Uniform News - December 2007

Association News

Apprehension Gives Way to Euphoria Over First URA Meet

The inaugural meeting of the Uniform Retailers Association (URA) held last month in New Orleans was deemed a success by both organizers and attendees of the three-day event.

“The enthusiasm was great, much better than we expected,” said Melanie Imlay of Imlay’s Uniforms, a founder of the group.

“We were very apprehensive at first because it’s new, and we weren’t sure about who would show up, but it went extremely well,” added another event organizer Steve Land of Land’s Uniforms.

They needn’t have worried. Over 200 retailers from 115 companies came to network, improve their business skills and view the latest products available in the medical apparel and white goods industries. Thirty-six manufacturers exhibited at the show, a record for the group which essentially succeeded the Professional Apparel Association (PAA), which ceased operations last December.

“All the major vendors were there, as well as a few who we hadn’t seen before,” said Joe Talkington of Star Uniforms. Included among these were Sketchers and Earth Shoes, who are just introducing lines into the market. Also on hand was Red Kap, a manufacturer most associated with the blue goods industry.

Ownership was cited as the driving difference between the URA and the now-defunct PAA. “There was a genuine excitement among retailers that this show and this group is for them,” says Land. “When you own something, you benefit from it, and that feeling was strong down in New Orleans.”

Both Imlay and Land say that the success in New Orleans has generated buzz over the nascent group. “We had to call the manufacturers for this meeting, but now they’re already calling us about next year,” notes Imlay.

The URA’s next conference is scheduled for September 18-20, 2008, in Reno, NV. Tentative plans include all-day seminars on Thursday, and exhibit hours on both Friday and Saturday. An expanded social itinerary, wildly popular this year, is also in the works.

Visit the URA website www.uniformretailers.org

Military News

Airmen Stay Cool by Cutting up Uniforms

Baghdad, November 12, 2007 (Stars and Stripes) - Most airmen like the Air Force’s new camouflage uniforms. They say they’re more comfortable and easier to maintain, and they dig the digital tiger print.

Except there is one thing that gets them hot under the collar: The uniforms can be sweltering in warm weather.

The Airman Battle Uniform, or ABU, is more rugged than the old uniforms, partly because the fabric is thicker. But in locations such as Iraq and Kuwait, where temperatures often reach the triple-digits in summer and remain in the low 80s in November, the last thing somebody wants is thicker clothing.

“Whoever designed this obviously designed this for someone sitting in an office, not for out here,” said Airman 1st Class David Bear, 22, who is deployed to Iraq and is attached to the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron.

But it’s not just the thickness of the threads. What really have some airmen steaming are the map pockets on the inside of the uniform jacket.

To stay cool in the warmer climates, some airmen have secretly taken out the pockets. Alterations shops on bases in Iraq and in the United States offer to “mod” the uniforms for a few bucks.

Senior Airman Michael Bermudez, 22, and his entire squad had the pockets removed before they left for Baghdad. Their tailor, a former Air Force cop, suggested they have the pockets removed because of the heat.

“It makes it a lot cooler,” said Bermudez, who is with the 732nd.

While it is typically against regulations to modify the official uniform, the Air Force has cut airmen some slack on the pesky pockets. The service’s Web site acknowledges that some people might find them a tad annoying.

“While not officially recommended or suggested, some personnel may choose to cut the interior pockets out of the garment, as long as it doesn’t change the outer appearance of the uniform,” the Web site reads.

The Air Force has heard the complaints, and Air Force chief master sergeants have been told that a lighter uniform without the pockets is on the way. But in the meantime, airmen wearing the uniforms in Iraq and Kuwait have no recourse other than to remove them.

So, cut away. But be careful. One airman tried to cut out the pockets himself. But when he was finished, his name tag fell off.

Army Fixing Uniforms Prone to Rips

Washington, November 27, 2007 (USA Today) — The Army is retrofitting 1 million uniforms to bolster pants that have been tearing during the rigors of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Soldiers in Iraq began reporting "crotch durability problems" with their combat uniforms in July 2005, according to the Army. Jumping into Humvees, hopping from helicopters and scrambling after insurgents have popped inseams on the baggy pants.

