Apparel has been battered since the start of the pandemic, with various sources reporting that overall apparel shipments have fallen dramatically compared to 2019. But there are some signs of life. Apparel was the third best performing promotional products category for the June-July period…
Read MoreHow to Grow Your Business With Heat Transfer Decoration
Image Solutions has been in business since 1997 as a uniform provider to small businesses and Fortune 500 companies, like AT&T, Albertsons and Walgreens. It has evolved to offer decoration, e-commerce and more. While embroidery remains its top decoration method, adding heat transfer has further developed the business…
Read MoreProtecting Company Culture in a Crisis
In the remote workplace, organizations have struggled to maintain connectivity with their employees. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced a “moment of truth” for corporate culture as leaders correctly ask themselves: Are the actions we take and choices we make right now reflecting our culture and the values that define who we are?…
Read MoreBel Promo Adds Tom Clouser as National Account Manager
Bel Promo, Medley, Fla., announced the addition of Tom Clouser, MAS, as national account manager. “I am extremely excited to have Tom join the Bel Promo family,” said Susan Lewandowski, general manager. “His experience, enthusiasm, integrity and ability to develop customer relationships will undoubtedly help take Bel Promo to…
Read MoreThe Best of the DNC Merchandise as Convention Goes Virtual
With the Democratic National Convention going virtual, organizers had an opportunity to expand the merchandise offering a bit. There are still plenty of Milwaukee-centric items, touching on local culture like dairy farming and using the outline of Wisconsin, but there are things that play into the nationwide viewership…
Read More2020 Inc. 5000: What Promotional Products Companies Made the List
Each year, we dig through the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. to see which promo companies made the list. Here are the ones we found. While there are many traditional promo businesses on this list, not all of the companies we included fit the standard supplier/distributor profile…
Read MoreDye-Free Future? Australian Scientists Hack Cotton DNA to Grow All Different Colors
Researchers in Australia’s national science agency think they’ve found a way to tweak the molecular code of cotton so that it grows in all different colors. So far, they’ve created cotton in red, gold, purple and black in petri dishes, and hope to create reproducing plants in the near future. The implications for apparel manufacturing are pretty huge…
Read MoreSurvey Indicates These Major Industries Are Increasing Their Marketing Budgets
In a Merkle survey of industries such as health care, retail, finance, tech and nonprofit, 52 percent of respondents overall said they’ve increased their marketing spend over the last few months. For promotional distributors, this may be an indicator of the verticals that are able to spend some money again…
Read MoreThe ‘Eggs In One Basket’ Problem
We’ve all heard the expression “don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” However, there are many people who let their quality of life rely too much on one factor. This becomes glaringly apparent during a financial downturn. Quality of life factors include: · Financial / Career · Family / Friends · Physical health ·…
Read MoreHALO Hosts ‘Connect2020’ Virtual National Sales Meeting
HALO Branded Solutions, Sterling, Ill., recently concluded “Connect2020,” the company’s virtual national sales meeting. The two-day event included sales training, supplier trend sessions and evening happy hours—including a “virtual progressive dinner” featuring company executives and their families serving, a five course dinner and supplier “dine-arounds” with small groups of staff, and support staff meeting with…
Read More