Category: Uncategorized

Best Dressed

Staff Writer

I once saw this completely forgettable movie with Salma Hayek and Matthew Perry called “Fools Rush In.” (Don’t judge, I usually have better taste).
Strangely, the only thing I can recall is that, in describing Vegas, one of the characters says (and I paraphrase) that they might as well have built the city on the surface of the sun.
These days, the same can hold true of Philly. It. Is. Oppressive.
Like, kids are being sent home from school, roads are buckling and I can’t even walk around my apartment without breaking a sweat. Not okay.
Yesterday, to capitalize on a little free

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Five Things More Expensive Than Gas

Staff Writer

It’s really an exciting time for water-cooler talk. Hillary calls it quits, a heat wave hits the East Coast, and gas prices are doing their very own imitation of that Mountain Climber game from the Price is Right. Of the three, I think gas prices truly have the staying power to be part of office chatter for quite some time.
Gas prices have risen from $1.34 just under eight years ago, (Hmm, what happened eight years ago?) to a staggering nationwide average of just more than $4—an pproximate 64 percent increase. In an effort to help everyone cope, I’ve put together a

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$10 Million Lead Paint Fine and Other Industry News

Staff Writer

Though the topic has been out of the news spotlight, we shouldn’t forget about the lead paint issue that effects the promotional products industry. While no one knows how wide-spread the problem is, it is nice to see companies are beginning to be held responsible for their actions.

Producer of Give-Away Lunchboxes Ordered to Pay $10 Million

L.A.-based lunchbox maker sold 100,000 lead-tainted lunchboxes to the state.
Oakland, CA -In San Francisco Superior Court yesterday, Judge Richard A. Kramer ordered L.A.-based T A Creations to pay $10,071,500 for the company’s violation of California law when it sold lead-tainted lunchboxes to

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Odds & Ends

Staff Writer

Our May Style section is pretty. It’s also informative (and since I wrote all the articles in it, this is a completely fair and unbiased opinion, obviously).
I know the thought of NOT reading the issue multiple times is a completely preposterous notion, but just in case you missed these tidbits, here are a few points I found of particular interest:

Women’s Wear: Learning Curves (page 67)
Faced with an ever-growing wardrobe of tops and blouses, I’ve recently realized that I avoid shopping for pants like the plague. The reason for this is twofold: 1) finding the right fit is

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Gold Medal Fleece and New-At-Vantage

Staff Writer

RiverMills Made in USA Fleece endorsed by U.S. Track & Field Champion
RiverMills Outfitters, manufacturer of Made in USA fleece apparel, is proud to announce the endorsement of Dr. Thomas Fahey, 10-time U.s. Track & Field Senior Discus Throw Champion. Dr. Fahey will be wearing RiverMills R100 microfleece jacket at this year’s National Senior Games where he is going for an unprecedented 11th straight National Seniors Champion title.
For more information on RiverMills Outfitters, visit www.rivermillsoutfitters.com

Vantage Adds Veteran Garran to Sales Team
Avenel, New Jersey-based Vantage Apparel hired Brett Garran as the sales representative for Northern N.J. and Western N.Y. Garran

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News From Around the Industry

Staff Writer

SanMar Debuts the 2008 District Threads Collection Catalog
Seattle-based SanMar Corporation, a leading supplier of imprintable apparel and accessories, is releasing its 2008 District Threads catalog. The 36-page catalog showcases the entire District Threads line of essential fashion apparel, while offering a preview of forthcoming fall styles.
“The District Threads brand finds its appeal with teens and young adults who are looking for clothes that reflect their comfortable, relaxed approach to life,” explains Jeremy Lott, SanMar vice president of sales and marketing. “It’s all about a smart balance between fashion and function-like our District Threads organic styles, which combine environmental responsibility with casual

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The Aftershock

Staff Writer

Though it seems more than a little callous to worry about how the earthquake in China’s Sichuan province will affect our marketplace, in an industry that heavily depends on Chinese manufacturing, it would be sheer folly not to.
However, various reporting outlets are stating that the disaster’s effect on the Chinese economy will be minimal, which hopefully by extension, means U.S. manufacturing will receive nary a jolt. Here are a few soundbites from various news sources that you might be interested in:
BusinessWeek: ”China Quake Won’t Shake Economy”
However, many economists expect the impact on the Chinese economy of the power outages, communications

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The End of Paper or Plastic?

Staff Writer

I think supermarket vocabulary is about to change. As plastic grocery bags look to be heading the way of the dodo, the age-old question of paper or plastic my not be relevant in the not-so-distant future. I say this for many reasons, both societal and personal. Firstly, a string of cities and even entire countries have moved to ban the unbiodegradable petro-chemical sacks that have a tendency to not only end up as unsightly litter, but to also clog up drainage and sewage systems. Secondly, many companies have started to produce some quality, green alternatives, which, citing the laws of supply and demand, indicates

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Say A Little Prayer

Staff Writer

Today’s installment has nothing to do with promotional products. In fact, it’s not even my typical, lighthearted fare.
I’ve been on CNN.com numerous times throughout the day, following the breaking news of the earthquake in China. I simply have no words to describe how staggered I am by the amount of destruction Mother Nature can cause. They are reporting more than 8,500 lost lives.
8,500 people.
And all this in the wake of the recent disaster in Myanmar. The toll there keeps rising, but at this point, it’s way beyond normal human comprehension. My brain is literally shutting down at the sheer

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Rocky Road

Staff Writer

Astronomical gas prices. Food shortages. Global warming. It’s feeling a little apocalyptic out here, no?
In case you happen to have missed the news, are evading the stock market or avoiding all human contact—there’s this economy thing going on right now and people are kind of freaking out.
The possible imminency of a recession is palpably affecting the retail sector, according to the Women’s Wear Daily Web site, WWD.com.
Obviously, the real question is how/if it will affect the wearables contingent of the ad specialties industry. I think we’re all fairly confident the T-shirt will remain a sound investment. However, does a slowdown

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