Since 1851, Fruit of the Loom has been producing high-quality apparel items for men, women and children. Today, it is a leading global company that specializes in the marketing, design and manufacture of undergarments, t-shirts and casualwear items. It is the leading seller of men’s briefs in America, and it is one of the most recognizable brands in the world.

Chances are, you have something made by Fruit of the Loom or a member of its family of brands hanging in your closet or folded up in one of your dresser drawers right now. Let’s dig a little deeper into the history of the brand and learn more about its origins, what the company is like today and how it will likely continue to grow in the future.

Rhode Island Beginnings

The Fruit of the Loom brand was born in Rhode Island in the mid-1800s. Originally founded by two brothers–Benjamin and Robert Knight–as the B.B. and R. Knight Corporation, the first mill opened its doors and started producing high-quality cotton textiles and cloth in 1851. The “Fruit of the Loom” name was born five years later when Robert Knight visited his friend and customer, Rufus Skeel. Skeel sold cloth from the mill owned by the Knight brothers. His daughter painted apples on some of the bolts of cloth he sold, and the ones with the apples proved to be the most popular.

Knight decided that apple labels would be a perfect symbol for his “Fruit of the Loom” trade name. In 1871, Knight was granted trademark number 418 for the “Fruit of the Loom” brand. The trademark was issued just one year after trademark laws were first passed by Congress, and Fruit of the Loom is one of the oldest existing trademarks. It predates the light bulb, Coca-Cola and even the paper bag.

Fruit of the Loom’s broadcloth quickly became well-known as the best fabric for making homemade clothing and linen products that were common during that time. Textiles from Fruit of the Loom remained in high demand for as long as women produced their own linens and clothing. The rise of the manufactured clothing industry in the early twentieth century, however, significantly diminished the fabric market. Instead of making all of their own clothing and linens by hand, women increasingly favored ready-made products. Although the company’s original market dwindled, Fruit of the Loom remained popular.

The Early 20th Century

In 1928, Fruit of the Loom started licensing their brand to manufacturers of finished clothing lines. Around the time when a marked number of the company lost many of its direct consumers, a young immigrant by the name of Jacob Goldfarb launched his own clothing business. While working for the Ferguson Manufacturing Company, he discovered that the company only offered its lowest-priced items to retailers who also purchased products with higher price tags. He determined that he could establish a popular business by providing retailers with exclusively low-priced, high-quality garments.

Goldfarb decided to start out offering the most popular style of men’s undergarments–the union suit. He named his company “The Union Underwear Company” and despite not having his own factory, his company quickly began producing the garments. He purchased his fabric from a supplier, had it shipped to a cutter and then sent the pre-cut parts to a sewing shop for assembly and shipping. He kept up this system until the beginning of the Great Depression.

In 1930, Goldfarb was approached by promoters who were looking for an industry that would create jobs and increase the tax base for the city of Frankfort, Kentucky during the ongoing depression. The city offered to build a factory for the business, which would simplify The Union Underwear Company’s manufacturing process by putting all of its operations under one roof. Goldfarb accepted this offer and, five years later, he had 650 people working for him in his new plant.

Goldfarb purchased a 25-year license for Fruit of the Loom in 1938 as part of his efforts to become a national marketer. He felt confident that the brand would make his products well-known nationally. The Union Underwear Company established a second factory which began producing boxer shorts shortly before the beginning of World War II. In 1941, when the United States joined the Allied effort, the company was contracted to produce millions of pairs of G.I. shorts. For its efforts and its contributions on the home front, Union Underwear received several commendations from the efforts.

Post-War Innovations

During the post-war era, Goldfarb implemented numerous innovations that set Union Underwear and Fruit of the Loom apart from the competition. Prior to World War II, underwear was typically sold individually, but in the late 1940s, Goldfarb began selling his boxer shorts as sets of three pairs in a printed cellophane bag. This move created a trend that has become the industry standard for most basic undergarments sold in the United States.

In 1948, the company expanded to include knit underwear, and a third factory was opened in Campbellsville, Kentucky in 1952. This facility featured internal bleaching and knitting facilities for Union Underwear, which helped the company establish greater control of production. With this factory, the company also gained the ability to manufacture a wider range of undergarments for men and boys.

While Goldfarb was only a licensee of the Fruit of the Loom trademark, he was the only one to use his own funds to pay for consumer advertising. In 1955, his Union Underwear Company became the first undergarment company to advertise its products on network television. In addition to purchasing spots during the Today Show, the company started advertising its products on posters, banners, price tickets, signs and newspaper slicks. It also launched a cooperative advertising program to boost sales for Fruit of the Loom. Goldfarb coordinated his sales and advertising campaigns with seasonal holidays and events, including Christmas, Father’s Day and Back-to-School.

During this time period, the Union Underwear Company strategically aligned itself with the mass merchandisers that were becoming increasingly popular. Within a few decades, nearly half of all men’s basic undergarments were sold by these mass merchandisers and discount stores.

The 1950s and 1960s

In 1955, the Union Underwear Company was taken over by a newly formed conglomerate known as the Philadelphia & Reading Corporation. The corporate structure created additional resources for Union Underwear and enabled it to expand its manufacturing operations.

By this time, Union Underwear had become Fruit of the Loom’s dominant and largest licensee. To many consumers, the “Fruit of the Loom” brand meant underwear more than fabric. The licensee had actually become larger than Fruit of the Loom itself, and to ensure that the trademark would remain available, in 1961, Philadelphia & Reading purchased the Fruit of the Loom Licensing Company.

Northwest Industries purchased the patent owned by Union Underwear in 1968. This created new capital which allowed the company to continue to grow. During the same year, Goldfarb stepped down as chair. He was replaced by Everett Moore, who began working at the company’s Frankfort factory in 1932.

Advertising in the Late 1960s and Early 1970s

Throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, the Union Underwear Company worked to energize advertising for men’s underwear. The company contracted Howard Cosell, a well-known sportscaster, to appear in a series of five television commercials over the course of three years beginning in 1968. Terry Thomas, a British comedian, was selected as the company’s spokesperson. By using celebrity spokespeople, Fruit of the Loom became a more recognized brand and created awareness for the brand’s underwear.

In 1975, Union Underwear made advertising history. During this year, they launched the “Fruit of the Loom Guys” campaign, which featured commercials with three men in costume as an apple, a bunch of grapes, and an autumn leaf–all elements of the Fruit of the Loom trademark. These characters helped make the brand a household name and propelled the Fruit of the Loom brand to 98 percent recognition. This advertising campaign is also credited with doubling Union Underwear’s share of the men’s and boy’s underwear market.

The Union Underwear Company acquired the BVD trademark in 1976. It sold BVD as a separate line of underwear that was aimed at higher-end department stores. The company also began expanding its product line in 1978 to include decorated underwear for boys and girls known as “Underoos. During the late 1970s, Union Underwear also expanded into blank Fruit of the Loom t-shirts for the screen printing industry. This expansion evolved into a massive company known as “Screen Stars,” which sold a wide range of wholesale blank t-shirts, sweatpants and sweatshirts.

Buyout and Reorganization in the 1980s

During the 1980s, there was a trend toward leveraged buyouts. Like many companies, Union Underwear was bought out during this time. It was acquired by William F. Farley in 1984 when he paid $1.4 billion to purchase Northwest Industries. The parent company was renamed “Farley Industries.” Like many others, Farley parlayed his purchases into larger conquests until, by the end of the 1980s, he had built an apparel and textile conglomerate with 650,000 global employees and $4 billion in annual sales.

The conglomerate was restructured in 1985, and $260 million in shares were sold. During this restructuring, Union Underwear was renamed Fruit of the Loom, Inc. to help more closely relate the company to its well-known trademark. Farley strove to improve operating efficiency and squeeze additional profit out of the company’s status as the leading manufacturer in the undergarment industry. He made changes in manufacturing, modernized production in the United States and expanded the company into Europe.

The manufacturing changes implemented throughout the 1980s transformed Fruit of the Loom from an underwear manufacturer into an apparel company. The company focused on producing men’s fashion underwear, women’s underwear and socks. The Fruit of the Loom label was applied to sportswear in 1987. During the 1980s, Fruit of the Loom also made history by releasing its popular pocket t-shirt in a rainbow of stylish colors.