Rougher terrain in Afghanistan prompted complaints this past August from soldiers who said their uniforms gave out quickly.

"This is a result of soldiers working in steep and harsh terrain and literally sliding down steep hills and mountains," Army spokesman Sheldon Smith said in an e-mail.

Single-stitching has caused most of the blown-out inseams, said Erin Thomas, an Army spokeswoman. The new trousers are more durable, she said.

A torn uniform inseam is no laughing matter, said Loren Thompson, a military analyst at the Lexington Institute, a defense think tank.

"Any well-made uniform should maintain its stitch in virtually all combat situations except direct fire," he said. "It is a serious problem if it becomes a distraction to the war fighter who needs to concentrate on completing a mission."

The Army unveiled its current combat uniform in 2004. It has a digital camouflage pattern and pockets that can be reached while wearing body armor. The half-cotton, half-nylon uniform is supposed to last six months. U.S. plants make hundreds of thousands of them a month.

Soldiers deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan receive two sets of combat uniforms and two sets of fire-resistant ones. By January, all of the uniforms soldiers receive will be made of fire-resistant material.

The Army began issuing the flame-resistant clothes last year after insurgents began using incendiary bombs and targeting the fuel tanks on troops' vehicles. There are about 120,000 soldiers in Iraq and 20,000 in Afghanistan, Pentagon spokesman Lt. Col. Mark Ballesteros said.

The new uniform represented an upgrade from a design that dated to the early 1980s. But it hasn't proved tough enough.

Inseam blowouts became an issue in Iraq in 2005, Smith said. The Army "redesigned the assembly method for the crotch and incorporated the fixes into ACU (Army combat uniform) production."

Improved uniforms were shipped last year, and stocks of existing uniforms were retrofitted with additional material, he said.

In Afghanistan, the solutions are different. The Army is investigating improvements that include new uniforms built with more rugged material and a protective garment to be worn over the current uniform.

Rips are to be expected under those conditions, said John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org, a website that analyzes military issues. "These are harsh environments," he said. "They're putting some wear on (their uniforms). That's the way these things go."

Uniforms should have been designed originally to account for the strain, Thompson said. "Losing a crotch is supposed to happen sometime after a Thanksgiving meal, not in combat,” he added.

Mission Complete for Task Force Uniform

Arlington, VA, November 25, 2007 (Navy Times) - Navy officials have pulled the plug on Task Force Uniform after a nearly five-year run revolutionizing Navy uniforms.

Vice Adm. John C. Harvey, the Navy's chief of personnel in Arlington, Va., pronounced TFU “Mission Complete” and announced the re-establishment of a formal Uniform Board, effective immediately.

“Task Force U advanced several uniform initiatives to improve Navy uniform designs, fit and functionality,” Harvey wrote in the message. “Most notably, our Navy will soon benefit from the consummation of three major uniform initiatives: the Physical Training Uniform, the Navy Service Uniform and the Navy Working Uniform.

“Building on our lessons learned from Task Force U, we are now ready to carry forward with a newly established and reorganized uniform board.”

TFU was established in February 2003. In its nearly five-year run, it brought about the single largest uniform overhaul in Navy history. Those three new uniforms are now in the early stages of implementation that will take the next two years to completely reach the fleet.

The newly revamped board will be headed by Harvey, who will be assisted in the task by Rob Carroll, who retired from active-duty as the uniformed head of TFU and was later hired to become the civilian head of the Navy Uniform Matters office at the Navy Annex, providing that office with long-term continuity and corporate knowledge on uniform issues. It will be Carroll who runs the day-to-day aspects of Navy Uniforms while advising Harvey in the admiral's capacity as the president of the uniform board.

The board’s full-time staff will be minimal, as was the case with TFU. Along with Carroll and a junior enlisted sailor to help with administrative duties, Harvey will appoint a post-tour command master chief as an assistant for Navy Uniform Matters. Previously the head of the Uniform Matters Office was only an active-duty master chief.

In the message, Harvey said the panel's duties will be to:

* Review and recommend specification changes concerning design, detail and material of uniform items.

* Maintain and interpret Navy Uniform Regulations.

* Monitor implementation of uniform policy.

* Review development and testing of proposed uniforms and implementation of approved uniform components.

