National News - December 2005

Organically Grown Wool Apparel Widely Available in U.S. for First Time

New York , November 8, 2005 (PRNewswire) - For the first time in the U.S. , leading retailers are offering consumers a range of apparel, baby blankets, home textiles and socks made from organically grown wool.

Sales of organic fiber products grew an average of 22.7 percent, to $85 million, in 2003, according to the Organic Trade Association (OTA), with respondents estimating 15 percent annual growth through 2008. Organic wool is a small part of the overall organic fiber industry which is dominated by organic cotton. However, it is growing quickly as manufacturers seek to diversify their "sustainable fiber" apparel lines and environmentally conscious consumers purchase products in line with their lifestyle choices.

"These products look good and feel good, and consumers do good by supporting organic agriculture while buying a beautiful and high quality organic wool item," said Sandra Marquardt, coordinator of the Organic Wool Network (OWN), a collaborative of 11 U.S.-based producers, textile artists, yarn and fabric suppliers, mills, retailers and support organizations.

To be certified as organic wool, USDA requires that the sheep be raised without the use of synthetic hormones or pesticides or overgrazing of the land, and with organic feed and under continuous organic management from the last third of gestation forward.

According to a recent survey by M+R Strategic Services, approximately 19,152 pounds of organic wool were grown in the United States and Canada in 2005. Specifically, 18,852 pounds of grease wool were produced in six U.S. states and 300 pounds were produced in Ontario .

Aramark Uniform Services and Career Apparel Names Two New Presidents

Philadelphia , November 21, 2005 (Company Release) – Aramark Uniform Services and Career Apparel (AUCA), comprised of Aramark Uniform Services, WearGuard-Crest and Galls, today announcedBrad Drummond has been promoted to President, Aramark Uniform Services (AUS) andMark Barrocas has accepted the position of President, Aramark WearGuard-Crest. Both Barrocas and Drummond will report directly to Thomas J. Vozzo, President of Aramark Uniform and Career Apparel (AUCA).

“I am pleased that these dynamic leaders will be at the helm as our companies move forward,” said Vozzo. “They both will provide the kind of vision and direction necessary to achieve our market objectives in the uniform and apparel industry and will ensure that we provide enhanced services to our valued customers.”

As President of AUS, Drummond will be responsible for managing the rental service company known for its market-leading, customer-focused rental services and will be based in the company’s Burbank , California headquarters. He most recently served as Executive Vice President of Aramark’s Healthcare and Education Services and, prior to that role, he spent five years with AUS as Senior Vice President, West Region.

“Brad is highly respected for his strategic business approach,” said Vozzo. “He has a strong reputation for building teams, developing client relationships and growing both the top and bottom lines.”

Wear-Guard Crest, based in Norwell , Massachusetts , is one of American’s largest direct mail and telemarketing retailers of career apparel. Barrocas joins the business from Broder Brothers Company, where he served as president of the imprinted sportswear distributor. Prior to that, Barrocas held leadership roles with Alpha Shirt Company, Perry Ellis International, Barro-Tex USA, Inc and Mascot Sportswear.

“With more than 15 years of leadership experience in the textile industry, Mark is a natural for this business and I am confident he will make a tremendous contribution to developing and delivering on our business and management strategies,” Vozzo said.

Barrocas succeeds David Gold as president of Wear-Guard Crest and Drummond replaces Steve Donly who recently resigned his position with ARAMARK Uniform Services.

To learn more, visit the company's website, www.aramark.com

Border Patrol Agents Uneasy About Made in Mexico Uniforms

Washington , DC , November 26, 2005 (Ft. Worth Star/Telegram) - The labels inside U-S Border Patrol uniforms have been making many federal agents feel uneasy.

It's not the fit or feel of the olive-green shirts and pants, but what their labels read: "Made in Mexico ."

Agents and lawmakers are concerned about the consequences if the uniforms fall into the hands of criminals or terrorists.

Representative John Carter, a Republican from Round Rock, is among lawmakers who plan to press a measure that would require the uniforms to be made in the United States .

For more than a year, the shirts and pants worn by agents and inspectors with U-S Customs and Border Protection have been made in Mexico .

The uniforms are supplied by V-F Solutions of Nashville, Tennessee. It subcontracts its work to plants in the United States , Mexico , Canada and the Dominican Republican.

Customs officials say they haven't detected any security breaches or misuse of the uniforms. They add that strict security measures are in place, including on-site inspections at the Mexican plant.