The 1990s and Beyond

During the 1990s, Fruit of the Loom was impacted by widespread downsizing of the American textile industry. Instead of focusing on briefs and boxers, which are low-profit-margin items for the business, it started focusing more on developing casualwear and activewear products. It did this by both expanding its own product lines and by purchasing other brands. It acquired Salem Sportswear in 1993 and came up with a licensing agreement that it allowed it to produce and market athleticwear under the Wilson brand. In 1994, Fruit of the Loom acquired Pro Player, Artex Manufacturing Inc. and Gitano Group.

In 1999, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after posting a loss of $576.2 million. Stocks that were worth roughly $44 per share in 1997 dropped to just over $1 by 2000.

Berkshire Hathaway Corporation, which is controlled by investor Warren Buffet, purchased Fruit of the Loom from bankruptcy in 2002. The company was purchased for roughly $835 million in a deal that was closed on April 29, 2002. The company purchased Russell Corporation in 2006 and VF Corporation’s Vanity Fair Intimates company in 2007.

Fruit of the Loom Today

Despite the numerous challenges Fruit of the Loom faced throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, it has remained an industry leader. As a part of Berkshire Hathaway, the company has gained financial security and a firm foundation on which it can continue its growth. Today, it is a leading global company that specializes in the design, manufacture and distribution of apparel for men, women and children.

Fruit of the Loom takes corporate responsibility seriously and strives to provide support to the communities in which its facilities are located. It is also committed to ensuring that it operates in a socially responsible fashion to protect the rights of its employees, partners, etc. Lastly, Fruit of the Loom is committed to taking proactive steps toward reducing its impact on the environment. It complies with all environmental laws and regulations and strives to be as environmentally friendly as possible.

Fruit of the Loom t-shirts and other products are some of the best in the world, and they are sold at low prices. At The Adair Group, we carry a complete range of products from this industry-leading company. Browse our selection today!

The post The History of Fruit of the Loom Apparel first appeared on The Adair Group.

When you are in the market for high-quality clothing for the tiniest members of your family, you can’t go wrong with Rabbit Skins. Made by LAT Apparel, the Rabbit Skins line of clothing is designed with your little one’s comfort and safety in mind. The brand offers a wide range of bodysuits, t-shirts, bibs, pants, coveralls, sweatshirts and more for infants and toddlers, and they come in a rainbow of colors to ensure that there are options for every wardrobe.

Rabbit Skins Apparel is made to feel soft against the skin, and it includes important features to ensure safety and durability, such as reinforced three-snap closures on body suits, EasyTear labels and double-needle ribbed binding. Rabbit Skins Apparel has been manufacturing high-quality clothing and accessories for infants and toddlers for more than 35 years, and they are a company that you can feel great about supporting.

Rabbit Skins Apparel History

Rabbit Skins Apparel is owned by LAT Apparel, which also owns Code Five, SubliVie and Doggie Skins. The company has been manufacturing high-quality blank apparel and accessories for infants and toddlers since 1982 and has become an industry leader due to its commitment to comfort, softness and durability.

The company uses combed ringspun cotton in all of its products, and some styles are available in nearly 60 colors. When you are shopping for Rabbit Skins shirts, bodysuits, etc., you can choose from colors that are neutral or bold and bright. There are also colors that coordinate well with team colors, business branding colors and more. Rabbit Skins Apparel even offers certain styles with stripes or polka dots. No matter what color, design or style you choose, each fabric is carefully developed to ensure that it looks and feels great, and it is designed to provide a smooth surface that works well for printing.

Social Responsibility

In addition to feeling great against your child’s skin, Rabbit Skins Apparel garments are products that you can feel great about buying. All products are ethically manufactured in socially compliant, WRAP-certified (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) facilities that do not rely on sweatshop or child labor. The company focuses on cultivating strong and lasting relationships that are built on trust and respect, and they do this by treating everyone involved in their business with dignity.

Rabbit Skins Products

Rabbit Skins Apparel designs and manufactures clothing and accessories for infants and toddlers. While many brands offer products for young children, Rabbit Skins takes the unique needs of babies and tots when creating products that are made just for them. The infant baby rib bodysuit, for example, is made from 100 percent combed ringspun cotton and is sewn with cotton thread. The garment features double-needle ribbed binding on the shoulder, neck, sleeves and leg openings for extra comfort and security. This piece also features a reinforced three-snap closure on the bottom to ensure durability.

For newborns, Rabbit Skins even offers infant layettes. With lap shoulders and long sleeves with mitten cuffs for extra protection, they are easy to change and do a great job of keeping brand-new babies safe. Layettes are absolute must-have items for new parents, and when you choose Rabbit Skins Apparel, you have way more color options than the standard pink and blue.

Clothing from Rabbit Skins Apparel is CPSIA compliant, and each piece includes a tracking label. The toddler long sleeve tee is also made from 100 percent cotton jersey, and it is extremely soft to ensure your child’s comfort. Since it is machine washable and can be tumble dried on low, it is a perfect everyday staple. Many of the pieces from Rabbit Skins are multi-purpose, making them ideal for busy families who don’t have time to waste mixing and matching outfits for specific events and situations. With short sleeve and long sleeve t-shirts, pullover and zip-up sweatshirts, pajama tops, pajama pants, coveralls and several other clothing options to choose from, you can build much of your child’s wardrobe using this versatile and affordable brand.

Rabbit Skins offers more than just clothing, too. Their 100 percent combed ringspun cotton premium bibs serve as the perfect catch-alls for all of your child’s dribbles and spills. Because they are rather large in size, they also work for easy cleanup after meals as your child gets older. These bibs feature VELCRO brand hook and loop closures and they come in a wide range of colors. The infant baby rib cap is a must-have for any parent. Like all Rabbit Skins products, it is made from 100 percent ringspun cotton for softness and it is an essential for keeping babies warm and cozy.

What Makes Rabbit Skins Different?

While many manufacturers offer products for infants and toddlers, these products are often just smaller versions of adult clothing. Rabbit Skins Apparel designs and manufactures apparel and accessories with the unique needs of kids (and parents) in mind. For example, they use 100 percent ringspun cotton in all of their products to ensure softness against a baby’s delicate skin. They also offer their products in a rainbow of kid-friendly colors and patterns to keep even the smallest members of the family looking their best.

Rabbit Skins Apparel also outshines its competitors in terms of variety. While many brands offer just a few styles and colors for small kids, Rabbit Skins has nearly everything you would need to fill an entire wardrobe. When it comes to colors, the brand offers one of the largest color assortments on the market. Whether you are shopping for a boy, a girl or you are looking for something gender-neutral, you will likely be able to find what you need from this popular brand.

If you are shopping for blank apparel to customize and resell, all Rabbit Skins Apparel products feature EasyTear labels. This enables you to quickly and easily remove the tag and replace it with your own brand.

Other Products from LAT Apparel

Formerly known as LAT Sportswear, LAT Apparel offers high-quality clothing for the entire family. With options for men, women, children and even pets, it is possible to find products that are suitable for everyone. Their Code Five line features camouflage t-shirts for men, women and kids. Featuring designs from industry leaders like Realtree and Mossy Oak, Code Five is camo done right.

If you are in the market for sublimation tees, try the SubliVie line. LAT Apparel’s SubliVie collection includes shirts that are made from 100 percent polyester that are perfect for athletic uses. They feature moisture-wicking technology and are designed specifically for sublimation printing. This line includes t-shirts for men, women and kids. There is even an adult cape!

If you want to keep your own fur babies looking their best or design a line of stylish doggie duds, check out the Doggie Skins line. This collection includes shirts and bandanas in a wide variety of sizes for dogs. Made from 100 percent combed ringspun cotton, the shirts from Doggie Skins are as soft and comfortable as they are stylish. They come in several colors (including camouflage) and can be customized for a truly unique look. The bandanas are made from a 50/50 cotton/polyester blend and come in several different colors and patterns.

When you choose LAT Apparel for your wholesale clothing needs, you can find options for men, women, infants, toddlers, children and even dogs. They have standard and plus-sized clothing to ensure that there is something to fit everything member of the family. All of their products are designed and manufactured with comfort, style and durability in mind.

In Conclusion

When you are shopping for high-quality apparel for infants and toddlers, you cannot go wrong with Rabbit Skins Apparel. Owned by LAT Apparel, this brand offers exceptional comfort and durability and a wide range of products to suit the needs of parents, schools, business owners and more. Whether you are looking for an affordable way to fill your child’s closet with high-quality clothing or you are thinking about starting your own line of custom apparel for infants and toddlers, investing in Rabbit Skins Apparel is a solid choice.

