Bodek and Rhodes, a Philadelphia-based wholesaler of imprintable apparel and accessories, announced one quarter of the company’s catalog of more than 500 styles are items that offer above-the-standard performance.
“Along with our new eco-friendly styles, performance apparel is a huge trend,” said Mike Rhodes, president. “A shirt isn’t just a shirt when it also wicks moisture away from your body to keep you cooler and protects you from the sun. And customers across the board are excited about the huge range of performance we’ve added in the past few years,” he concluded.
Recently, the company branched into a number areas offering other specific benefits. Among these are the UltraClub Cool-N-Dry collection that wicks body moisture to the surface of the shirt where it can dry quickly. Many of the Cool-N-Dry styles also offer additional UV protection beyond traditional fabric. Other performance items resist shrinking, fading, or stains. And some, such as some alo brand styles, offer antimicrobial properties to help stave off odor-causing bacteria.
To help customers find performance styles, Bodek and Rhodes has created a link in each product category on their Web site (such as polo shirts or jackets) that narrows the search to all the enhanced-features styles in that category.
According to Mary Ellen Pahlka-Hudicka, director of marketing communications, many of the enhanced features are compiled in a single style. She commented, “We like to give as many true benefits to the customer as we can. For instance, our UltraClub Soft Shell jackets are warm, flattering, waterproof and windproof. And on top of that, we added a thumb stirrup that’s especially handy for runners, specialty music-player and phone pockets and a flexible, movement-friendly fabric.”
Pahlka-Hudicka also mentioned the breathability of many of their waterproof jackets, “If you’re ever worn an old plastic parka and felt like you were roasting and sweating to death inside, you know why you should look for breathable jackets.” She further explained, “Waterproof and breathable means it’s waterproof from the outside, but it still lets the moisture from your body escape. Your skin can still breathe.”
For more information on Bodek and Rhodes, visit www.bodekandrhodes.com
