From styles that look like sports blazers to a hoodie that literally zips all the way over

Transcription

1 Expand boundaries Cruise the Cutting Edge with Custom Fleece BY BRAD RAMBO About the author: Brad Rambo is founder and president of Independent Trading Co., a full line fleece manufacturer based in San Clemente, Calif. He has been involved in the decorated apparel industry for 28 years. He can be reached at brad@independenttradingco.com or visit the website at Throw away all preconceived notions about the typical sweatshirt silhouette; many customers use a wide range of nontraditional body styles with regular fleece fabric. This pocketed jacket-look style has an all-over plaid print that is popular with several brand types. (All photos courtesy Independent Trading Co.) From styles that look like sports blazers to a hoodie that literally zips all the way over the head to create a full mask, there s a wide world of choices when it comes to customizing fleece. Today s leading retailers including skate, surf and fashion brands know that, in order to drive sales, they have to offer something other than the traditional solid-color crew neck or full-zip hoodie. In addition to these retail markets, major niches for custom fleece can be found at resorts and theme parks. Minimums for custom styles have dropped considerably over the years, putting the category in the range of many apparel decorators and promotional-products distributors. Where construction is concerned, the choices are endless and the end result is always a fleece garment that creates excitement among consumers and gives them a reason to buy yet another sweatshirt. When combined with specialty decorating techniques, a style can really become a work of art in its own right one that consumers are willing to pay top dollar to get because it s not available anywhere else. Amidst all offered options, here s a look at the current trends in custom combinations. The basics When preparing to order custom fleece, the more information brought to the table, the better. A sketch, digital rendition or sample will give the manufacturer clues to help deliver on what s desired. Detailed forms serve to eliminate ambiguity and address questions when the order is submitted for manufacturing. Clear communication is the only way to avoid costly mistakes; the information must be exact. Assistance with determining the specs, size matrix, stitching, type of zipper, labels, etc. is available from the manufacturer. Understandably, there is a cost associated with the extra help, but suppliers will also have samples to demonstrate comparisons for a nudge toward the right choice. This custom style has the look of a school award jacket and is totally made from fleece with felt appliqué chest decoration. 64 PRINTWEAR AUGUST 2011

2 When it comes to labels, choices from almost any kind of woven or satin material that can be embroidered or printed are on tap. For many customers, it is easier to list only the name of their company so as to use the same label on their 80/20 cotton/polyester sweatshirts as they do on 50/50 sweatshirts. Customers will oftentimes leave the original label in the fleece, adding their brand name to it as a solution. When considering custom fleece, it s also important to leave enough time. On average, depending on what s required, development can take anywhere from one up to four months if new fabric is part of the plan. Standard lead time for production once final approval is received is about 70 to 80 days for basic and 100 to 115 days for complex styles. On the fabric front Custom options start with the fabric, which can be knit with different sized yarns, treated with enzymes and washes, dyed so that the inside and outside contrast, patterned, and even made to replicate the look of a sweater. Due mainly to the rising cost of cotton, fleece fabric has been trending toward lighter weight. Customers are choosing 280-gram fleece instead of the more expensive 330- gram and sometimes switching from higher-quality three-end to a two-end yarn. The most common fleece fabric blends include 80/20, 70/30 and 55/45 cotton/ polyester. However, at the custom level are options in all kinds of yarn sizes, weights and fabric blends. For example, there are Lycra, polyester face (shiny), water-resistant, This women s style demonstrates the many variations that custom manufacturing offers. The body of the jacket is made of double-layer poly-filled quilted fleece. A contrasting color has been used to line the hood and placket. Custom buttons are used for the front closure, and it features two welt pockets with decorative semimoon shape stitching around each. With so many options in fleece fabrics, customization can be overwhelming. This fabric is marled fleece and features a full body-length zipper that allows the oversized collar to lay flat over the shoulders. All the hardware typically used on a fleece garment, including zippers, grommets and zipper pulls can be ordered in a range of metal finishes. AUGUST 2011 PRINTWEAR 65

3 French terry, textured and yarn-dyed fleece varieties. Two-color fleece has one color on the inside and a second on the outside. Use of heavier yarn can make a sweatshirt look like a sweater, and all kinds of treatments, such as enzyme washes and pigment dyes, can be thrown into the mix. It s been my experience that the most popular fabric is 330-gram, 10-oz. fleece made of 32 singles, making it very smooth. This face yarn is 100 percent cotton, so it prints and discharges perfectly. This type of yarn is very small and fine, increasing the ability to achieve tight registration when screen printing. Also popular is a lightweight, 40-singles fabric with 100 percent cotton two-face yarns, which makes for a smooth screen printing or embroidery surface. Stylize Infinite options are available when it comes to custom fleece fit, style/detail and color. Recent orders indicate that women s silhouettes are trending toward longer, looser and lighter. We re seeing styles hitting below the hips that aren t quite as fitted as in the past. Stitching is a style detail customers have been taking more advantage of in the last couple years. In-demand examples include a split-stitch double needle and stitching in contrasting colors. Other out-of-vogue options which were previously popular include using a yarn stitch with thick yarn or an imitation hand stitch that appears homemade. Reverse cover stitches (those that look like the seams on a wetsuit) are another possibility. In terms of colors, a lot of old heritage favorites, such as navy, hunter green and burgundy, as well as brights like tangerine, lime, pink, grape, fuchsia and turquoise are popular. Over-dyed gray heather colors are creating interest for a new and different look. Additional custom options include traditional, pigment and fabric-reactive dyeing, as well as specialty finishes, such as tie dyes. Far Left: Bright colors, such as tangerine, lime, pink, grape and turquoise make for one hot color palette right now. Left: Perhaps one of the most extreme examples of custom fleece is this style, where the hood has a zipper that completely encases the head. This piece was panel-printed before being assembled. 66 PRINTWEAR AUGUST 2011

