On Erin, a Hawaiian-style foam visor (4202A) with elastic twisted strap closure from Mega Cap (asi/70434) (Reader Service #161), a gauze baby doll shirt (aa1715) in poppy and crop leggings in black (aa7003), both from Alternative Apparel (asi/34850).

February 2008

The New Resort Wear

Tired of seeing the same old screen-printed tees at resorts and beachside gift shops? So were we. We did an on-location photo shoot at the Orlando Peabody with the hippest, most appealing wearables that distributors are selling to resorts, national hotel chains and even airlines.

by Amy Lucas
Photography by Rafael Tongol on location at the Orlando Peabody, FL

It’s no secret that there are enormous opportunities in the tourism industry for distributors. Think logoed apparel (robes and flip-flops for guests and gift shop items) and lots of other complementary advertising specialty products, such as high-quality towels and fun beach balls.

Consider this: In 2006, the Travel Industry of America (TIA) estimated the lodging industry earned profits of $133 billion; the cruise industry took $16.2 billion; and the country’s airlines reported earnings of more than $116 billion. On total travel expenditures, Americans dished out more than $699 billion.

Overall, travel and tourism is a $1.3 trillion industry in the United States, according to the TIA. That’s great news for distributors. This industry’s a mountain of opportunity to sell apparel to: hotels, resorts and cruise lines, airlines, touristy gift shops, spas and more. Plus, the more stylish and unique the apparel that you show your clients is, the better chance you have of getting your foot in that revolving hotel door.

Hit the gift shops
Whether distributors are trying to break into hotels and resorts, cruise lines, or spas and gyms, Catesby Jones, president of wholesale and retail supplier Crispies Co. Inc. (asi/47432) says buyers are all looking for the same thing: products that set their

On Scott, a hip 100% fine jersey short-sleeve leisure shirt (2412) that has a ’70s-style four-button placket, from American Apparel (asi/35297).

company apart from competitors. Vacation-themed companies want their guests to purchase logoed apparel and accessories, and wear and use them long after they’ve returned home from their trips.

On Erin, a polo-style, 100% fine jersey leisure dress (3335) that’s contoured to a woman’s curves, shown here in lemon, from American Apparel (asi/35297).

From small-town, seaside resort gift shops to national hotel chains, Jones says the drive to differentiate as discretionary dollar amounts shrink couldn’t be stronger. And with such wide customer demographics (gender, age, size and style preferences), Crispies has found success in capitalizing on unique tees. “By offering items that are a bit different, we’re able to help distributors increase sales,” he says.

For example, Crispies gets a lot of requests for tees made of natural fabrics. The biggest shift in T-shirts is the demand for organic cotton and other sustainable fabrics such as soy and bamboo. “In the past, organic T-shirts were too cost prohibitive to decorate and resell except at retail,” says Margaret Crow, marketing director for S & S Activewear (asi/84358). “Now manufacturers can make them with better pricing.”

A big boost for organic shirts comes from the fact that they’re no longer limited in color. Improved dying techniques using soy-based dyes allow manufacturers, most notably Anvil Knitwear (asi/36350), to provide a range of colors but retain the shirt’s environmentally friendly tag.

Bamboo T-shirts might prove especially popular given the way it straddles two trends at once: sustainable fabrics and naturally occurring performance features such as its moisture wicking and antimicrobial properties. “Anything made from organic or sustainable material is going to be big in 2008,” Crow says.

Scott’s wearing a blue Hawaiian bucket hat from Mega Cap (asi/70434) (Reader Service #161) and a Solar Shield 100% microfiber polyester two-tone jacquard knit shirt (3696), from River’s End (asi/82588).


Erin is wearing custom flip flops with an 18-millimeter, three-layer sole that will leave company logos imprinted on the sand, from Footprints
USA (asi/55030).


Matching 70% silk/30% cotton short-sleeve zip knit polos (M635 and D239) with a three-toned color block in tangerine, from Bobby Chan (asi/40746).

Camisole (RA1013) from Royal Apparel (asi/83731) and comfy loop terry lounge pants (9300) in tan, from American Apparel (asi/35297).

