Corporate Apparel Lightens Up

Corporate culture is a fascinating thing. It changes from company to company, even department to department. In the wake of the worst employment downturn since the great depression, it has never been more important to build a strong corporate culture, one that unifies and creates team spirit. If there is a channel of the promotional products industry that is super-strong at building camaraderie and team spirit, it is branded corporate apparel. With more companies incorporating fitness into their corporate culture, relaxing dress codes to be more casual and sporty, creating a corporate apparel campaign can be a lot of fun for everyone, from the distributor to the end-user.

Kate Souza, public relations specialist, Charles River Apparel, Sharon, Mass., explained how this new trend is impacting corporate apparel sales. "We have seen a huge surge in requests for wellness and fitness items for corporate programs. Everything from wicking tees to yoga-styled apparel has been recent hot items," she noted. This uptick in fitness apparel is not just for sports teams, it is for all kinds of corporations, from finance and banking, to pharmaceutical and real estate. "We're seeing a demand for performance fabrics in corporate apparel, not just for team markets," she said.

Below are some of Souza's tips and tricks to create a fit and healthy corporate campaign 
and tap into a side of the corporate apparel arena that you may have never thought of.

A New Conversation
It doesn't always have to be about professional dress attire.
"If distributors aren't talking to their clients about what they are doing to encourage their employees to be more fit, then they are really missing out on a great opportunity. It's important to ask clients about wellness/fitness programs that their companies are involved with and how they may be able to outfit them."