My wife and I are blessed. In late July we welcomed our second child, a 6 pound, 2 ounce baby girl into our family. With her big brother, a wild and happy two-year-old, our family of four is abound with good fortune. While we’re in constant motion (and, yes, slightly tired), I am sincerely grateful.
Read MoreRiver’s End Trading Company Introduces Eco-Friendly Bag Line
Hopkins, Minnesota-based River’s End Trading Company introduced a new line of eco-friendly bags by eeBags. All eeBag products are manufactured in factories certified by the independent nonprofit, the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (W.R.A.P.). The entire collection reflects a conscious concern and commitment to protect our environment.
Read MoreAll Torn Up
S&S Activewear—Outdoor Cap Frayed Camouflage Cap
With strategically placed rips and tears all over, this item really gets the vintage vibe without all that hassle of owning something and wearing it for years. What’s more, it speaks to trend-setter and outdoorsman alike because, be it for practical or stylish purposes, camouflage crosses all boundaries.
(800) 523-2155
www.ssactivewear.com
Bodek and Rhodes Makes Promotions Easier in 2010
Philadelphia-based Bodek and Rhodes, a leading wholesaler of imprintable activewear, recently unveiled its plan to help customers promote their businesses even more easily through the 2010 imprinted catalog program with lower minimums and a free customized Web site.
Read MoreTarget Graphics is Named a Top-Volume Decorator
Naperville, Illinois-based Target Graphics has been named one of Impressions magazine’s 20 top-volume apparel decorators in the country, according to the magazine’s 2009 list.
Read MoreClothes Made From Coffee Satisfy Eco-Friendly Fitness Fans (guardian.co.uk)
Once upon a time, a plucky magazine editor wrote about alternative fabrics being made from items pulled from the garbage, such as wine corks, plastic bottles and corn husks. Well, let’s add coffee grounds to the list (and for the record, dear readers, that plucky magazine editor was me).The Taiwanese Singtex Industrial Company has begun creating sportswear made from the ubiquitous substance, and because finding another use for coffee grounds means they won’t end up in a landfill, it’s bonus points for the environment! Yes! The grounds produce a lightweight, bamboo-like fabric that’s great for activewear. (guardian.co.uk)
Read MoreMake complicated embroidery work for you.
When Carson, California-based Seabell International was approached by a distributor working on a joint promotion between the Houston Astros and NASA, there was quite a challenge on the table. The team wanted to embroider a hat with the names of fallen astronauts, but the task was a bit too much in the way of readability. However, the staff at Seabell International managed to make it work: “One of our sales representatives suggested to do a woven label with all this information,” explained Steve Byrens, the company’s national director of sales and marketing. By using a patch instead, the traditionally thick embroidery thread could be replaced with something thinner and more conducive to intricate lettering.
Read MoreSporty and Soft
Hanes Printables—Women’s 3/4-Sleeve Raglan
Maybe it’s the full decade’s worth of summers I spent playing double-headers in the scorching sun. Maybe it’s my devotion to the Philadelphia Phillies. Maybe it’s just the fact that, yes, every now and then, a T-shirt and jeans is my go-to outfit. Whatever the reason, this shirt just makes me happy. With its sporty, baseball-inspired raglan sleeves, and a soft fabrication, it’s the perfect thing for running weekend errands or watching your favorite team win the World Series.
(800) 685-7557
www.hanesprintables.com
Site Wins Fashion Fans By Letting Them Design (The New York Times)
OK, now don’t start getting ideas. I don’t want to be out of a job or anything. But I couldn’t resist pointing you to this article highlighting how the creators of Polyvore (described by the NYT as a “user-generated fashion magazine”) are pretty much doing everything right, while fashion magazine Web sites for such pubs as In Style and Vogue, well, aren’t. Basically, by tapping into the whole interactive and entertainment elements of fashion—consider, if you will, how no two fashionistas will wear the same piece the same way—they’re creating more value by letting visitors click through to their favorite e-retailer. Plus, the site is really cool, which always helps. (The New York Times)
Read MoreGive active people a little lightweight helper.
Climbing a mountain can get so annoying! All that walking, plus there’s gear to tote—water, oxygen … um …flashlights, tents, a change of clothes, a cappuccino machine…the list goes on and on! (Full disclosure: I have never climbed a mountain.) Luckily for those who have and do so often, Perserverance Mills Ltd., a textile manufacturer based in Lancanshire, England, came up with Pertex. The fabric is crafted from tightly woven microfiber yarns and is often used in sleeping-bag construction. (That’s right, sleeping bags! You would also need sleeping bags whilst climbing a mountain. Add that to the list.) Well, whatever you bring, Pertex packs light and is a great for saving space without sacrificing comfort.
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