Images Magazine June 2018

AskAdy... Adrian Burton takes a head-to-toe look at summer workwear As the sun has finally come out, I thought I’d share some of the new products we’re offering to help our customers keep cool while looking professional. Let me start off at the top: trucker caps are back with a bang. We have been stitching more and more of these for our customers. They are perfect for those working in the heat as they not only offer a great level of protection, but have fantastic ventilation around the back. Embroidery is a breeze too as the style of the cap means it has a large, five-panel design with no seam on the front, making your life as a decorator easier. If you decide to offer printing, then this is simple, too, as you have plenty of room to fit a decent-sized logo onto the cap. I recommend Yupoong’s FlexFit Retro Trucker Cap, and Beechfield does a fantastic range of truckers as well. Moisture-wicking shirts are another winner in the summer. The Cool T from Just Cool by AWDis represents amazing value, giving you the opportunity to upsell from a basic cotton T shirt and add a little more to the price. What annoys me is when people in our industry undervalue the products they sell and ruin the economy for everyone else. Upsell the product, make a few quid, it will keep you in business longer. Don’t worry if Fred down the road is working on 30%, stick to your guns and sell the product at the right price. If you want a great branded workwear product that will keep wearers cool then look at the new Dickies Pro range, which promises “superb ergonomic fit along with exceptional comfort and breathability”, and is easy to embroider as the polyester finish is smooth. If you’re looking for a different pair of shorts, then I would recommend the FXD range. They are 100% stretch cotton and come in two styles, the first of which is a combat style (WS-1) that will complement the best-selling slim fit WP3 work trouser. If we are in for a seriously hot summer, then try the shorter WS-2 version. FXD is starting to make some interesting changes to the industry and I love this Australian brand passionately; it is a truly innovative range of clothing and the prices have been kept at a sensible, affordable level. Finally, I really want to talk about safety trainers as they are ideal for the warmer weather. If your customer is working in a warehouse, outside or wherever they need safety footwear, I have to recommend the Solid Gear Revolution Safety Trainer. I have been wearing these for about six months now and I cannot recommend them enough. They are smart-looking, have a Nano toecap which is 40% stronger than a normal fibreglass toe cap, look like normal sports trainers and the upper fabric is made from Cordura, making it super strong. Get some of these in to look at; they are well worth pairing with your customers’ summer uniforms! www.askady.com Adrian Burton is the owner of South East Workwear and runs the popular AskAdy site, which hosts independent reviews of workwear garments. The Solid Gear Revolution Safety Trainer INDUSTRY NEWS www.images-magazine.com 08 images JUNE 2018 WORKWEAR REVIEW To see AskAdy’s video reviews, visit www.images-magazine.com . New catalogue available now from Dickies Workwear Workwear brand Dickies has published its new catalogue, a 228-page volume that includes 40 new products and a range of clothing and footwear across 22 sections. The new products include Industry+, an industrially launderable workwear range that is ideal for managed workwear services and includes bib and brace, trousers, jackets, shirts and coveralls. The catalogue is available to download at www.dickiesworkwear. com/en/workwear/printed-catalogue. www.dickiesworkwear.com Techmax wins HD TV in BTC Activewear competition Techmax won a HD TV package worth £1,000 in a competition run by BTC Activewear to celebrate the distributor offering the complete Russell HD Sweats. Tom Halliwell, owner of Techmax in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, said, "We love the Russell HD range – outstanding quality, wide choice of on-trend marl colours and a surface that is great to decorate, whatever the method. Thanks to Lee and the team at BTC Activewear for their great on-going support and of course the £1,000 Curry’s gift card, which I’m planning to use to buy an HD TV package for my team to watch the World Cup." www.btcactivewear.co.uk The new Dickies catalogue features 40 new products Tom Halliwell of Techmax receiving his gift card from Lee Saunders, area sales manager at BTC Activewear