Building Inspectors Get Uniforms, Not Bodies

Chicago , IL , November 18, 2005 , (Sun-Times) - Chicago 's inundated army of 207 building inspectors won't be getting re info rcements next year. But they will be dressed in uniform, under a surprise plan tucked away in Mayor Daley's 2006 budget.

Nobody knows what the uniforms will look like or what the color scheme will be. Preliminary plans call for shirts or jackets with logos. The final decision will be made by newly appointed Buildings Commissioner John Knight.

But the mayor's goal is rather obvious. "It gives them an identity -- almost close to law enforcement. That's the idea," the mayor said.

"We've had issues before dealing with so-called inspectors and they were not inspectors. This gives us more visibility and presence in the uniform because you're going into someone's home. If you show up in just regular clothes, they want to be a little more reassured. We found that out in some of the comments that people gave us."

Over the years, there have been periodic scandals, with building inspectors accused of making shoddy inspections and accepting bribes in exchange for deliberately overlooking violations.

With uniforms come added "accountability, professionalism and pride in the uniform," said First Deputy Buildings Commissioner Thomas Donnellan, who speaks from experience. Before retiring and moving to Buildings, Donnellan wore a uniform for decades as a Chicago firefighter.

"Alderman Bernard Stone (50th), chairman of the City Council's Buildings Committee, said he's all for putting inspectors in uniform. It should help solve the problem of "people who have been passing themselves off as inspectors," the alderman said.

But Stone said he's more concerned about an ongoing shortage of inspectors. The budget authorizes 207, but only 194 inspectors are currently on the street. Last year, the city had 172 inspectors.

"We should have more people on the streets. We've got open positions for inspectors. I don't know why they don't fill them," Stone said.

(Editor’s Note: To those who continue to doubt that uniforms make good media topics, consider the following):

Experts Agree That Uniforms Boost Your Image

Overland Park, KS, November 15, 2005 (Grounds Maintenance) - From the lofty halls of academia to the subterranean servicing areas of auto centers, those who carefully study consumer behavior are quick to agree that a critical component for success in today’s highly competitive business environment is to take advantage of a managed uniform program, so that each employee projects an identically inviting public persona. Such programs help to assure desired business image, leaving little chance that a less-than-perfectly-attired employee will detract from a positive company brand.

When employees wear professional uniforms, says Victoria Seitz, a marketing professor from San Bernardino , Calif. , they reflect an image, or brand, that can project instant credibility to consumers. As examples, the professor points to the mustard-colored jackets worn by Century 21 agents and the black-and-white striped shirts sported by Foot Locker employees.

In essence, Seitz notes, the uniforms employees wear become intertwined with a company’s products and services. Or, as the Global Brand Management Director for FedEx stated when discussing that delivery service’s careful selection of coordinated employee apparel: “Your employees are your brand.”

The connection between worker uniforms and business success comes as no surprise to. “Anyone who doubts the connection between uniforms and business success should consider the loyal following of professional sports teams,” Isaacson says. “Players get traded, change teams, and even retire; meanwhile fan loyalty toward ‘their team’ remains a constant. Why? Because this loyalty is often linked to the team’s image, where a big part is the team uniform, regardless of who is wearing it.”

“In the end, uniforms help to assure consumers they’re going to receive quality products and services,” says Robert Isaacson, director of marketing for UniFirst Corporation, a supplier of uniforms and work apparel throughout the U.S. and Canada . “A business’s employees can come and go, but its uniforms can keep its customers coming back time and time again.”

White Garb Returning to Hospitals

Atlanta, GA, November 15, 2005, (Chicago Tribune as reported by Dahleen Glanton) - It has been a half-century since the image of the hospital nurse in her crisp white uniforms, white opaque stockings and white stacked heels began vanishing from the medical landscape. Now some hospitals are harking back to that era by forcing nurses to return to white attire in what they say is an effort to restore professionalism to the job.

In hospitals across the country, including Atlanta, Dallas and Philadelphia, nurses are checking vital signs and dispensing medication in solid white uniforms - a look that distinguishes them from technicians, nurses' aides and housekeepers who continue to wear colors.

While no one is advocating a return to starched dresses and Cherry Ames nursing caps, some hospital administrators say a professional look of white scrubs - pants and top sets that became popular in the 1980s - and other comfortable attire are more professional. The white uniforms are the same for females and males.

Other facilities, including Chicago 's Northwestern Memorial Hospital , don't require nurses to wear all white, but they wear scrubs in a combination of periwinkle blue and white. Northwestern instituted color-coded apparel for all hospital professionals after patients complained that they couldn't differentiate among the staff. The hospital hired an image consultant to help in the process.