* Monitor procurement, issue, and retail of Navy uniforms ensuring conformance with uniform regulations.

* Maintain awareness of other services and uniform developments.

* Review annual individual clothing allowances for approved seabag requirements.

The new board’s structure and responsibilities are outlined in chapter one of the Navy Uniform Regulations, which has been updated to reflect the new panel's make up and duties.

This is back to the future for the Navy: For years, all uniform details were handled by a similar uniform board that operated out of Washington, D.C. Now, Harvey says that will be the case again, but instead of dictating policy from above, the board will rely heavily on direct input from the fleet in setting its agenda. It will also draw from the expertise the other services, and work more closely with the textile industry to keep uniforms relevant updated and of top quality, officials say.

acuArmor.com Releases Line of Flexible Kevlar Knee and Elbow Armored Inserts

November 18, 2007 (PRWEB) - acuArmor.com announced the release of 3 new Kevlar Armored Knee and Elbow Inserts for ACU (Army Combat Uniform), TRU (Tactical Response Unit) and 5.11 uniforms. Designed to slide into the existing inner knee and elbow pockets, these are the first flexible inserts available to provide puncture, cut and abrasion resistance. They are designed to work with or without the foam inserts issued by the military which provide negligible protection.

Developed primarily for the military, knee and elbow injuries are common in battlefield environments where broken glass, razor wire, metal and concrete shards, wooden slivers, hot surfaces and flying fragments are all prevalent. However, the inserts work equally well for emergency medical services, first responders and police where rescue operations often force personnel to kneel in blood and other body fluids amongst broken glass and sharp metal edges. By providing an additional level of protection from blood-borne diseases such as AIDS the inserts allow rescue personnel to work with a higher level of safety.

Designed to fit existing pockets of ACU (Army Combat Uniform) military uniforms, most TRUs (Tactical Response Units) and 5.11 trousers, the pads are flexible, light-weight and invisible from the exterior. With an integrated pocket, the pads can be used with or without the military issue foam pads and most third-party pads. For additional protection, multiple inserts can be stacked, or hard pads can be worn over them.

Unlike strap-on hard-pads, the acuArmor.com inserts will not slide out of position during movement. As there are no straps, there is no constriction around the arm or leg which typically leads to skin rashes and sores with extended use. Additionally, the sleeves and trouser legs are not constricted so that air circulates freely, keeping the user cool.

The high thermal insulating properties of Kevlar allow users to kneel or lean on extremely hot surfaces without burning, and the inserts stay flexible in extremes of heat or cold. They are not affected by water and are resistant to most chemicals. The flexible nature provides unrestricted movement and the extreme light weight (2-4 oz each, depending on the model) has no impact on physical performance.

As the inserts are inside the uniform, they do not degrade the special IR profile and can be worn inconspicuously in covert or high-visibility situations.

Real-world performance is impressive. In puncture resistant tests, the inserts consistently bent nails driven by an industrial nail gun in contact with the inserts. The inserts demonstrate up to 80x better abrasion protection than standard ACUs and up to 160x better cut protection. While they are not designed for ballistic protection, they do provide a high level of fragmentation resistance, preventing penetration by nails fired at them at point-blank range with a pneumatic nail gun.

All models feature a Spectra-Grid fabric on the front. The Spectra fiber is 10x stronger than steel and is woven into a rip-stop pattern which has a smooth, low friction finish, so it slides easily against the uniform fabric, reducing wear. Each model has layers of highly cut/ballistic resistant Kevlar and layers of the latest puncture resistant Kevlar designed for stab resistance in correctional institutions. The back and pocket are out of a heavy ballistic nylon and the product is assembled with heavy moisture-proof, UV-proof thread. All seams are double stitched and stress areas are bar-tacked, ensuring long life in harsh conditions.

Available in 3 models, the acuArmor inserts are manufactured in the United States under strict quality controls.

The flagship product is the EXTREME model, which features 7 Kevlar layers in total; 3 cut resistant and 4 puncture resistant. The EXTREME model is the suggested model for knee protection.

The STANDARD model has a total of 5 Kevlar layers, 2 cut resistant and 3 puncture resistant. The STANDARD model is the recommended model for elbow protection.

