Category: Uncategorized

Go Ballistic

Staff Writer

Here’s a little news you can use: A few months ago, London retail giant Harrods began selling a new line of bulletproof clothing from designer Miguel Caballero. Talk about performance benefits! Move over, moisture-wicking. This is so James Bond.

It can resist Uzi shots. I have nothing more to say about that special feature, other than to emphasize: It can resist Uzi shots.

The catch? The polo costs $12,000. But something tells me that if you’re in the position to be shot at more than once—predicaments which would necessitate the use of a bulletproof polo shirt—it might be worth it. Think price-per-wear.

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Make Mine a BPA

Staff Writer

Like lead before it (and we all know how that turned out), bisphenol A is taking its turn in the spotlight, decked out in misinformation and escorted by ongoing controversy. Welcome to the party.
Before last week, it would seem the FDA had pretty much put this one to rest. But it didn’t really go away. In fact, it was really only a matter of time before someone brought this up again, and courtesy of The Washington Post, bring it up they did. Though I realize that, as a reporter, I “dig” for a living, it doesn’t take a backhoe to unearth that the

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Has the Recession Arrived?

Staff Writer

Whichever candidate comes out on top of the electoral college today, (and not the popular vote) he may just be inheriting a full-blown recession in addition to two wars and several other national security issues. According to the National Association for Business as reported in BusinessWeek, demand—as in supply and demand—is on the downturn for the first time since 2001. And that might just be the one defining factor when taking in the current economic reality:
From BusinessWeek:
“U.S. business conditions worsened in the third quarter and are likely to deteriorate further, according to an industry study released Monday.
The National Association

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Raining Rose Inc. Moves Home After the Flood

Staff Writer

Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Raining Rose Inc., manufacturer of natural lip balms and body-care products, announced the company has moved back to downtown Cedar Rapids after recovering from earlier flood damage.
“This flood has been a test to our company’s perseverance,” said Chuck Hammond, president and CEO of Raining Rose. “It feels good to have everyone back downtown. Although we know that there is still a great deal of work ahead of us, I know that we have already come out of this stronger.”
All of the Raining Rose staff would like to thank its customers and vendors for their patience and

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Prime Line Backpacks Conquer Kilimanjaro

Staff Writer

Bridgeport, Connecticut-based Prime Line, in conjunction with Bedford, New Hampshire-based Henderson Associates, announced Prime Line’s String-A-Sling backpacks reached the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. “We are always very excited to see the great distances our best-selling String-A-Sling backpacks reach,” said Jeff Lederer, executive vice president. “They were recently provided for the Glory Outreach Assembly Children’s Conference in Kenya,” he added.
For more information on Prime Line, visit www.primeline.com
Chocolate Inn Gets Gold From Geiger
Chocolate Inn, a chocolate manufacturer in the promotional products industry, was again designated a Gold Star Production Partner by Geiger. This designation is for excellence in quality,

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Comfort for the World-Weary

Staff Writer

The election is a mere week away and it seems to be bringing out the worst in people. Palin in a noose as part of a Halloween display? A plot to assassinate Obama? It’s terrifying, regardless of what side of the coin you’re on. How, exactly, did things go so awry? It seems the proverbial you-know-what has hit the you-know-what.
I’ve always been interested in the goings-on of the government, but I’ve never felt so deeply invested in what’s been happening in our country than I do right now. And the hits just keep on coming.
There’s the economy, of course. Though it pains

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It’s Real. It’s How People Feel.

Staff Writer

Fear cannot be banished, but it can be calm and without panic; it can be mitigated by reason and evaluation. « Vannevar Bush, American scientist (1890 – 1974)
Like many Americans, I have been watching the national news a lot lately. On CNN recently, there was an interview with Suze Orman,
personal finance expert. In this interview, she answered the question: Is the financial fear and panic occurring on Wall Street and throughout the nation counterproductive? Her answer, “It is not counterproductive, it’s real. It’s how people feel and the markets are made up of how people feel. They buy or they sell

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The Blacklist

Staff Writer

A short while after the infamous and tragic Hollywood blacklist began to slowly unravel, another was in its infancy. This list, albeit less sinister and more shallow, was perhaps equally reviled and much more long-standing. Depending on how you define the word “law,” it, too, had to do with flouting some serious violations. Style violations, that is.
In 1960, designer, and one could say, professional judger Richard “Mr.” Blackwell, threw down the gauntlet against high crimes of fashion with his first “10 Worst-Dressed Women” list. Though his turns of phrase were unerringly salty (personal faves: “a trio of truck stop fashion tragedies” and

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Let’s Hear About Those New Hires

Staff Writer

Don’t be shy folks. We want to hear all about! Whose new? Whose hot (as in selling well, etc…)? And who just landed the well-deserved promotion. It’s a small industry after all, so drop me a line and get the word out there.
Jones Joins Fame Fabrics
Woodstock, Georgia-based Fame Fabrics, a manufacturer of uniform apparel, announced the addition of Dean Jones as regional sales manager for the Southeast covering Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. Jones brings 22 years of apparel and textile sales and service experience with him to Fame Fabrics. Jones is an experienced industry veteran with vast

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Good Look

Staff Writer

I just need to take a moment to call everyone’s attention to the new Women’s Vineyard Jacket from Charles River. It’s on page 10 in the catalog, and here’s the link:
www.charlesriverapparel.com/CGI-BIN/LANSAWEB?WEBEVENT+L6F83209B4A8137004C3C016+A01+ENG).

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say this might be one of the cutest, most stylish promotional jackets I’ve ever seen.
Hopefully, this is a harbinger of what 2009 will bring to the industry. For one thing, forget the six-month lag. This piece is right in line with current retail trends.
Plus, a defined waistline makes for a really flattering, classic look (see any

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