4 Showcasing the ability to create custom fleece options establishes a business as one that is on the cutting edge and current with the latest trends. Hardware s share Hardware or foundry items, such as zippers, grommets and pulls can turn most any fleece style into a custom standout. Not only is it possible to customize the zipper finish in metals like antique bronze, nickel or pewter, but also to choose the zipper tape color so that the hardware becomes a fashion element. Many of the options we show customers have a custom eyelet or zipper pull. The most popular types of zippers are No. 5 or No. 8. in nickel, molded plastic or coil. No. 5 zippers are fairly standard, while No. 8 zippers are much beefier than you d normally find on a fleece. Coil zippers, which are made of polyester, are less expensive, run smoothly and can be modified to look like metal. It s also possible to experiment with different color combinations black tape on one side and red on the other. Finishing touch Another means of adding interest to fleece is changing up the pockets. Pouch, cargo and welt or slanted pockets are options. There s also the possibility to create pockets that are not made out of fleece, but some type of contrasting material, including twill, herringbone twill, canvas, satin, taffeta and reversed French terry. Pockets can even be made to match a board short or the lining of TOP TRENDS IN FLEECE TECHY STYLES: In general, tech fleece incorporates the latest new technology in fabrics and detailing. Examples include poly-plated fleece, French terry, nylon panels and/or lining, and fabric that has been water-resistance treated. The silhouette is more intricate with design details and trims. PATTERN ALL-OVER PRINTS: A good example of this category is a herringbone print. It s not so much geometric or logo-driven all-over patterns, but prints that imitate the look of another fabric type. NEON: This fluorescent favorite is mostly used as an accent to provide a pop of color. For example, neon-colored drawcords, pocket bags, zippers, zipper tape, hood linings and other embellishments. CUSTOMIZED NECKLINES: These represent a dramatic departure from the traditional crew neck and include cowl necks, Henleys, and center-front crossovers as well as completely customized front and neckline openings. NON-SWEATSHIRT SILHOUETTES: Fleece has become a popular fabric being used for a wide range of nontraditional styles. Some examples include a pea coat, bomber jacket, sports coat, off-the-shoulder crew neck, ruched styles, hooded wraps and more. LESS ARTWORK/EMBELLISHMENT: Another trend is to make the garment itself the statement with unique construction and fashion detailing. It s more about new and different fabric types, fabric blocking and color. text continued on page 68 AUGUST 2011 PRINTWEAR 67

5 continued from page 67 a hood. I ve even received orders from big-box retailers wanting a fleece version of a sports blazer with traditional suit pockets. We ve also created fleece flight jackets that are very technical with inserts that combine fleece with performance fabrics. Media pockets for cell phones, music players and other hand-held electronic gadgets remain a favorite for all fleece styles. These specialty storage spaces can be accentuated by placing a large zipper on the outside of the pouch or deemphasized by hiding it inside the pouch with a grommet so the wearer can run an MP3 player cord through the sweatshirt. Vast are the possibilities for hood liners and configurations. Select from zipoff, reverse, two-color or three-panel hoods. The cadet collar sweatshirt is a conservative style with a hood that zips off to leave said collar in its place. A nontraditional hood is one with a zipper that runs all the way to the top, encasing the head with two eye holes and a vent for the mouth. Custom fleece can be build with a blizzard neck that rises up a few inches in the front, making it ideal for snowboarding or other cold-weather activities. Many blizzard necks are secured using a bungee arrangement; instead of a regular loose draw cord, bungees allow wearers to cinch down the face of the hood to bundle up. These are just a few examples of the many ways fleece can be customized. There s no question that custom fleece is a great way to set a shop apart. For those operations that have large enough customers, consider offering this as an option. Whether or not they go for it, it still establishes your business as one that is on the cutting edge and current with the latest trends. Pw 68 PRINTWEAR AUGUST 2011 Product Highlights Welcome to the Product Highlights section where each month we offer you resources to enrich and expand your business with great services and products from our advertisers. Visit info.printwearmag.com to quickly find and request free information on the suppliers featured in this section. Or, use the GET INFO form on page 107 to request information by mail or fax. You will have the option to request information from a specific supplier by using their INFO# noted at the bottom of their ad or from an entire group of suppliers organized by category. It's your choice and the information is customized for your business needs. Use INFO #712 Use INFO #710