WORKWEAR GETS THE JOB DONE

For the thousands of customers whose businesses take them into some of the most extreme working conditions, the right gear is essential. Besides the traditional selections of jackets and coats, promotional workwear is evolving to include useful accessories that keep end-users out of harm’s way.

SAFETY FIRST

The buzzword in promotional workwear these days is “safety,” according to Kevin Xiao, vice president at Ontario, California-based Atteff International.

To that end, Xiao said, while traditional jackets and overalls continue to permeate the workwear category, a variety of safety accessories are emerging and gaining popularity. “Traditionally, rugged workwear was mostly limited to work clothes,” he said. “However, in recent years, the category has grown, with newer products like gloves, high-visibility apparel and safety glasses being added to the mix.”

Of the three, Xiao said safety gloves are the most popular. Atteff International carries a wide range of gloves made from materials such as leather and canvas. And, the company’s PU Nitrel, or latex-coated knit gloves, are getting the most attention. “These gloves offer the breathability of string-knit gloves, while providing the dexterity and gripping ability required by many manufacturing applications,” he said. Furthermore, Xiao added the gloves provide “form-fitting comfort” to the user.

But, this is not to discount the relevance of traditional garments. Diane Savage, promotional marketing coordinator at Pella Products, Pella, Iowa, pointed out that heavy-duty jackets not only remain popular, but are forging new and stylish paths for themselves in the workwear category. “A while back, we introduced our Field Jacket, which is a little longer than the normal workwear, and our Rodeo jacket, which is very stylish and fits in great with ranchers and cowboys in the rodeo circuit,” she said.

And, like Savage, Xiao said his company’s high-visibility safety apparel is also designed with style, comfort and functionality in mind. “All products are made from 100 percent fluorescent polyester mesh or solid fabric,” he explained. Most of the garments come with reflective stripes for added security, and the company’s Class 2- and Class 3-compliant products meet safety standards from ANSI/ISEA (American National Standards Institute/International Safety Equipment Association).

The newest items to Atteff International’s growing line of workwear products are safety eyeglasses. Xiao said they are carefully engineered to provide end-users with maximum protection. “Lenses are specially coated for scratch resistance, and
most of the items also provide protection against harmful UV rays,” he said. The glasses also meet ANSI standards.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Although not as popular a category as other apparel offerings, workwear is no stranger to the industry. In fact, Savage said Pella Products has served the trade for more than a century with work gear. “All companies that require the USA-made garments should be interested in us, as we are a 100-year-old company and have perfected our quality,” she said. She also pointed out the company requires no minimums, making it “a plus for our customers.”

And, citing his company’s own historic significance, Xiao said Atteff International can be credited with being one of the pioneering suppliers of work gloves in the industry. “When we introduced work gloves in our line in 2004, at that time, only a few other companies were selling [the items] as promotional products,” he said. As a result of that and with the addition of other safety accessories, Xiao said the workwear category has become the fastest-growing section of Atteff International’s entire business.

WORK THE BENEFITS

But what makes workwear a good promotional tool? According to Xiao, all the reasons that make other products good promotional items: imprintability, utility, functionality, repeat-order potential and affordability.

According to Xiao and Savage, workwear can range from as low as $0.50 for gloves and as high as $72 for overall bibs, “giving our customers a wide range of prices to choose from, depending on their needs,” Savage said.

As with everything promotional, samples are effective tools when selling workwear. “Showing samples, guiding a customer to visit a Web site, putting together a proposal with different product sets to present to the customer [all] comprise the proactive approach to selling distributors should consider,” noted Xiao.

THERE’S WORK OUT THERE

Both Xiao and Savage said there are a number of die-hard customers distributors can count on to purchase workwear items. Consider unions, trucking/freight lines, railways, airports, construction companies, utility companies, real-estate firms and insurance companies, to name a few. And, now that people are paying more attention to the promotional strength of workwear, Xiao said the category’s growth potential is enormous. “They are a great [medium] and avenue to promote brand awareness and other promotional needs,” he said. And, if this keeps up, distributors surely will have their work cut out for them.