Unlike many other brands, Rabbit Skins Apparel designs its clothing with the unique needs of its wearers in mind. Rather than simply creating adult clothing in smaller sizes to fit tiny bodies, Rabbit Skins manufactures clothing that is made specifically for the smallest members of your family. They use 100 percent combed ringspun cotton to ensure comfort. Their clothing has features–like reinforced snaps–that make it safe for even the youngest kids.

At The Adair Group, we are proud to offer Rabbit Skins Apparel products. Check out our selection and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions.

The post Product Spotlight: Rabbit Skins Apparel first appeared on The Adair Group.

Delta has built a reputation of providing casual and high-performance athletic wear with their range of blank t shirts and apparel, supplied to some of the biggest names in the activewear industry. However, it isn’t just big-name brands that rely on Delta apparel. Here are some of the reasons why we love Delta t shirts and apparel.

Huge Range of Styles

Delta has been an industry leader in both casual and active-wear for over 100 years. Throughout this time, they have made it a priority to continually develop and improve their designs, being sure to stay on top of current trends in fashion and performance apparel. The result is a massive variety of styles to suit the needs of each of their customers.

One of the styles we love is the Delta Dri, which incorporates moisture-wicking technology to keep wearers cool and dry, even during the most grueling workout. This is perfect for sports teams, and the blank t shirts are durable enough to be customized with your team’s logo while still providing maximum comfort and fit.

Within each collection, there is a huge range of different styles of apparel from short and long-sleeved tees, hoodies, weatherproof jackets, tanks and singlets and even kids wear. So, it’s never difficult to find the right style for your business.

Versatility

Delta’s plain t shirt provide the perfect blank canvas for everything from large-scale screen printing and uniform embroidery to small independent art printing. They are especially optimal for creating t shirt crafts at home.

Their range of heavy-weight blank Magnum t shirt are ideal for embroidery or artwork prints and remain soft and drape well, even with the embellishments. Delta’s range of standard soft yarn is spun additional times to create a softer weave, and they come in medium weight for screen printing.

Delta’s versatile products extend way beyond their design aesthetic; they also offer almost all their collections in different sleeve lengths, ranging from children to youth and adult sizes. They even offer adorable blank baby onesies in a super-soft weave, so as not to damage the baby’s skin, which makes Delta a great choice for the whole family.

Complete Color Selection

Delta prides themselves on providing the largest assortment of color varieties in the industry. In an industry as expansive as textiles, that is saying a lot! Their range of popular Pro Weight t shirt’s comes in an incredible 48 different colors, so you can always find the color you need.

This extensive color selection, combined with high-quality, medium-weight construction, makes the Pro Weight the ideal choice for screen printing. This allows you to provide your customers with the color they need quickly and easily, without the added expense and hassle of needing to customize your t shirt colors with dyes.

Reliable

When it comes to purchasing wholesale apparel, customers want to be certain they are buying from a brand they can trust. Since 1903, Delta has provided high-quality, durable clothing that can withstand years of wear and still remain comfortable, making it the kind of product you turn to again and again.

In fact, the quality of the product and the reliability of the Delta brand have allowed them to supply big brand name accounts, including one of the titans of athletic wear, Nike, as well as popular brands like Hurley, Colombia and Quicksilver.

Innovative

One of the biggest reasons we love Delta is that they are completely customer focused. Their research team is always on the lookout for new trends in color and style, along with materials which put them at the forefront of innovation in the textile industry.

Some of their latest innovations include a platinum line of tanks and t shirt’s constructed from a specially formulated combination of ring spun cotton and polyester. This creates a product with the durability of polyester but the supple softness and drape of cotton. Additionally, the Soffe line of activewear combines fine design details and quality fabrics for high-performance clothing for athletes.

Eco-Conscious

Delta is among one of the few apparel manufacturers to use recycled polyester in their products. This sustainable approach to garment manufacturing has earned them a place as one of the biggest innovators in the industry.

But, their eco-friendly philosophy doesn’t end with their material selection. Delta has made huge strides to decrease the amount of water, energy and other resources used in manufacturing to reduce the size of their carbon footprint.

In an industry that is notoriously wasteful and damaging to the environment, Delta stands out as a wonderful example of how small changes to the manufacturing process can have a significant impact on the environment. This means you can have peace of mind when you purchase Delta apparel.

Final Thoughts

Delta has been leading the way in the textile industry for more than a century. Plus, with innovative products and customers focused on design, you can be assured of always finding the right product for your business.

The post Brand Spotlight: Why We Love Delta T Shirts & Apparel first appeared on The Adair Group.

Everywhere you look, the ‘90s are back. From high-waisted jeans to oversized flannel, and with the ’90s sitcoms rebooting left and right, people remember what they loved about this decade. Let’s take a look at t-shirts as a unique garment that defined modern fashion, with a special focus on a decade of trendsetting and great TV.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE T-SHIRT

Obviously, the t-shirt doesn’t belong to any one decade, although the ‘90s saw some pretty hip manifestations. And while the garment with its recognizable shape was around for most of the twentieth century, it wasn’t until the second half of the century that culturally we started to accept it as something other than underwear.

The t-shirt evolved from a 19th-century style of men’s underwear called “the union suit,” which paired the t-shirt shape on top with shorts or pants on the bottom. As a one-piece flannel, the union suit was great in the winter, when workers needed the extra protection from the cold, but torturous in the summer when there was no way for workers wearing it to cool down without cutting off the bottom half. Many of them did, and thus, the t-shirt shape was born.

In the early 20th century, underwear companies started advertising t-shirts as “bachelor undershirts,” and F. Scott Fitzgerald coined the term “t-shirt” in 1920 when he had a character sporting one in his novel, This Side of Paradise. After World War II, when soldiers coming home brought back their t-shirts and started wearing them as stand-alone pieces rather than undershirts, the t-shirt earned its title as the casual top.

By the time the ‘90s rolled around, t-shirts were so widespread that designers became extremely creative in order to maintain the garment’s originality. TV shows reflected this widespread popularity, and fictional characters became casual fashion icons. Let’s look at some of the t-shirts from ‘90s TV that helped curate the look of the decade.

CLARISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL

Melissa Joan Hart’s breakthrough role as Clarissa Darling came with its fashion perks. Clarissa would address the audience directly as she navigated everyday teen problems that young viewers most likely identified with. She brought style to the screen, with the assistance of her sidekick and best friend Sam, played by Hart’s costar, Sean O’Neil.

If you thought tie dye shirts belonged in the ‘60s, just take a look at the vibrant colors on Clarissa and Sam’s t-shirts. The look is unquestionably a product of the ‘90s.

THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR

Perhaps one of the most iconic theme songs in television history opened each episode of The Fresh Prince. In this well-loved sitcom, Will Smith played a fictional version of himself, a streetwise teenager from West Philadelphia (“born and raised”) whose mother insists he move in with posh relatives in Bel-Air.

And while his attitude often clashed with that of his wealthy aunt and uncle, his style often stole the show. Known for bright colors and wild prints, one of his better-known looks was this electric green striped t-shirt. Paired with sunglasses, Will Smith looked the part of a fun-loving rapper.

The fictionalized version of himself wasn’t so far from the truth. He played a well-liked rapper who had gone bankrupt due to poor budgeting skills, and when NBC signed Smith for the part, he was broke, despite his successes as a rapper. Luckily, his sense of humor and style immediately launched his acting career.

SAVED BY THE BELL

The many movies and spin-off TV shows attest to this early ‘90s sitcom’s success. Following an ensemble cast as they experience the ups and downs of high school, Saved by the Bell could be both hilarious and serious. The show focused on the ringleader of the group of friends, Zack Morris.

However, his best friend Screech, played by Dustin Diamond, often stole the scenes. Though Screech was something of a nerd, his wardrobe didn’t lack for originality. His t-shirts often had eye-popping graphic art printed across the front, and when paired with high-top sneakers and his goofy grin, he became the Screech viewers loved.

FRIENDS

It’s hard to think of another show that achieved the cultural status that Friends did. The highly-rated sitcom lasted for ten years, and its 2004 season finale was the most watched television episode of the 2000s. Following the escapades of six twenty-somethings living in Manhattan, Friends was all at once comedic, romantic and sometimes serious.

Though Rachel, played by Jennifer Aniston, is probably best known for her haircut, she and Monica (Courtney Cox) also rocked some great t-shirts. These matching girl-power get-ups show how close the two friends were on the show. The two had been best friends in high school, and while life had put distance between them, they reunited after Rachel left her fiancé. Watching Friends gave every woman both fashion and friendship goals to aspire to.

