Midwest Stitch Blog

Anyone who shops realizes that clothing prices can vary widely.  This is true in the retail and in the corporate world.  In our showroom, for example, we have a wide range of choices for a single garment: the polo.  It starts with what I will call a ‘basic’ polo and progresses in construction and quality, name brands and recognition to what I will call a ‘high-end’ polo.  A customer may hold two polos, one in each hand, and at their first glance the garments appear to have a similar value.  But the price quote they just received belays that there must be something different about the two.  So they ask: “What’s the difference?”

In this fast paced world of instant answers and service by means of the internet, is there value in taking time to get to know your customers?  Most definitely.

In any new, potential client situation I think you should be interested in the type of business they have, what exactly brought them to your business, and uncovering what they are looking for, to name just a few.  How does this process benefit the potential client? 

Corporate menswear is not known for frequent swings in fashion.  It does however, evolve over time.  One retail trend in the past decade that now is clearly set in the corporate world is a trimmer fit across men's apparel.  

Button-up shirts, for example, are available in classic, traditional silhouettes as well as more modern, trimmer fits.  Some of the common descriptors of these slightly fitted shirts are words such as fitted, active, modern, or slim. 

Opportunities to advertise your business are many and varied, ranging from traditional TV, radio, and newspaper to the Internet, direct mail, social media and more.  In this technological age, and from a marketing standpoint, does it really make sense to spend money on branded apparel for your business?  To answer this question, I ask you to think of your closet.

Your Closet

If you are reading this you are likely involved in a non-for-profit organization where you come into contact with people who truly care about the same cause as you.  Together you are focused on getting the word out about your cause.  The ways to do this are endless, but no doubt you recognize the importance of spending time and money where it does the most good.

Could branded apparel fill a niche in your marketing agenda?  To answer this question, I reached out to some of our non-for-profit customers, particularly in the animal rescue segment.  I’d like to share their responses coupled with some insights gleaned in the past 21 years of business.  Here are four reasons your non-for-profit organization (NFP) needs quality garments.

Everyone likes a good story. Stories can make us think and stick with us long after they are told. And old Native American proverb says, “Tell me the facts and I’ll learn. Tell me the truth and I’ll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.”

In business stories are created every day.  They may not all “live forever in our hearts”, but they have power nonetheless.  A good story about the sticking power of promotional items can have a greater effect than facts and figures.

There’s a fashion topic that is generating talk, at least in my circles.  It obviously is talk at work as we educate ourselves on new and trending apparel, but it has also come up among casual conversation with friends and I’ve read about it in the Wall Street Journal.   What’s all the talk about?  The disappearing chest pocket on men’s shirts.

If you haven’t noticed this trend yet, you will after today.  The Wall Street Journal, in an article titled “What Happened to the Shirt Pocket?” states, “there are no pockets on many of the woven shirts at retailers such as J. Crew and Banana Republic, along with a host of high-end designer labels and custom-made shirts. It’s fashion and it’s generational.” (Read the entire article here)

The next time you’re taking a drive, look around and notice the amount of bright clothing being worn. Perhaps the most obvious is that worn by the workers in the roadway construction zones.  But look closer and I imagine you’ll see it other places as well.

Hi-Vis Fashion

Hi-vis clothing is about safety, but now it's about fashion as well.

Custom Padfolio

Custom padfolios are a classy and upscale way to stay organized and show off your company logo.  They also make great company giveaways, as they are unique, upscale, and one size fits all.  We'd like to show you our favorite custom padfolio.