To cope with the increased demand, Beezer have established a Design-and-Make service - a department dedicated to handle customers' specialist requirements. Either adapted from standard company designs or as an entirely new product, garments can be produced giving the print and embroidery industry the opportunity to use their imagination and creative genius to supply customers with exactly what is required. Cost effective solutions are discussed, while important, yet often overlooked, considerations - such as minimum runs, and re-ordering of garments requiring knits and dyes - are resolved.

Beezer's website offers an interactive colour palette, allowing the customer to choose various colourways to suit specific requirements. Company director, Malcolm Charles, comments: "It is not uncommon for a client to experiment with different colour combinations on a specials garment, and then come to us with a request for something radically different."

The company reports that the demand for more individual garments is increasing across all sectors of the market.

"There is a pre-conceived notion that the demand for tailor-made garments is primarily within the corporate sector," says Malcolm. "While that sector arguably initially led the way, other sectors of the industry, such as schoolwear, childrenswear, sportswear and workwear, have also been quick to realise the full potential of the bespoke garment."

Costing a bespoke garment using adaptations to a standard design gives the lowest cost and most effective way of achieving an individual design. By going down this route, on some occasions the garment can be produced at no, or very little, extra cost compared with a stock garment.

This approach affords a great deal of flexibility with regard to the add ons that can be applied. Pockets, tails, different types of venting, eyelets, pen pocket holders, pads and so on can all be added to a stock garment at low cost.

From Beezer's official collection one of the more common variations occurs with the zipped jacket and the zipped hood - tipping or stripes are available in various colourways and stripe width at no extra cost. These garments are also available as a plain option. A common pitfall facing a customer that is new to ordering bespoke garments is underestimating the required quantities.

"To reorder garments that require special knits and dyes means starting from scratch and minimums always apply. This is especially so for treated fabrics where certification is required," says Malcolm. "It is vital that customers know what is required from the start, as changes can sometimes be costly and in some cases not possible at all. When acting as an intermediate, they must be absolutely certain of what the buyer wants."

He adds: "We receive a diverse range of bespoke garment requests, some of which are unusual to say the least - for example, bullet proof polos, a school sweatshirt with faux polo collar and placket underlayer, pockets with special security considerations, fire retardant garments and so on. While not all requests come to fruition, for a variety of reasons, we do produce some truly unique garments."

For more information call 0116 261 9615, email mail@beezerlondon.co.uk or visit www.beezerlondon.co.uk

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