From a fashion angle, expect T-shirts in the promotional market to follow retail’s lead with a move toward lighter and softer fabrics. Sheer fabrics are one result. Bella (asi/39590) has released a sheer jersey in several styles in addition to a basic T-shirt. “The sheer jersey has an amazing feel and can be layered with other items,” says Brinden Asher, director of marketing for Bella.

On Erin, a women’s short-sleeve retro-front argyle zip knit polo (D178) that’s made of 70% silk/30% cotton, shown here in azalea, from Bobby Chan (asi/40746).

Vintage and burnout styles are also growing in popularity. At retail they’re huge sellers in the fashion T-shirt arena, which is quickly being adopted by industry manufacturers. For women, longer-length shirts will continue to be popular, along with the gauzy or billowy style.

And, women’s wear is a huge seller in resort markets, especially when it comes to plus sizes. “We’re definitely seeing a trend where resort companies are buying more full-cut women’s products rather than our smaller-cut juniors’ products,” says Mindy Anastos, marketing and merchandizing manager for L.A. T Sportswear (asi/69548).

Anastos suggests that when distributors pitch to resorts, hotels and shore-side gift shops, they show a woman’s garment, such as a nice polo, racerback dress or light jacket from extra small up to plus sizes. That way, all customer demands can be met, and a resort, for example, can send all of its guests home with a logoed garment because of its diverse selection.

For 2008, Brittney Harr, director of sales and marketing at In Your Face Apparel (asi/62494) says the company’s really vamping up its selection of women’s apparel as

well. “We’re carrying a full line of cotton/spandex short- and long-sleeved tees and tanks for juniors, misses, girls and toddlers,” she says. But Haar says the company’s really pushing the cotton/spandex fitted tee, its best seller. “These are great for guests or staff depending on the design, which we customize with any kind of message, from ‘Ski-Tini’ to ‘Snow Bunny,’” and the resort’s logo, she says.

Upper-scale polos
Employee uniforms are also a vital aspect of a hotel and resort business and offer lots of selling potential, says Jason Burger, president of Brand Equity LLC (asi/145071), a distributor that supplies uniforms to an upscale Fort Lauderdale, FL-based concierge, maintenance and valet firm. When your client is located in a resort-heavy or touristy area, Burger says every hotel and resort employee (and all their contracted employees) has to look better than “best” to maintain the hotel’s reputation and please guests. “The clients investing in these markets are very high-end, very upscale,” he says. “You might have a 500-room resort and 1,400-unit condo where the cheapest unit runs $700,000.”

So when a security firm client, which was buying promotional products, decided to add concierge, maintenance and valet services for oceanfront condos, Burger says he pounced on the opportunity to land the uniform contract. “The president explained his current distributor couldn’t handle the new divisions,” he says. “So I showed them what we could provide. We ordered samples, sent them over, along with the costs, and our client just loved them.”

What Brand Equity sent were 65/35 polyester/cotton polos that held their shape and featured a stain-repellent treatment. “Other concierge/maintenance firms in the area were outfitting staff in 100% cotton, all-white polos,” Burger says. By the end of an employee’s shift – usually 10 to 12 hours – he or she looked rumpled and filthy. “I told my client

their employees would always look sharp,” he says. “That is, always professional and always classy.” In addition to the navy and white polos, Burger says the employees are wearing pronounced, but not baggy, khaki-colored cargo shorts.

