“Fabrications are the big story in promotional outerwear,” noted Cathy Groves, vice president of marketing at Overland Park, Kansas-based Dri Duck Traders. “Bonded soft-shell fabrics, cotton canvas waterproof and fabrics with any type of performance feature,” are all the rage, she added.
Various apparel suppliers have taken the environmental sustainability cause by the horns, creating whole new lines of organic or eco-friendly apparel. Outerwear suppliers are no different. “Developing out of the consumer demand for cotton products are the organic cotton products,” continued Groves. “The promotional products industry is moving away from synthetic nylon golf-type jackets into cotton jackets that are inspired by the outerwear/lifestyle/work jacket looks, which have a broader appeal as far as styling and functionality,” she explained.