While the trend is gaining support among hospital administrators, the return to white uniforms has become a divisive and heated issue among nurses, many of whom enjoy expressing their individuality by wearing pajamalike scrubs splattered with colorful flowers, images of SpongeBob SquarePants or candy canes.

Message boards on nursing-oriented Web sites are buzzing with chatter over the subject, ranging from older nurses who never stopped wearing white to younger nurses who can't imagine themselves in anything but black, purple or red.

Many hospitals, like school districts, have been forced to institute dress codes as young teachers or nurses with their more casual style of dress enter the workforce. Often their appearance - dangling jewelry, message T-shirts and fake fingernails - is deemed inappropriate in the workplace and creates tension with the patients and the doctors. At the same time, hospitals are grappling with a shortage of nurses, and in a climate of stiff competition, they are caught in a quandary over what to allow.

Rhonda Scott, the chief nursing officer at Grady Memorial Hospital , the largest hospital in Atlanta , instituted the all-white uniform policy last year for its 1,100 nurses. Almost immediately, she said, morale improved among the staff.

As hospitals struggle with the shortage of nurses, Scott said, returning to professional uniforms helps to restore credibility to the job and encourages others to aspire to become nurses.

"We feel that it is time for nurses to be seen as the educated professionals they are," she said. "We have to go through so much training, so why would we present an image less that what we are?"

David Collins, 40, a patient at Grady, said he has noted a drastic difference at the hospital since the uniform policy was instituted. Three years ago, he said, he had to be very demanding when he visited his partner in the hospital because it was too hard to determine which staffer should be doing what. Now that he is a patient, he said, the experience is totally different.

"If I happen to be in the hallway, I know exactly who to approach when I need something," he said. "Everything seems much more professional."

Nurse Gloria Taylor, 32, said she initially resisted the change at Grady because she liked wearing prints. Now she has accepted the policy.

"My uniform used to reflect my personality. I felt the colors brightened the environment," said Taylor, a registered nurse for two years. "But now I like the professional look of the white. I am going to get some white skirts, and that is a very big step for me."

While many nurses have gradually warmed up to the idea, not everyone agrees. Sandy Summers, executive director of the Center for Nursing Advocacy in Baltimore , said there are better ways to boost the image of nurses.

"A lot of people have problems with white uniforms because nurses deal with bodily fluids all day and their uniforms get soiled. It is nearly impossible to keep them clean," said Summers, a registered nurse. "The white uniform also has the angel image problem. It harks back to the time when nurses were thought of as spiritual characters who provide emotional comfort, not professionals who save lives. When you are perceived as an angel, people don't have a problem asking you to work 15-hour shifts without a break."

Instead of white uniforms, the Center for Nursing Advocacy is promoting the use of a registered-nurse patch to be sewn on any type of uniform. The patch includes the nurse's name and credentials, signifying that the registered nurse is a professional who is college-trained, Summers said.

"At Northwestern Memorial, every professional staff member wears color-coded attire. Technical support staffers wear teal and gray, and other licensed staffers wear forest green and gray. The tops have either a flower print or the Northwestern logo print. To give a more professional look, their job title is embroidered on the top and everyone wears identification badges.

According to Julie Creamer, vice president of operations and quality at Northwestern, the hospital surveyed about 190 patients before instituting the program. Forty-one percent said they could not differentiate among the staff. Sixty-seven percent said they felt color-coded uniforms would be very helpful.

"Patients have enough to think about when they are in the hospital, and we wanted to make it easier for them," said Creamer, a registered nurse.

Sewing Company Gets Huge Defense Contract

Hope , AR , October 31, 2005 (Star, as reported by Todd Burrow) - Apparel manufacturers have just about gone the way of the Edsel automobile.

But the Hope area stands to gain since Columbia Sewing Co. announced Thursday that the defense department is teaming up with the company to produce 120,000 Iraqi National Guard uniforms.

The marriage between the two will open job opportunities for locals.

It will put 143 people back to work, full time, and could create as many as 40 additional jobs in the Magnolia and Hope communities.

Hope Chamber of Commerce director Mark Keith said the news was great and was excited to hear the report.

“This is quite a testament to the Smith family,” Keith said. “This is nothing but great news for Hempstead and Columbia counties.”

Keith pointed out that usually these type of jobs are dying a slow death, not only in this area, but around the country.