The LITE model has a total of 3 Kevlar layers; 1 cut resistant and 2 puncture resistant. The LITE model is recommended for elbow protection in low-threat situations.

acuArmor.com is division of LapLogic, Inc. Multiple patents pending. acuArmor.com is a Trademark of acuArmor.com. Kevlar is a Trademark of DuPont. Spectra is a Trademark of AlliedSignal. 5.11 is a Trademark of 5.11 Tactical.com.

Of Interest

High-Tech Textiles Pave the Way for Glowing Garments

October 29, 2007 (TextileWeb) - Researchers at The University of Manchester have developed high-tech battery-powered textile yarns that can be used to make clothing glow in the dark.

The yarns have been developed by The William Lee Innovation Centre (WLIC), based in the University's School of Materials - and have the potential to be incorporated into clothing worn by cyclists, joggers and pedestrians.

Current high visibility products — such as those used by emergency services, cyclists and highway maintenance workers — depend on external light sources to make them visible.

They can be ineffective in low light situations and require a light source from something like vehicle headlights to make them visible. This can lead to the wearer being seen too late.

The latest WLIC development, made from electroluminescent (EL) yarns, allows the wearer to be permanently visible and therefore improves personal safety.

EL yarn is a novel technology, which emits light when powered by a battery. Its development has been based on thin film electroluminescent technology.

The yarn consists of an inner conductive core yarn, coated with electroluminescent ink — which means it emits light when an electric current is passed through it — and a protective transparent encapsulation, with an outer conductive yarn wrapped around it.

When the EL yarn is powered with an inverter the resultant electrical field between the inner and outer conductor causes the electroluminescent coating to emit light. The emission of light occurs between the contact points between the outer yarn and the inner yarn.

Other potential applications for the yarn include flexible woven or knitted road safety signs that communicate written instructions.

Dr Tilak Dias, Head of the WLIC, said: "At the moment the EL yarn we have developed is less flexible than conventional yarns. But it is more flexible than current optical fibers that are incorporated within fabrics to provide illumination.

"EL yarn can be easily incorporated into a knitted or woven fabric and the resultant active illuminating fabric provides illumination when it is powered.

"The luminance of a single strand of the EL yarn is greater than that of photo luminescent glow yarns, which are currently used in some high visibility applications.

"Weaving or knitting the yarn in a particular manner, so that more yarn per unit area is achieved, improves the luminance of the EL yarn."

The Problem with ASNs

November 8, 2007 (RetailWire) - According to a recent survey of retailers, 89 percent required the use of ASNs (advance shipping notices) by their suppliers, but found accuracy and efficiency to be lacking. As a result, compliance-related deductions are higher around ASNs than any other supply chain document.

The study by GXS, a B2B e-commerce solutions provider, and the Vendor Compliance Federation (VCF) found that the use and application of ASNs has improved over the last three years but the rate of improvement has slowed and hit a plateau. It found that ASNs have been beleaguered by a number of factors, including inconsistent implementation by retailers, a pervasive lack of data quality and the difficulty of on-boarding the supplier community.

The study found several possible causes:

Numerous PO changes: Retail EDI professionals don't believe purchase order changes have a significant impact on ASN accuracy, but suppliers think they do. There is no quantitative data to validate or invalidate either view. Retail survey respondents indicated that they issue, on average, 4.4 changes per purchase order, much higher than vendor's estimates.

Lack of standards: While standards abound in terms of EDI syntax, structure, documents and communication protocols, the EDI practitioner still must understand the unique business rules of their trading partner. The amount of time and resources required to educate manufacturers about unique business rules as well as train and test EDI capabilities creates unintentional delays.

Inadequate funding: The arrival of technology initiatives such as RFID, XML, data synchronization and sophisticated portals has pushed EDI further to the background. Each is laying claim to being the successor to some part of the EDI space. Yet, the market footprint for EDI continues to grow with more suppliers being on-boarded, including retailers' offshore private-label manufacturers.

Lack of measurement metrics: EDI managers still lack adequate tools as part of the standard EDI toolset for measuring business flow. In addition, basic EDI services do not appear to provide adequate visibility into the data traversing the network. As a result, EDI professionals are constrained from providing appropriate business insights and from helping companies move from strictly transaction sharing to higher order value functions such as real-time visibility.