KENAN & KEL

Nineties kids remember how hilarious this show was, and its comedy holds up surprisingly well, considering how young its title actors were. Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell, both popular cast members on the earlier ‘90s show All That, played fictionalized version of themselves.

As two Chicago teens who got into plenty of mischief, Kenan and Kel also showed ‘90s kids how to dress. The neon-stripe on Kenan’s shirt is an attention-grabber, perhaps foreshadowing his long run on Saturday Night Live as a scene-stealer in every sketch. Kel and Kenan were rebellious and hilarious, and they dressed the part. If you’re shopping for kids t shirts today, take notes from these two.

BEVERLY HILLS, 90210

Since this show reached cult status, no zip code is as famous as the eponymous 90210. It was the first of five television shows that rode the original’s success. The drama followed the lives of a group of wealthy teens living in Beverly Hills, as they navigated their romantic relationships through high school, college and the adult world.

The show made Shannon Doherty and Tori Spelling, who played Minneapolis native Brenda Walsh and ditzy Donna Martin, some of the most recognizable TV stars in America. And as wealthy teens in Beverly Hills, the girls had an obligation to bring a strong fashion game, and their t-shirts were no exception.

In their t-shirts emblazoned with the show’s name, Spelling and Doherty embodied the laid back California beach chic that the rest of the country envies. In combination with the calf-high white socks and sneakers, dark lipstick and high-waisted cut-off shorts, you’ve got a look that epitomizes the ‘90s.  

FULL HOUSE

Full House was such a fan favorite that the show was brought back as a Netflix spin-off 11 years after it went off the air. The sitcom tugged at the viewers’ heartstrings as the main character, Danny Tanner, played by Bob Saget, sought the help of his brother-in-law and best friend to raise his three daughters after their mother’s death. The show propelled the Olsen twins to stardom, as they shared the role of adorable Michelle Tanner.

D.J. Tanner, Danny’s oldest daughter, was played by a young Candace Cameron Bure. D.J. was often the most practical and level-headed sister, but her outfits were innovative. Take, for instance, this all orange get-up. Who do you know that would go so daringly monochrome? Tucked into an oversized belt with rolled up sleeves, this t-shirt is utterly, unabashedly ‘90s.

SISTER, SISTER

Shakespeare loved to use twins as a comedic device, and that’s exactly what Sister, Sister did. Real-life twins Tia and Tamera Mowry played versions of themselves, Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell, who had been separated at birth and found each other again after 14 years. Book smart Tia was from Detroit, and boy-crazy Tamera was from the suburbs.

When their adoptive families moved in with each other, they started going to high school together and experiencing regular teen problems with plenty of jokes along the way. To add to the confusion, the twins often wore similar outfits, like these silky butterfly t-shirts. As it turns out, a good look gets better when you multiply it by two.

FREAKS AND GEEKS

The cult hit has been called one of the greatest shows of all time, even with its rapid cancellation after only 12 episodes had aired. The show centered on Sam and Lindsay Weir, played by John Francis Daley and Linda Cardellini, two siblings who inhabit very different social spheres. Sam and his friends represent the geeks. Lindsey and her band of friends, on the other hand, make up the freaks.

The freaks definitely brought something to the fashion levels of the show. The “it” couple, Kim Kelley and Daniel Desario, played by Busy Philipps and James Franco, exuded punk cool and a don’t-care attitude with their fashion choices. Daniel’s anti-war t-shirt and Kim’s two-tone three-quarter sleeve are simple yet edgy. It’s no wonder that Lindsay was in love with Daniel, and it is a tragedy the show was canceled so soon. However, its short life has perhaps contributed to its cult status.

BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer fandom really gives other fan communities a run for their money. The show has inspired countless fan fictions, websites, online forums and even unofficial fan-made films. Buffy follows its namesake, Buffy Summers, the role that propelled Sarah Michelle Gellar to stardom, as she answers her calling to become a vampire slayer.

A regular California teen, Buffy is at first reticent to accept her fate as a slayer, but eventually, comes to accept it. With the help of David Boreanaz, who plays Angel, and her circle of friends, Buffy becomes a force to be reckoned with. She and her friends battled the forces of evil, and they looked good doing it, in an uncontestable ‘90s way.

Buffy’s friend, Willow Rosenberg, played by Alyson Hannigan, plays a shy and brainy foil to Buffy’s bubbly and unacademic character. And while Willow may be best remembered for her overalls in every color of the rainbow, when she wore this fuzzy red t-shirt, she reminded everyone that Buffy wasn’t the only ‘90s fashion force to be reckoned with in Sunnydale.

Dawson’s Creek

If you want to make a statement, all you really need is some blank t shirts. Katie Holmes proved what a pop of color could do to an outfit when she stood out from the rest of the cast in a bright red t-shirt. Dawson’s Creek was the answer to America’s obsession with teen TV shows in the late ‘90s.

Holmes’s character, Joey Potter, was the girl next door to the main character Dawson Leery, played by James Van Der Beek. Set in a small town in Massachusetts, Joey’s simple, all-American inspired look was something that felt fashionable and simultaneously relatable to viewers hooked on the romantic series.

THAT ‘70S SHOW

That ‘70s Show was perfect for adults in the ‘90s who remembered what it was like to be teenagers in the ‘70s. The sitcom perfectly captured the ennui of small-town teens finding ways to entertain themselves in Point Place, Wisconsin. With its unforgettable cast of characters, each bringing something different to the comedy, the show ran eight seasons following the romantic, academic and career ups and downs of its ensemble.

And while ‘70s revivalists will argue all the outfits were killer, Stephen Hyde, played by Danny Masterson, by far surpassed the others with his vintage t-shirt game. A bad boy and a hard rock lover, Hyde owned countless rock ‘n roll t-shirts that spoke to ‘90s punks who were into the classic hits. His outfits made it more jarring when the storyline aligned him romantically with the girly-girl Jackie, played by Mila Kunis. Next to her feathered hair and flowery halter tops, Hyde stuck out like a sore thumb, but that’s how his character liked it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Though the prints and the way you style them has varied dramatically across the decades, the t-shirt’s cut and versatility have both remained the same. So, whether you’re digging through the racks looking for that great find at a vintage thrift shop or shopping for new ones online, you’re bound to find a great t-shirt for your wardrobe if you’re keeping your ‘90s TV fashion icons in mind.

For a look that screams “throwback,” tuck your t-shirt into jeans that reach your belly button and accentuate the hourglass with an oversized belt. Or to go with a more punk variation, buy a size too large and make sure there’s a statement printed across the front. Whether you’re channeling D.J. Tanner or Daniel Desario, you’re sure to make an impression.

The post Throwback Thursday: Coolest T-Shirts on ‘90s TV first appeared on The Adair Group.

As the owner of a small business, you have a lot of operating expenses to consider, which is why uniforms can become an afterthought. Whether you’re running a small coffee shop or a full restaurant, a hotel or a quaint bed and breakfast, your uniforms matter. They bring your team together and give them a sense of purpose and belonging, as well as assure your customers that they’re in the presence of professionals who know what needs to be done.

You may be tempted to skip uniforms altogether—it’s a great way to save money, right? Do not be tempted to forgo uniforms. This sends a very distinct message to your customers and leaves you with a lot fewer opportunities to brand and advertise.

For example, if you have a delivery service, you want your delivery workers in at least a company t-shirt if not a jacket and hat as well. Why? Well, it helps the people waiting for him or her know who is coming to their door. Beyond that, when neighbors or potential customers see your delivery person, they can at least get a name to search online when they need a home dog-washing service or emergency desserts.

As to brick and mortar stores, it is essential to put your employees and maybe even yourself in at least a basic uniform because it gives your workers a sense of responsibility as well as purpose. Also, there is no confusion for your customers about who works in your restaurant or bed and breakfast, and they won’t be whispering “Is she a waitress? Are you sure?” while their stomachs grumble.

Uniforms Set the Scene

So, uniforms are the way to go. They can change our mentalities, set us up for success, and keep us together as a team. Have you ever felt the shift in your demeanor as you dress for work or slip into a pair of shoes you never wear unless you are headed out to work a shift? Then you know how much they can change things.

However, they can be a burden. Choosing a design that helps your employees look good and feel comfortable can be a challenge and then, of course, they have to be paid for. What is a sterling new boss like yourself to do?

There are plenty of cheap, basic uniforms available to buy from either brick and mortar stores or online, but how can you make your employee’s outfits stand out? There are some great ways to personalize your uniforms without spending a lot of money. You can add a personal touch without a lot of stress or strain to your new budget.