U.S. Rep. Mike Ross (D-Arkansas) said the two manufacturing plants, one in Magnolia and the other in Hope, will reap the benefits, as will the local economy.

“Over the course of the last decade, Columbia Sewing Co. has manufactured uniforms and other necessary clothing to supply war fighters in Iraq , Afghanistan and around the world,” Ross said.

“The company has a proven track record of outstanding performance, customer service and commitment to the community and considers the employees to be the single most valuable asset to the economy.”

Earlier in the year, Ross met with the Brian Smith, company manager, and key officials at the Defense Supply Center in Philadelphia to discuss potential contracts in Ross's Washington office.

“I was pleased to work with Columbia Sewing and assist them in their efforts to secure government contracts to ensure the continued vitality of this longstanding company in the Magnolia and Hope communities,” Ross said. “This contract will help to secure a bright future for Columbia Sewing and is a testament to the quality of the workforce and products they manufacture.”

Uniforms Get Top Treatment

Oregon, November 19, 2005 (Mail Tribune, as reported by John Darling) - They’re called cammies, utilities or BDU’s and they’re made for soldiers and Marines to run in, jump, roll in the dirt and risk their lives in — so why do they pay the dry cleaners more than $10 a set to get them laundered, starched and ironed with razor-sharp creases?

It’s an old tradition in the Marines those three creases down the back, but soldiers, especially of the lower ranks "don‘t particularly care for it," says one soldier at the Medford Armory who asked not to be named. "I do my own — just use spray-on starch and iron ’em flat."

Not so with the higher-ranking enlisted men, who drop their BDU’s (Battle Dress Uniform) at Ramsey’s Cleaners on Court St. in Medford for the full treatment — wash, rinse, starch bath, dry, then a labor-intensive pressing on the big Miracle Fabric Safe ironing machine.

Here, with military precision, Leanna Copple spends about five hours meticulously pressing 10 sets of cammies with three vertical creases in back, each perfectly centered between seams. The two front seams perfectly bisect the name tag. The pants get front and back creases.

"What does it take to do this job right? "Patience, lots of it," said Copple.

Her boss and Ramsey’s owner, Jim Eichman, added, "If it’s not right, you’re in trouble and will be doing it over. There’s nothing more difficult than the military press."

The job is so time-intensive that Eichman said he actually loses money on it and wants the public to know he isn’t looking for more business pressing BDUs.

According to military customers, the starch-and-crease treatment has been officially discouraged, as it’s expensive, creates non-uniformity of look and doesn’t last, Eichman said.

"They told them not to do it and the regular GI goes along with it, but up the ranks, they like it and they do it," he said. "It’s a misconception that starch helps uniforms stay nicer longer. They wrinkle as soon as you start moving around –— and with polyester, they (unstarched uniforms) stay pretty flat anyway," he said.."

"I don’t do it (starch and press)," said 1st Sgt. T.J. Santoio at the Medford Armory. "It’s not in the regulations but it’s allowed. Some guys like it. Not me."

The military press is favored by law enforcement and cop shirts from several local police agencies hung in the shop’s waiting rack.

"The money is in drapes, blinds and hats. If I didn’t like the military and police, I wouldn’t do it," Eichman said.

Anti-Static Apparel Market Set to Grow

Wilmslow , UK , November 4, 2005 (Textile Web) - The market for anti-static apparel is set to grow on a global scale and the outlook is good. However, just how good it is varies by location. Growth is expected to be consistent but slow in the USA and Europe , while Asia -- especially China -- will experience much faster growth, according to the latest issue of Performance Apparel Markets.

Static electricity is generally harmless to the individual but it causes a countless amount of damage to products each year in the electronics and computer industry. As computers and electronics become ever more pervasive in consumer products so an increasing number of manufacturers will need to apply anti-static control measures. One such measure is anti-static apparel because people are the greatest source of static charge in the workplace.

The amount of static electricity we feel varies according to factors such as our body and foot size -- a larger body and bigger feet require more charge to be stored to produce the same voltage. The material our clothes are made from and the soles of our shoes can influence static electricity too. Weather affects it as well -- there is more build-up of static charge when the air is dry.

Most people feel harmless shocks at around 2,000-4,000 volts. However electrical components can be damaged by as little as a few volts. It is estimated that between 8% and 33% of product losses -- the proportion of products which are rendered faulty -- are due to static electricity.

Anti-static clothing is required to prevent damage to electrical components or to prevent fires and explosions when working with flammable liquids and gases. If not controlled, static electricity can cause product damage and lead to machinery downtime, lost man hours, returned products and warranty costs particularly in the semiconductor and electronics industry. Therefore it has become high priority in this industry.