Find the Buyer White bikini from Crispies/ Peace Frogs (asi/47432) and (aa1966) eco-heather short-sleeve raglan pullover hoodie in oatmeal, from Alternative Apparel (asi/34850). Even if you’re armed with quality apparel and cool add-on products, the hardest part of selling to resorts and other vacation-themed companies is getting the buyers to listen to what you have to say. More often than not, a phone call, visit or e-mail from a total stranger won’t do it. Jason Burger, president of Brand Equity LLC (asi/145071), says it’s better to know someone. “The uniform marketplace is crowded, so I’d suggest leveraging existing relationships,” he says. For example, if you’re making a cold call, a client would be much more willing to listen if you mention other clients you already have or other people in the business you both know. Or, if you supply promotional products, such as pens, mugs or lanyards, to a client, try using the next follow-up visit or phone call to ask about their gift-store wearables or employee uniform program. “Ask them if they’re happy with their uniform supplier and ask if they’re willing to allow you to offer a better alternative,” Burger says. Judy Slater, owner of PerfectPromo/Geiger (asi/202900), outfits the Best Western Mezona Inn staff in Mesa, AZ. Although the Mezona Inn was a preexisting client, she says she landed an entire uniform contract by out-presenting her competitors. “The hotel was changing its existing uniforms, and the other vendor couldn’t cater to its needs,” she says. “Before I went for the presentation, I called, found out their budget and all their guidelines.” So when she went in, Slater had lots of samples and options and told them exactly what she could do for them. Distributors who don’t have pre-existing connections or relationships have a better shot at success by doing a little homework. First, see what the company currently offers and then think about what garments it could potentially need. “Distributors should also pay attention to the market they’re catering to,” Slater says. “If it’s the hotel industry, they’ll want something that promotes an overall quality image rather than traditional wearables.” The hotel industry is notorious for buying direct from suppliers, making a potential uniform or retail presentation seem impossible. Try emphasizing that pricing isn’t always better by eliminating the middleman. “Promote the service you can provide – integrity, honesty and experience in the industry so clients can trust you to handle the logoed wearables aspect of their business,” Slater says. If you can provide lower prices, you’ve got a no-brainer sale. But even if a price isn’t lower, a client may appreciate someone lending an experienced hand. When providing employee uniforms, Slater says staff turnover is another constant challenge hotels and resorts must handle. So while some suppliers exchange clothes for different sizes without hassle, others don’t. Slater keeps a large, well-stocked inventory so her clients could exchange, order, return or replace items at any time.

Gone are the days when polos were nothing more than a basic, cotton pique piece which the wearer slipped over his or her head and wore on the go. The polo, as the ad specialty industry has come to know it, has undergone a series of revolutionary, performance-driven makeovers – from antimicrobial to moisture-wicking to body mapping technologies. In fact, this trend seems to be all the rage for 2008.

On Scott, a unique argyle V-neck tee (aa4006), from Alternative Apparel (asi/34850) (Reader Service #162) and District Threads 100% microfiber, contrast-waist boardshorts (DT405) in red/navy, from SanMar (asi/84863).

“Everything we’re coming out with this year is performance-driven,” says Tom Flippo, vice president at Dunbrooke (asi/50930). “The issue is huge. You can’t talk about a basic fabrication all day if it doesn’t perform in some manner.”

Dunbrooke, for instance, is unveiling the latest spin on its Player shirt, which will be heavily promoted this quarter. “This particular shirt is unique in three aspects,” Flippo says. “One, the price point is below $10. Most people say that’s a basic cotton pique shirt. Nope. It’s a 60/40 blend. It has polyester characteristics that make it durable.” This type of fabrication prevents the shirt from shrinking and fading.

On Erin, a Nike long-sleeve base layer top (48614) made of Dri-FIT 94/6 polyester/cotton and Nike gym basics 92/8 cotton/spandex shorts (27833), from River’s End ( ) and a 100% cotton twill Port Authority Signature fashion visor (C840) in aqua, from SanMar (asi/84863).

“Polyester of the past wasn’t comfortable. It didn’t breathe. It retained odor. But end-users have now seen this new technology and they’ve embraced it. It’s so comfortable. It’s good to wear. It looks great,” says Andrea Engel, vice president of merchandising at Broder Bros. (asi/42090).

Engel says sales from brand-name polos will continue to fare well, with end-buyers demanding popular labels such as IZOD, Tommy Hilfiger and Phillips Van-Heusen. “Many customers are looking for higher-end polos that they know they can trust for quality, fit and style,” says Lori Anderson, marketing manager at River’s End Trading Co. (asi/82588).

Anderson also expects polos made from easy-care fabrics to be a mainstay. Features such as wrinkle-resistance, color-fastness and shrinkage control allow polos to be adapted for a variety of uses in resorts and hotels.

Hot colors and decorating tips
For 2008, L.A. T Sportswear has expanded its product line to include 100% combed-cotton cover-ups, tanks, and layered and tie-dye tees in sizes XS-3XL that complement tropical color schemes. “Bright colors are always very popular at the tropical-resort level,” Anastos says.