The standard uniform isn’t just expensive, it’s boring. Far too often they’re also highly uncomfortable, thanks to the synthetic, easy-to-clean fabrics they’re made from. Consider a more casual, easy to wear option. Your staff will have an easier time running to serve your customers, and you will feel your wallet breathe a sigh of relief.

Here are some great ways to approach uniform design for your new and soon-to-be-thriving business:

A Logo Design Contest

You can always hire an artist, do the designing yourself, or just ask a creative friend to help you out with this part, but why not have a contest? It doesn’t have to be a massive undertaking—just something to help your employees and maybe even a few potential customers take part in the first steps of your new business.

Logos encompass the spirit and mission of a business and a lot of people have great ideas for how to make those ideas into emblems. Take advantage! Not only will you get a ton of ideas at little to no cost to you, you generate interest in your business, help involve the surrounding community, or just give your employees a chance to win something.

Whether you keep your efforts to find a winning logo in-house or reach out to the people you hope will be stopping in at your new store or cafe, this is a great chance to connect with your new hires, learn more about your potential shoppers, and have a great time.

Be sure to offer some kind of incentive—a bonus to the winning employee, a free meal, free coffee for a month—anything that fits your business. This will help your image as a boss and show that you appreciate creative problem-solving and that you aren’t afraid to show it. Any employee will appreciate that.

You can even take advantage of high-level artists looking to get some more experience by posting on Design Contest, a site where artists compete to give you the best design possible. Just post your business name, some details about who you are and what you want to convey, and offer a prize. You will also need to draw up a copyrights transfer, but the site will help you with this step.

After your contest is posted, you can sit back and let the entries come in. Many contests are completed in a matter of hours or just a couple of days, so you are all set without much of a time investment on your part.

Once you have your logo, you can try this next fun activity:

Try Screen Printing

Screen printing, once the bastion of giant printing houses full of industry secrets, has returned to the hands of the public, and you can design and print your own logo and image onto low-priced, wholesale tshirts relatively quickly and easily. It takes a little time to set up, and it requires some very unique materials such as a liquid sensitizer, photo emulsion, and a squeegee.

If you know someone who already has some experience printing t-shirts, ask if you can borrow a screen for the prints, as this can be the most labor-intensive thing to make.

Again, ask your friends, relatives, or new employees if anyone is up for designing a logo. Or, you can hire an artist through several freelance websites—whatever option works best for you. If you’re artistically inclined or have experience with logos, you can always do it yourself.

Here’s the fun part: Get together all the wonderful people who helped you start your business and do the printing as a team. Be sure to let everyone do a couple of practice runs on paper or old shirts that you don’t wear anymore; then, once you’ve got the workflow down, go for it.

The great thing about screen printing is that one screen can print hundreds of shirts. You can even make a design for your customers to buy at your big opening. Here is a video that breaks down the process of screen printing step by step, and which will inspire you to run and print your own screen right away.

If done correctly, screen printing will be able to stand up to plenty of washes and lots of wear and tear. While it might feel like you’re putting a photo on a shirt, it’s more like a photo. And, speaking of photos:

Put Your Photoshop Expertise to the Test

Have a photo that truly encompasses the heart and soul of your business? You can make it part of your uniform! First, make sure you have the rights to any image you may want to use; it’s best if you or an employee capture the image so there are no issues. Then, you can easily upload that picture to your computer and use a more modern, tech-savvy process to make it into a t-shirt design.

You’ll start with a digital photo or digital scan of a photo to get started. You need it on your personal computer as well as a photo-editing software such as Photoshop to make it look the way you want. Consider making your design either with a grayscale color pattern or just in one single, solid color. This will make copying the image onto fabric much simpler.

Once you’ve got your image cropped, centered, and colored correctly, you need to print it out on a transparency sheet, (you can get these at any office supply store or website), and then use that printed image to do a transfer to an emulsion sheet. The process goes on from there and is very similar to the old-fashioned style of screen printing; it’s just a bit cleaner and sharper.

Again, here is a great chance to recruit your employees, friends, and family for help. Why not have a photography contest and give a prize or bonus to the winner? You’re starting a new business; you want morale to be high. By giving your team the opportunity to do some creative work, you are helping them take ownership in the business and creating an emotional investment. Now, they’ll see the business as an important part of their lives and work harder to see it succeed.

Consider Tie-Dye

Is your business more along the lines of a hot dog stand or ice cream store? Do not discount the possibility of a successful uniform with basic tie dye t shirts.

Tie-dye sends a very clear message to your customers: This is a place where it is okay to relax, to be yourself and take a moment away from your normal corporate atmosphere. When you see a product packed in a tie-dye design, you know you are buying something very different than the more expensive, glittery font with a name you can barely pronounce.

The same goes for a tie-dye uniform. Employees dressed in this colorful style will appear much more approachable, fun, kid-friendly, and ready to bring on the smiles. They are a wonderful option for businesses centered on families and kids.

There are lots of different ways to dye your shirts. You can do it with bleach, with basic fabric dyes, and create a some truly unique designs that are a far cry from the typical, seventies heart made of rainbows.

If you want a smoother, more saturated look you want to soak the fabric of the shirt with water before you start. A dry shirt will also work, but you will get a more splattered, splotchy look. Choose a color palette, get on your plastic gloves, find some rubber bands, and you are ready to go.

Before you start, here is a tip: Wear gloves any time you work with fabric dye. The paints meant for fabric are designed to saturated into porous material and will happily make their home deep in your skin. Unless you want muddy, purple hands for the next few days, take a moment to get on your gloves.

To tie-dye, a shirt is just twisted up and held together with the bands. Then, dye is squeezed directly onto the fabric to give it a colorful, explosive look. The shirt is left to set in a plastic bag for several hours, and then rinsed to finish. The final product is a fun and unique burst of color that your employees and customers will love.

You can see more about exactly how to tie-dye, here, in this video.

Stand Out by Fading Away: The Beautiful Ombre Effect

An ombre is just a very pared down tie-dye shirt. Instead of exploding into an array of colors, it tones it down a bit with one hue that gradually gets darker as it approaches the hem or the top of the shirt.

Ombres are a wonderful option if you are opening a spa, a nice café, or just a more laid-back, more quiet space for your customers. Are you dedicated to professional cuddling? An ombre shirt accents that perfectly.

Just like a tie-dye job, you will need some fabric dye but only in one color. You will also need a hanger and some clips to make sure that the shirt you are decorating is spread out completely. Then you will dye the water instead of the shirt directly. An ombre is a labor of love, so do not take this on unless you have the time and energy, as you will be dipping a shirt, then adding more dye to the water and dipping it again, putting in less and less of the fabric for about five or six rounds.

While this is an intense project, the finished product is a unique and lovely one. This basic yet elegant choice can give your business an extra special touch. Also, this is another project that could easily be done with the help of new employees and friends. Everyone can do their own shirt; just make sure to have plenty of materials on hand.

While uniforms can be a handful, they can also be an additional, fun touch and a chance to release your inner artist or crafter in the midst of starting up your dream project. Do not pass up the chance to make the creation of your uniforms fun and inclusive, as this is a great opportunity to bring your team together and promote yourself to people outside of your efforts.

Whatever your business, you can make it shine with a lot of personal touches. Here is hoping that you see yourself in the black before long.

The post Tips and Tricks for Making Cheap Uniforms first appeared on The Adair Group.

From the youngest of athletes to seniors hoping to stay active, one immovable fact spans the life cycle—things are more fun when you get a free t-shirt. Road races, volunteer opportunities, team sports—you name it, the t-shirt makes it. Softball leagues are no exception. The uniform, however informal, inspires a sense of unity, pride in athletic ability, and serves as a beacon to all: “I’ve earned free pizza after the game I’ve played.”

If you’re hoping to create this opportunity for bonding and athleticism for others, there are a great many things you’ll need to know before getting started. But, fear not: we’ve collected our best tips for getting your league off the ground. Trust us. T-shirts are only the beginning.

Benefits of Starting a Softball League

Few Americans, whether they are knowledge workers or physical laborers, would tell you they have an abundance of free time. Life is busy, full to the brim with obligations and activities, and adding a commitment to a softball league might seem like one more thing added to their long to-do lists. As you seek to recruit interested players, which is the first big hurdle in creating a successful league, you’ll want to be able to share what their time and energy will give them in the long run. Here are a few suggestions for ways to “sell” friends and colleagues on this grand experiment.