To neutralize static electricity, anti-static garments are made from fabrics which are conductive. This is achieved through the addition of conductive fibers, or through the application of a treatment to a finished textile product.

The largest end use for anti-static apparel is in the workwear category. The largest consumers are companies working in electronics and computers. Motor vehicle manufacturers are also significant consumers because of the increasing number of electronic circuit boards in vehicles.

Anti-static materials are also used in carpets, filters, electrostatic brushes, conveyor belts, underwear, cleanroom fabrics and smart textiles. All are niche markets for anti-static products.

Anti-static garments include wrist-straps, anti-static shoes and anti-static clothing. Wrist straps were a popular solution in the electronics industry for many years because they are not expensive and they ground the wearer’s body. But as electronics became smaller, the wrist strap became less effective. They are also impractical when a worker needs to walk around.

Few companies specialize solely in anti-static fibers or yarns. Some companies specialize in anti-static or electrostatic discharge (ESD) products ranging from flooring to packaging and garments. More commonly, fabric or apparel companies in the workwear or protective wear market include an anti-static capability within their range. Many flame-retardant fabrics also have an anti-static capability.

Whichever way they approach it, companies can expect to see growth in anti-static apparel in line with growth in consumer electronics. But, in common with the textile industry in general, much of the growth may be in Asia .

State of Florida Awards Superior Uniform Group Contract Valued at $8.2 Million

Seminole, FL, November 8, 2005 (PRNewswire-FirstCall) -- Superior Uniform Group, through its Martin's brand, announced that it has been awarded a contract to supply uniforms to a majority of the governmental agencies of the State of Florida . This contract is for a term of five years and may be renewed by mutual agreement of the parties for an additional five-year term. While the contract expressly covers most governmental agencies of the State of Florida , all county, municipal and governmental agencies within the State of Florida may take advantage of the special contract rates for items provided to the state. Superior offers a comprehensive line of uniforms and image apparel suited for all levels of personnel within any type of governmental agency.

Superior 's CEO Michael Benstock commented, "Our Martin's brand has supplied a large number of Florida state agencies for over 50 years. We are pleased that the State of Florida has demonstrated its confidence in us by allowing us to service a much broader governmental base within the state. We look forward to successfully servicing these additional state agencies and to the opportunity to further develop our relationships with county and municipal agencies within the state."

Superior Uniform Group®, through its Signature marketing brands -- Fashion Seal®, Fashion Seal Healthcare(TM), Martin's®, Worklon®, Sope Creek® and UniVogue(TM) -- manufactures and sells a wide range of uniforms, image apparel and accessories. Superior specializes in managing comprehensive uniform programs, and is dedicated to servicing the Healthcare, Hospitality, Restaurant/Food Services, Retail Employee I.D., Governmental/Public Safety, Entertainment, Commercial, Transportation, Cleanroom, Corporate Identity and Resortwear markets.

For more info rmation, visit http://www.superioruniformgroup.com .

UniFirst Fourth-Quarter Profit Increases 8 Percent Due to Lower Costs

Wilmington, MA, October 31, 2005 (AP) -- UniFirst Corp., which rents, launders and sells industrial uniforms, said Monday its fiscal fourth-quarter profit rose, due mainly to a decline in operating costs as a percentage of revenue.

Net income totaled $8.1 million, or 42 cents per share, up 8 percent from $7.5 million, or 39 cents per share, during the same period a year ago.

Revenue grew 6 percent to $188.8 million from last year's $178.1 million.

UniFirst fell short of the consensus analyst earnings estimate of 46 cents per share, according to a poll by Thomson Financial.

The company said it incurred higher losses in its nuclear business in the fourth quarter of this year than it did a year ago.

For fiscal 2005, the company earned $43.3 million, or $2.24 per share, up 29 percent from $33.6 million, or $1.74 per share, a year ago. Revenue totaled $763.8 million up 6 percent from last year's $719.4 million.

UniFirst missed analyst earnings estimates of $2.28 per share for the year.

The company said it cut operating costs for the year due to lower merchandise amortization at recently acquired locations, cost savings from its Mexican manufacturing operations and lower industrial laundry production payroll costs.

UniFirst added the savings were somewhat offset by higher energy costs. The company said it also benefited from a $500,000 credit to income taxes recorded in the fourth quarter related to the reduction of tax-related reserves it no longer needs.

UniFirst's shares fell 13 cents to $34.94 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.