Color in 2008 won’t stray too far from what was already established in 2007. Muted colors will stay strong, such as brownish yellows, grayish blues, burnt oranges, as well as the jewel tones that have emerged this past fall such as plum, raspberry and dark pink.

And don’t forget those ski lodges. Winter resorts crave subtler shades, but Anastos says the garments themselves don’t have to vary from resort to resort. “T-shirts still work, because people will buy them so they can wear them throughout the year,” she says. But, do think about what customers in winter.

Learn It Live!
You can learn more about this topic at the “How to Build an Apparel Program” workshop at the ASI Show in Dallas, February 6-8, 2008. Visit www.asishow.com for more information and a complete list of Education Day topics.

And don’t forget those ski lodges. Winter resorts crave subtler shades, but Anastos says the garments themselves don’t have to vary from resort to resort. “T-shirts still work, because people will buy them so they can wear them throughout the year,” she says. But, do think about what customers in winter resorts want: outerwear and accessories.

Haar says her company is also seeing a surge in demand for women’s apparel, but it’s the embellishments that are selling both men’s and women’s garments. Rather than traditional embroidery and screen printing, Haar says end-users are craving unique embellishments such as rhinestones, rhine-studs, nailheads, watermation, sublimation and water-based screen printing.

Along with apparel, Haar encourages distributors to look for potential in marketing non-apparel logoed items, like boot bags, totebags, neck wallets, backpacks, koozies, lanyards and hats.

Case Study Great Wolf Lodge When executives from Great Wolf Lodge, a chain of family-oriented indoor waterpark resorts, sent out the word they were on the prowl for a new uniform program to outfit their 5,000 employees, Martin McCardell, senior account manager at WorkflowOne (asi/333647), knew he needed some help. A lot of help, in fact. With a diverse staff of lifeguards, cooks, grounds crew and front-desk employees, McCardell says he not only needed a supplier to provide a cohesive uniforms program to fit everyone’s roles, but the program also needed to match the lodges’ woodsy atmosphere. After doing some research, McCardell and his team at WorkflowOne found Oobe (asi/75110), a corporate apparel designer that had created programs for huge companies such as Chick-fil-A, Wolverine and Fila, and they decided to partner up. Tom Merritt, co-founder of Oobe, says his team was thrilled at the opportunity and immediately went to work creating a killer presentation “that could outdo 20 competitors,” he says. But first, he did his homework. “We wanted to convey that we understood Great Wolf’s culture,” Merritt says. “So I went to Great Wolf Lodge with my family and went undercover. I took pictures, took notes about what the staff was wearing and asked them what their uniforms could do better.” So when presentation day arrived, the WorkflowOne and Oobe team was armed with storyboards, pictures and garments from the Oobe line that they felt would best meet the needs of each Great Wolf employee. They also brought a gift bag with a properly sized shirt for each Great Wolf executive. “They were just lapping it up,” McCardell says. “We went in with the best we had and were prepared, focused and precise, and we just hit it out of the park.” Just six weeks after the request for proposal was submitted, WorkflowOne and Oobe learned that their best had been good enough – and were awarded the contract.  McCardell says he couldn’t be happier with how things have turned out, as the Great Wolf contract is one of the biggest WorkflowOne has ever been awarded and brings in nearly $1 million in profit each year. “This has just been awesome,” he says. Yet he emphasizes that throughout the entire design process WorkflowOne relied on the expertise of Oobe’s designers to make every single employee’s uniform perfect. Merritt says relationships like that aren’t often the norm. “Our biggest problem is having distributors fear us,” he says. “They tend to play things so close to the vest that they don’t want to let experts in.” As a result, sometimes end-user companies aren’t impressed with a presentation because there isn’t enough detail and no wow factor.         “Suppliers can really be strategic partners, really give distributors an edge, rather than ordering out of a catalog,” Merritt says. “My biggest piece of advice to distributors is to let us do what we’re experts in doing. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

AMY LUCAS is associate editor of Wearables. Contact: alucas@asicentral.com. Matt Histand, senior editor of Counselor, and Elaine Wong, staff writer, contributed to this article.