Morale

The Gallup organization reported in 2016 that just 32% of employees nationwide reported feeling engaged and connected to their work in their polling data from the prior year. This means that, in a given group of 10 friends or colleagues, just over three feel they’re making a meaningful contribution with their work. With as much time as we spend in the office, that’s a sad statistic. While some may seek to combat this feeling of disengagement by switching jobs or even career paths, others might seek to find diversions in their non-working hours that help their lives feel rewarding. A softball league could create such an environment.

Especially if the imagined league is one designed to bring colleagues together (either in one organization or across an industry), these out-of-office opportunities help players show sides of one another that may not present themselves at work. Further, the orientation toward a common goal can help players cultivate a team mindset and uncover hidden skills and talents—hidden, perhaps, even from the individual themselves! Tap into this skill discovery by letting members pick official post-game hangouts, or design team shirts or even some of the more contentious rules.

Healthy Competition

While competition sometimes has an outlet in the workplace, it tends to be looked down upon there. Most of us really only see the competitive nature at work when it evolves into a hyper-competitive spirit, more closely resembling ruthlessness. This type of competitive nature can be toxic in large doses, no matter where it arises. By providing an outlet where a competitive spirit is valued and even necessary, team members can channel that “get ahead” energy into a new endeavor.

Exercise

For those seeking to build an exercise routine into a busy lifestyle, the dedicated schedule of team practices and games could be an enticing alternative to group fitness classes or hours toiling away in the gym. It’s true that softball isn’t the most strenuous of sports, but it could be a good start for someone needing a social and structured entry into a fitness regimen. Most of us sit all day. Why not take the time to bat, field, and run when we can?

Scouting and Recruiting Players

Once you’ve settled on the idea of creating a softball league, your first task will be to answer the big question: Who else is in for a journey through the season with you? It can be hard to drum up numbers at first, but sharing the benefits of participation listed above, as well as others that you could tailor as needed, can help make the case for others to join your cause.

As you’re scouting your surroundings, keep in mind that levels of ability could—and should—vary widely. Do you want to build a league that favors more skilled and competitive players? Or is it designed more for fun and camaraderie, leaving space for less practiced but highly enthusiastic individuals?

As you gain steam and popularity, you can consider dividing the league up based on the level of play. But, at the outset, seek to balance the needs of many different types of players for your best chance at success and robust participation.

Solidifying Rules and Challenge Processes

Will you be playing fast-pitch or slow-pitch? What will be the gender makeup of teams? How many players must be present for a game to proceed? All of these questions, and more, will need to be answered as you outline the rules of your league. Rules can be informed by the age and skill level of players, the confines of facilities available, availability or non-availability of referees/umpires, or even the familiarity of players with the game.

Again, it will be crucial to set and uphold rules in relation to the level of skill your league caters to. Too-strict or obscure rules will alienate players seeking only to have fun; too lax or abstract rules could cause more skilled players to pull away. As with recruitment, balance is the name of the game, here. Playpass puts it simply when they advise to use rules “that are clearly stated and consistently applied.”

Hand in hand with creating a rule structure for your league is creating a formal means to challenge those rules. If someone feels they were wrongfully called “out,” what are their options to challenge the ruling? If a ball flies out of a discernible “foul/fair” area, how do you decide which is the right call?

Although this process can be helped by employing referees or umpires, their judgment can’t be the only way that these challenges are resolved; provide them with a written reference to share in the event of particularly close calls. Find a uniform method, again clearly stated and consistently applied, to resolve these disputes, and do so before they become necessary.

Determining a Fee Structure

Starting a sports league has more costs to consider than one might think. In addition to the cost of uniforms, there are also space rental fees, shared equipment costs, payment for referees or umpires who keep your games fair and consistent, and any processing fees that might come from collecting money (think services like PayPal or Venmo).

Check in with other local leagues on how much these costs might run, and check in with your players to see how much they’re willing to spend on participation. Mutual consideration of these costs can help you set a price that is fair and accessible no matter who’s playing in the league. Don’t forget to include costs of a season-end celebration for all who helped you make the league a success!

A route you may want to consider when calculating fees: pursuing a corporate sponsor. If your team is affiliated with a company or industry, you can ask your employer or other employers that players might work for to contribute to league costs. What are some of the benefits to them of sponsorship? Visibility in the community (via apparel, signage, and in-league correspondence), favor in the eye of their employees and the community, and the knowledge that their staff is staying fit and creating bonds that could positively affect their bottom line.

You can also pursue unaffiliated sponsors; think about local businesses that may benefit from a little time in the spotlight. As you prepare to approach these organizations, do research on who they are and what they care about, and provide multiple options for them to contribute.

In addition to providing cash, they can also provide equipment, space for practice or games (this particular benefit often comes at a premium, so take it if it is offered!), or even trophies or prizes for teams at the end of league play. The more creative you can get with prospective donors, the easier it will be to gain their support. With that said, be firm about what you need; if you truly cannot benefit from what an organization is offering, it’s better to part ways respectfully.

Designing, Producing and Distributing Shirts

Here’s the part that so many of us get excited about: the development and wearing of the team shirt! Anyone who has stood giddy as a coach or volunteer wrestled with that telltale brown cardboard box knows that it’s an excitement that doesn’t flag even when you’re older. In order to ensure that the payoff is big, we have a few reminders for you and the rest of your planning members.

First, take orders in advance and note player sizes before making your order. To spend a season with an ill-fitting shirt, too big or too small, can make a bigger impact than one might expect. Protect from any embarrassment that a notably larger or smaller player might have by allowing them to ensure they have their size when the box opens. Include questions about it in registration paperwork, just in case players want a semblance of privacy around their size choice.

Second, consider building team pride by allowing players or teams in the league to submit designs. Given that players will likely be coming from different walks of life, why not harness the potential creative energy of such a large pool? You’ll have more options than a smaller group of contributors would provide, and it presents the opportunity to honor one of those “hidden talents” we mentioned earlier.

Consider offering additional apparel options, such as hats or sweatshirts, to recognize team captains or managers. This incentive and recognition of the hard work they do beyond just playing will help keep them interested and feeling appreciated. If you want the league to endure for years to come, garnering the support of the hardest workers will make a world of difference when it comes time to decide on another yearlong commitment to the league.

Play Ball!

At long last, it’s time for the season to begin! What can you do to ensure that the league you’ve worked so hard to build runs smoothly and without incident?

First and foremost, promote sportsmanship. Ensuring that teams can play peacefully, no matter how controversial a game’s stats might yet, will affect the quality of the experience for those on and off the field. Cracking down on things like taunting, referee disrespect, and shady behaviors like cheating or faking injury are important; just as with procedural rules, these incidents should be addressed promptly and consistently across the board.

Make sure you create a plan to address injuries that may occur during play. When players sign up, prompt them to include an emergency contact, as well as insurance information. This way, if a serious incident does happen, you’re able to get them help quickly and notify their designated contact so they’re further comforted in their time of need. Do your best to prevent injury by requiring the use of helmets when at bat and base running, regulating or banning metal cleats, and encouraging mouth guards.

And, last: Have fun! Yes, it is a tremendous amount of work to put together a league like this but make sure to enjoy the season ahead. If you’ve spent time recruiting willing and ready players, set rules that they can trust to be enforced, ensured that there’s space for play and ample equipment, and reinforced that play will be sportsmanlike, the hardest work is already done. Enjoy the fruits of your labor this season, and be sure to spend some time on the field in the rotation, too. You’ve earned it!

The post How to Start a Softball League Together first appeared on The Adair Group.

We grab them on a cold evening to feel our warmest. We don them on the sports field or after the gym to stay warm. More recently, they’ve taken on a political tilt, representing rebellion and power. They’re hooded sweatshirts, and they have a more storied history than most of us are aware. We value them for comfort and admire them for practicality, but how did they come to the status they occupy in our society?

The hoodie’s story begins in 1920 when Russell Athletics created the first sweatshirt. Designed as an alternative to itchy wool sweaters worn on the football field, these crewnecks marked the starting point from which their hooded counterparts were to evolve. A decade after Russell’s debuted, Champion Products developed a thick sweatshirt with a protective hood, born after the company discovered a way to effectively sew thicker fabrics.

These hooded pullovers were sold to two distinct markets. The first was to laborers in need of protection from the elements. Cold-storage workers preferred the warmth they provided to that of long johns, the previous default cold weather solution. Tree surgeons appreciated them for their extra warmth as well as their ability to shield them from the elements when they worked in inclement weather.

