to convey your good intentions to customers - current and potential - you really need recognition from credible and trusted organisations. After all, any supplier can claim that its products are ethically sourced and/or produced with minimal impact to the environment, but customers will want proof of this. Without the stamp of approval from a recognised organisation, your good intentions could end up being an empty gesture.

The latest Blue Max brochure offers a range of continental style café wear in a high quality poly/cotton twill. The aprons offer style, combined with quality and value, and are perfect for any catering establishments who require their staff to appear smart and stylish at front of house. The MaxiBar is 31" in length and the MiniBar is the shorter version at 14" in length. Both feature open pockets and a separate pen pocket and offer a choice of seven colours. Tabards are also available in six adult sizes and are generously cut for more protection.

BTC activewear offers the complete Bargear range of garments, many featuring 3% Lycra for a comfort fit.

These include the stylish ladies short sleeved bar shirt featuring a concealed placket, shirt tail bottom and a soft fused mandarin collar.

Fruit of the Loom offers a precisely targeted hospitality wear range that is perfect for staff working in bars, pubs, restaurants, hotels, cafes, wine bars, takeaways etc.

Fruit at Work styles can be found on the updated Workwear section of the Fruit of the Loom website (www.fruitoftheloom.eu), and in the 20-page Fruit at Work: bars/restaurants/hotels/cafés/takeaways brochure.

Greeper laces, a new footwear invention that is the world's first permanently tied shoelaces which can never come undone, has been praised by the hospitality wear market for its health and safety, and promotional marketing benefits.

Workwear for the health and beauty sector has to withstand a lot of dirt - that's why it's frequently washed at hot temperatures. At the same time you need to be able to move around freely and look good. In the new Safety & Workwear Collection of Gustav Daiber GmbH all of these features are combined. Not only is the collection hard wearing, but it's good looking and easy to embroider.

Companies who use different colours and styles to differentiate between staff roles or levels will find that the Henbury Business Wear Collection offers a totally co-ordinated range.

There is unparalleled choice in design and colour for both men and women.

I.S.Enterprises (I.S.E), the Colchester-based promotional clothing company, caters for the middle to top end of the market supplying to companies requiring a longterm reliable source of supply of corporate and workwear.

I.S.E. handles a variety of different brands including, Fruit of the Loom, Gildan, Jerzees, Kustom Kit, Quadra, Mantis and Result jackets and headwear.

Employing around 1.7m people the British hospitality sector is thought to be worth between £55-£60 billion a year and now Kustom Kit has put all of its experience as the leading brand for corporate wear into developing an exciting new range of clothing for this vast industry.  Bargear is a collection of fashionable yet functional tailoring designed specifically for staff in the hospitality sector and as the perfect base for bar, restaurant or hotel logos. Inspired styling details and innovative stretch fabrics provide greater comfort and performance to ensure staff will always ‘serve in style'. Now decorators have a really stylish, performance led range of products to offer their customers operating in the hospitality industry.

PenCarrie offers a wide choice of hospitality wear. The range includes chefswear (from Premier); also shirts, aprons and tabards (from Kustom Kit Bargear, Henbury and Premier); and more formal corporate style shirts, ties and scarves (from Russell Collection and also Premier).

Prestige Leisure UK Ltd have something for everyone in their Brochure Collection.

New product from Kustom Kit includes the KK137 for men and KK737 for women. These hospitality long sleeved waistcoat shirts are made of 57% cotton, 40% polyester and 3% lycra. Features include an adjustable belt with buckle fastening at the back, two pockets on the lower front, a V-shaped front hem and a straight hem at the back.

The hospitality industry offers a market with huge potential for decorators due to the wide range of environments that products can be sold into. From traditional shirts, aprons and trousers to accessories such as ties, scarves and waistcoats, there's an extensive range available to suit every customer's needs.

Here at Russell we pride ourselves in creating garments that reflect the quality of the organisation that wears it.

First impressions are everything, particularly in hospitality, but the lasting impression of quality, durability, ease of care and value for money are a purchaser's bottom line. Our range of products are all carefully designed to deliver both style and quality in equal measure.

The right impression makes all the difference in the hospitality trade. Very much like the surroundings and décor, the staff uniform or dress code can speak volumes about the style and sort of establishment itself.

Listawood's Business in a Box initiative makes it possible for companies such as printers, copy shops, engravers and signmakers become distributors of branded merchandise without having to invest anything more than a little of their time.