Apparel

Atlanta-based Boxercraft announced its founder, president and owner Jon Carroll, received the 2009 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award for

Bolingbrook, Illinois-based S&S Activewear, a national distributor of imprintable sportswear, and New York-based Anvil Knitwear Inc., a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of high-quality activewear, announced the winners of the companies' GoGreen Giveaway.

Minneapolis-based River's End Trading Company announced Mike Jamieson has joined the company as the new regional sales representative for Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska. Jamieson is a veteran to the promotional products industry,

Newton, Iowa-based The Vernon Company announced employees raised $3,345 for the annual Jasper County Relay for Life, in support of the American Cancer Society. This donation amount surpasses the company’s 2008 Relay for Life fundraising campaign by 20 percent.

Although wovens are the traditional choice, particularly for corporate apparel, pointing clients toward knits can increase the odds a promotion makes its way into a woman's everyday wardrobe. Since they have to be nipped and tucked all over to create a form-fitting silhouette, "The wovens are really tough," explained Gina Gaudet, director of design at Medford, Massachusetts-based Charles River Apparel. She suggested to look for a woman's polo that has darts at the bust and tapers in at the waist.

I'm a little annoyed by this one; I'm interested to see if you agree. But first, all you domestic manufacturers out there can pat yourselves on the back for being ahead of the curve and using "Made in America" as a marketing push. While there are benefits inherent to both domestic and overseas manufacturing, the current trend seems to be that U.S.-made goods are what the people want. And this article says just as much as it describes shoe manufacturer New Balance's push to mine that well. However, it does note that only 25 percent of its stock is produced here in the U.S. Compared to other shoe companies, that's a lot, but still. Do you think this is responsible or irresponsible "creative" marketing? I'd love to hear your thoughts. (Ad Age)

Let’s revisit, if you will, one of the most special and overwhelming times in a young person’s life: the tour de universities. Running around the country through various hallowed halls of learning is enough of a whirlwind, to be sure, but the most daunting part of it all has to be the variables involved. You might be able to briefly try each school on for size, but you won’t know if it truly fits until it’s been bought and paid for (first-semester transfers can testify to this).

It's been a whisper on the wind these past few seasons—a legging here, some lace there—but now, it's officially official. According to Style.com, the online home of Vogue magazine, 80's stylings made a heady appearance on the runways of New York's Fall Fashion Week earlier this year. How to weave it into your promotion? Choose unexpected color combinations, look for bags with a little added hardware (grommets, studs, etc.), and go with leggings for the youth/junior market.

According to Meghan Brazzelle, senior account executive at Atlanta-based Boxercraft, embellishments are a great way to "bring an extra element to any logo." However, as you might expect, they don't necessarily work for everyone. She specifically mentioned schools, teams and retail stores as being the prime targets for a little something extra, as well as items such as concert memorabilia.

Whether you're a self-professed style savant, or barely fashion conscious, you know Vogue is the go-to guide for the world of high-design clothing and accessories. However, if you're not a consistent reader, you might not be aware that's there's been a bit of dialogue lately about Vogue losing its groove. In this piece, esteemed fashion critic Cathy Horyn discusses just what, exactly, might help the lagging title find its way. (The New York Times)