The second population that latched onto this unique new garment included high school and collegiate athletes. Originally the first market for Russell’s crewneck version, football and track athletes appreciated the hoodie’s ability to keep them warm and dry during bad weather on the field during games. These athletes helped the hoodie’s rise in popularity, first by sharing them with their girlfriends as a sign of devotion, and then encouraging friends to wear them around campus.

By the seventies, hoodies had become popular in several different segments of society. In New York, they were a preferred piece of clothing for burgeoning graffiti artists, seeking to create art while obscuring their identities. Hoodies kept them warm and hidden while painting at night, but also invited the watchful and judgmental eye of local police and wary authority figures.

Also under the watchful eye of these figures? “Stick-em-up” kids—muggers who would wear hoodies to hide their faces as they scanned attentive crowds (often gathered to watch break dancers, themselves hoodie devotees for the warmth they provided before hitting the floor) for gold chains, purses, wallets, and other desirable items.

This was the start of hoodies as emblematic of trouble and illegal activity, an image that had even taken hold three time zones away, in California. Santa Monica’s Z-Boys, a surf and skate team that changed the face of both sports, donned hoodies as a way to take their skating to places it wasn’t typically permitted, like parking garages and drained backyard pools.

Between the Z-Boys and NYC’s b-boys, hoodies were gaining a reputation for rebellion. However, in the suburbs and less cosmopolitan areas, hoodies came to mean something completely different with the release of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky. The titular boxer and his ever-present gray hoodie came to stand for a tough work ethic and a “never give up” attitude. In this way, the laborers for whom hoodies were first designed were honored as their ilk came to rediscover the garment.

The eighties and nineties brought divergent rises in the image of the hoodie. Rap groups like Cypress Hill and the Wu-Tang Clan adopted hoodies as part of a gritty and rebellious image, perpetuating their connection with distasteful behavior. At the same time, designers like Norma Kamali (the first to show hooded sweatshirts on the runway), Tommy Hilfiger, and Ralph Lauren brought hoodies to a more affluent and upscale place, giving them a place in the average suburban home. This schism in markets meant that most everyone owned or wanted a hoodie, but the reasons differed starkly, depending on who you were.

In 2012, the hoodie returned to the national spotlight after the brutal murder of unarmed Florida teen Trayvon Martin by neighborhood vigilante George Zimmerman. In both his 911 call and subsequent testimony, Zimmerman cited Martin’s hoodie and the suspicion it aroused as a viable cause for his actions. In defiance of Zimmerman’s assessment, the hoodie took on a new role: that of activist garment, as men and women of color across the country sought to reclaim the hoodie.

For such a simple item of clothing, the hoodie has had a complicated and varied history. From working class shield from the elements, to symbol of rebellion, to affluence, and finally to an emblem of activism, the hoodie can be any or all of these things to its wearer. If you’re interested in incorporating a hoodie into your wardrobe, whatever the reason, we urge you to get in touch with our representatives. We’re happy to help however we can!

The post A History of the Pullover Hoodie first appeared on The Adair Group.

Summer’s last breath is slowly fading into autumn’s cool whisper. Leaves are rusting and falling, their job as shade completed for the season. Days are shortening, nights are growing longer. Chopped wood for fires during the coldest months is starting to stack up on the side of houses across the U.S. It’s time to prepare for the cool and the cold ahead, and your wardrobe is one area where spring and summer colors are no longer hot.

Stay Down to Earth

Fall colors for clothing tend to be earthier in nature. Browns, yellows, oranges, navy—these are just some of the colors that reflect cooler days and nights.

Pantone.com stresses neutral colors. They say, “(Weave) earthy neutrals with a range of bold color statements and patterns to reflect a landscape of hope, fun, fantasy and all things natural. The colors are evocative of a love for nature and a timeless appreciation for warmth and security, which are conveyed through naturally inspired colors that remind us of things that are real and protective.”

WeConnectFashion.com says that this fall’s colors can be defined in one word: “Terrain,” as in “a complete palette of saturated earth tones.” They believe that brown will be front and center, once again, as the main color paired with prunes and warm tones like cognac and coppertone. They also note that caramel and toffee are “key to the Terrain palette,” while marigold and red rust will deliver a spicy note to your ensemble.

Smooth Terrain

As the name implies, Terrain yields a complete palette of saturated earth tones. This season, brown makes a major comeback, which is reflected not only with roast but also in hues like prune and warmer tones like cognac and coppertone. Both camel and toffee are key to the Terrain palette, positioned as influential outerwear colors. Marigold yellow and red rust add a spice component.

Elle magazine, reporting on fashionable colors for fall 2016, notes that Pantone (considered by many in the fashion world to be the color experts for clothing), is accentuating blues this fall.

Wwd.com notes that “… for the second consecutive season, Pantone has one color forecast for both women and men,” further blurring the line between male and female fashions that has been eroding the last few years.

But enough about what the runways say is hip and trendy this fall. What about the 99% of us who just want to wear comfortable clothing that fits the fall season?

Keep Warm

Aura Friedman, colorist at Sally Hershberger’s Downtown Salon, says this fall is about warmer, richer tones. Glamour.com believes that “(your) obsession with Starbucks’ epic Pumpkin Spice Latte just went to the next level. Nearly every collection featured the muted orange color—and it looked flattering on tons of different skin tones.” Who knew that the popular spice would eventually “spice” up fall 2016 clothing styles?

For the average Joe and Jane, colors for fall 2016 styles are, according to Pantone, reflective of “strength, confidence and complexity led by the Blue family and followed by earth tones and exuberant pops of vibrant colors, all of them working well to struggle against the contemporary turbulent life and to bring about a tad more tranquility and optimism around.”

What does this mean for us, the average consumer? It means dressing comfortably in shades of browns, blues, oranges, greens, and other earthy shades. It means choosing styles and colors that make you feel seasonal and happy. It means choosing shades that reflect calmness and contentment and you.

In case you need a shortened cheat sheet detailing the top colors for fall 2016, Sonoma Magazine has an easy-to-view, concise guide that gives both the Pantone color and the common color (for those of us who don’t have offices on Park Avenue).

For many, fall is the start of the “cozy” time of year, when our world becomes smaller and our adventures happen closer to our homes and our fireplaces. The crisp chill combined with shortened daylight hours is a natural progression, one that heralds the arrival of earthier shades in our clothes and spicier ingredients in our drinks. It’s a time to reflect the changing seasons in our food, our drinks, and our clothing. Don’t fall for just any colors in your wardrobe this autumn. Choose wisely, and enjoy the season!

The post Popular Colors for the Fall Season first appeared on The Adair Group.

Clothing is no longer just a way to cover our bodies. It has become a reflection of who we are, expressing our individuality and our interests. Not content with just matching colors, we want to show others our likes and dislikes. We want to evoke a reaction in others, and we want to be associated with a certain feeling or activity inherent with wearing a certain brand. We still value quality, but that is not enough.

We want the “vibe” associated with certain brands. This desire is reflected in the brands we wear, and marketers are taking advantage of it. Jeans for outdoor activities (hiking, skateboarding); shirts for sports or casual affairs— brands are manipulating themselves to fit these consumer-demanded molds. With this desire comes a payoff for both brands and marketers alike. Clothing is now not just a source of revenue for companies, it’s also a source of “free” marketing for them.

The Perfect Billboard

Somewhere along the way, a marketing professional put two and two together and got a bright idea: Let’s put our brand on clothing and make wearing our brand fashionable so thousands will pay money to wear it. How can we turn our brand into a walking billboard that does not require a TV or internet connection? All it requires is a garment that fits and appeals to consumers.

Nonprofithub.com observes: “Having other people wear clothing or use branded-merchandise is a simple and effective way to advertise your organization. In fact, most of the time people will pay you to wear your nonprofit’s name on their body. It’s the same strategy employed by Nike, Ralph Lauren and countless other clothing manufacturers. For some people, it is not that they are just wearing a quality clothing product. They want to be associated with the brand name on the clothing.”

Clothing, unlike TV commercials, doesn’t need a time slot or a TV. Anyone can wear the clothing in almost any location. The consumer pays YOU to wear it and advertise FOR you. It’s a much lower-cost way to get your brand out there, and it pays off rain or shine, inside or outside, night or day. Clothing is used by all ages, all socioeconomic groups, every day. With clothing doing the marketing, a captive audience is not necessary. The marketing moves with the wearer.

According to tshirtprinters.com, “Marketing your printed t-shirt or branded clothing to a chosen group and trusting them to advertise for you as a living advertisement is extra marketing you would have never gotten. It costs less than some other methods. Why spend money over the top with commercials when you can have it live-action?”

And thus, marketing with clothing was born, and a multi-billion dollar industry began.

What the Cool Consumers Are Wearing

Ralph Lauren (Polo) and Nike have been mentioned. Other names are Under Armour, Hurley, DC Shoes, Quicksilver, Vans, Adidas. Chances are you own or know someone who owns an article of clothing from these companies. And odds are that this clothing also has a symbol and/or a brand name on it, letting you and others know what company created it. You or the other person have just paid to be a marketing tool for that brand.

Clothing is a status symbol in almost every socioeconomic group, and certain brands are considered to be representative of this status. These brands have attached themselves to a feeling or a movement or a hobby or, simply, a fad.

Brands that latch on to the latter tend to be relegated to trivia answers down the road, but the few that survive fad after fad (Nike, Polo, etc.) are the lucky ones. They transcend a time period not because their brand is that powerful but because they adapt and reinvent themselves periodically.

Expand Your Toolbox

Branded clothing is now a major marketing tool. Nike started out as running shoes; now they are as famous (if not more so) for their clothing, featuring their “swoosh” symbol. How did this come about? Nike is, perhaps, the most famous example of selling the sizzle, not the steak. In other words, Nike sells a lifestyle, one that benefits from wearing their products. The products are important, yes, but the feeling behind them is what draws consumers.

Coschedule.com notes: “The Nike marketing strategy that most of us recognize isn’t the one that made them famous, at least not in the early days. Discovering the Nike marketing strategy that put them on the map is where the gold is. Furthermore, just like any true content marketing strategy, it isn’t really much of a “strategy” at all. Like many similar success stories, it was as simple as providing real customer value.” Nike customers find “value” in wearing Nike products because they tell a story beyond the actual product.

Here is a testimonial, via Tshirtprinters, that illustrates the power of using clothing as a marketing tool: “As a student in Cape Town, South Africa, I have witnessed the colossal impact of branded t-shirts as advertising ideas. I remember attending a career exhibition in my fourth year of university and how I was immediately drawn to the companies and groups who were wearing branded shirts and who looked great in them as a group.”

Tshirtprinters continues: “I realized that this was the benefit of branding a t-shirt and gifting or marketing it to a certain focus group or employees. It was about the company and it was a solution to a marketing question which delivered great benefits. The benefit of having clients and employees being constant promoters.”

Sales-management-slides.com notes that yet another marketing strategy of Nike is to give style to their product objective or purpose by associating triumph with the apparel. They continue: “For instance, when a superstar athlete sponsors a particular brand of sports shoes, the shoes will be related with victory. It has psychological effect to the viewers and this is reinforced with promotions which affirm this point.”

The association with desirable results and goals is a powerful marketing tool, and clothing provides a limitless canvas on which to paint your brand’s story and its value.

It’s Not Just About You

It is important to define your brand and give it a story so that your customers have a personal stake in it. Modern marketing is going through a transformation. Passive campaigns are on the outs; today’s consumer needs to be engaged with your brand and your products through social media and other interactive content.

Businessoffashion.com observes: “Before marketing your brand, it is crucial to define what it is — and what it isn’t. In the (simplest) form, brands should think about key descriptions of any design or aesthetic features, define their pricing or market segments, and identify exactly who their customer is, factoring in elements like gender, age, geography, interests and anything else that helps describe their lifestyle and preferences.”

They go on, saying, “By the end of this exercise you should be able to clearly articulate a simple brand equity statement in one or two sentences; for example: Brand X is a contemporary American work wear collection featuring traditional fits and luxury fabrics for professional women ages 40-50. Brand X is unique because it offers exceptional quality at accessible prices.”

The key is to give your brand a value that goes beyond the price and quality. It has to have the “it” factor that transcends simply being an article of clothing with a brand name on it. It has to evoke a mood and a feeling, and it must validate their reasons for buying and wearing your brand.

Businessoffashion.com continues, writing that “… price is not only a reference to the nominal amount of money being charged for a product. It can also refer to the ‘value equation’ that the brand creates in a consumer’s mind. For a price being paid, what qualitative benefits and functional utility is the consumer getting in terms of design, quality, goodwill?”

In the 1980s, wearing brand names was in full swing. Brands such as Polo, Generra, Ocean Pacific, and Guess were on the backs of millions of consumers. The quality of the garments was certainly above average, but each of these brands reached beyond being a simple article of clothing. They connected on a personal level. They afforded the wearer a certain status among their peers, particularly those in grade school.

If you wanted to be “cool,” you wore “Brand X,” because “Brand X” was the highest quality of clothing you can buy and wear. Each item of clothing was created, packaged, and sold as a representation of the desired feeling its consumers were looking for.

Xpresalabels.com says, “Product packaging is important even when people do not realize the importance it has. The way you pack your product when giving it to customers says a lot about your business and the attention you give to minute details. Even packaging care needs to be taken that the personalized label design is in the forefront. It is a great way to create the best impression about your business and market it at the same time.”

The face of marketing is changing, and the internet age has forced a radical paradigm shift for marketers and an enormous overhaul for their efforts in getting their brands in the minds of consumers. One marketing tool that will probably never lose favor is using clothing as a tool to sell your brand to people.

When your brand appeals to the masses enough for them to buy clothing bearing your name, you have a winning product that will proudly be worn by consumers for years to come. Which, in turn, will provide you with free visual and word-of-mouth marketing wherever your clothing is worn.

The post How Clothing Became a Marketing Medium first appeared on The Adair Group.

Marketers often resort to the media to make their marketing campaigns a huge success. There is no denying the fact that the television, radio, internet, and billboard advertisements play a massive role in increasing the exposure of a certain product.

However, it is important for marketers to think in a simpler manner. In this age of information overload, custom t-shirts prove to be quite an effective marketing tool. They certainly leave a lasting impact on the minds of the prospective clients. Using custom t-shirts to market your business is a very important part of building a brand.

A Cost-Effective Marketing Strategy

Mainstream media such as radio, television, newspapers, and magazines are expensive platforms for marketing your business. It is also worth noting that online marketing or tele-calling aren’t exactly the cheapest methods of getting your message across. Marketers are required to constantly work under pressure and deliver measurable results within a limited budget. They have no other option but to come up with cheaper and more effective ways of getting their audience engaged.

This is where custom t-shirts prove to be a lifesaver. The cost of producing one custom t-shirt is minimal, especially when you are receiving your supply from a wholesale distributor. It goes without saying that custom t-shirts are a great way to promote a particular product or service and advertise your business as a whole. It may not be a form of direct marketing, as you are not hogging the television, radio, or a person’s computer screen.

However, the cost savings per message is definitely higher with the custom t-shirt approach, provided that you get your design and placement spot on.

Effective Ways of Using Custom Printed T-Shirts

There are a number of ways in which you can make use of custom printed t-shirts. The basic idea is to make your brand a lot more visible. You want people to notice your company’s logo and marketing tagline every time they take a look at your t-shirt. It also gives off the impression that you are proud of your business, and are willing to reach out to people and inform them about the great deals that you have on offer.

Custom printed t-shirts can be given to employees, customers, partners, and even your vendors. They can also be used as giveaways and prizes in competitions sponsored by your business or run by your business. Event managers in particular need to wear custom printed t-shirts in order to effectively advertise your business to the general masses.

When you give your employees an opportunity to wear company branded clothing, it strengthens their sense of belonging. As far as putting t-shirts on customers is concerned, it basically converts them into walking and talking billboards that advertise your business across the city or the country. In other words, you are turning your average customer into a brand ambassador. Provided that your customers have no stake, they serve as a very credible advertising platform for your company.

The Importance of Using High Quality T-Shirts

When it comes to clothing, the term quality refers to two things. Both of them are equally important in making a particular t-shirt desirable. First, the material with which the t-shirt has been produced has to be state of the art. Second, the design of the t-shirt has to be visually appealing. If you can get these two spot on, then people will have no problem in wearing your company’s branded t-shirt.

Getting the design right is a lot more difficult than selecting the right material. You need to understand that different people have different tastes in fashion. You can’t accommodate the preferences of everyone who is going to wear your company’s t-shirt. However, you should work hard to make sure that the t-shirt has a design that will make most people want to wear it. If no one puts on the t-shirt, then your marketing campaign will turn out to be a major flop. Avoid ordering generic t-shirts, and don’t be afraid to experiment with colors.

While coming up with the design or the logo, you need to bear in mind that what people see on the t-shirt is nothing but a symbol of your company’s values.

The post Marketing Your Business with Custom T-Shirts first appeared on The Adair Group.