"Deductions are not a solution to a problem, but they are used to motivate change in supplier behavior," said Mark Jones, managing director of the VCF, in a statement. "By optimizing the ASN process and combining it with supply chain visibility tools, retailers and suppliers can avoid the prevalent problems and reap the benefits in multiple areas of their business."

China Recalls Help U.S. Apparel Manufacturers

New York, November 12, 2007 (CNNMoney.com) - China Fashion Week ended yesterday as the country's top designers proudly showcased homegrown haute couture on the Beijing runway. But the world's largest textile and apparel industry has been battered in recent months.

Last May, Beijing News reported that one in every five Chinese-manufactured baby garments and toys had failed safety test inspections. And in August, New Zealand scientists announced that they had found dangerously high levels of formaldehyde in imported Chinese garments.

This ill wind has blown some good in the direction of U.S. garment manufacturers, long battered by low-priced competition from overseas manufacturers. To be sure, one in every four pieces of clothing sold in the U.S. is made in China, and the recalls aren't likely to undo that edge quickly. But for the first time in many years, small domestic garments have a real chance to gain market share.

"Consumers are definitely looking for products made in the U.S.A," says Nataly Blumberg, vice president of The Bromley Group, a fashion PR firm based in New York City. "We sense that they're willing to spend more because it's a way of showing support."

"You shouldn't have to say Made in America under your breath," says Rodger Roeser, spokesperson for American Joe Apparel in Plano, Texas. The T-shirt company proudly advertises its domestic credentials, using suppliers from six different states and making sure that all inputs - down to the office paper - are made on U.S. soil.

Sales of American Joe products have tripled since the last summer's spate of China recalls. The company projects sales of $20 million in 2007, its first year in business. "We want everybody to wear our clothes and feel like an All-American hero," says Roeser. "By wearing an American-made shirt you're putting Americans back to work."

This message tends to resonate best in America's battered industrial heartland. In Arcanum, Ohio, a small garment manufacturer called All American Clothing markets Made-in-USA denim as prêt-a-porter workwear.

Says founder and president Lawson Nickol: "We go after this demographic because they are aware of how their peers have lost their jobs, and are more inclined to support the cause."

All American Clothing sales on the retail site ShopForAmerica.com have shot up by 500% since the recalls. "Frankly, the Chinese are helping us quite a bit right now," says Nickol.

Company News:

Finalist Named in “Every Elbeco Uniform Tells a Story” Contest

Reading, PA, November 26, 2007 (PRNewswire) - Elbeco Incorporated, a manufacturer of uniforms for the police, fire, EMS, postal and security industries, is excited to announce that George Coffman of Grand Saline, TX and member of the Grand Saline Volunteer Fire & EMS Department, is a finalist in its "Every Elbeco Uniform Tells a Story" Contest that honors those in uniform who made a significant impact on the job.

Coffman's story tells how his department's rookie made a laundry mistake that ruined all their uniforms around the time of the holiday banquet. By accident, he tossed blue shirts into the washing machine that unknowingly contained red suspenders and bleach. In good fun, the rookie wore one of the ruined shirts, now an unorthodox mix of pink and light blue, to the banquet.

Five finalists were chosen for September and additional monthly finalists will be chosen for November and December. From those 20 finalists, a judging panel will choose the Grand prize, second and third prize winners. The Grand Prize winner will receive $5,000 cash and a $1,500 retail credit for their department, the second prize winner receives $2,500 cash and a $1,000 retail credit for their department and the third prize winner receives $1,000 cash and a $500 retail credit for their department.

Elbeco Incorporated, currently celebrating its 100th anniversary, has been manufacturing uniforms for Police, Fire, EMS, Postal, Tactical, and Transportation personnel since 1907. With over 450 union-represented associates, the company is America's premier and largest manufacturer of union-made uniforms for public safety, supplying over 17,000 agencies across the USA.

This month’s five finalists and their stories are posted on http://www.elbeco.com/. Professionals interested in entering the contest can get an entry form at participating local retail dealers where they purchase Elbeco uniforms or they can enter online at the above-mentioned website.

SanMar Raises over $36,000 for Breast Cancer Research

Seattle, WA, November 9, 2007 - SanMar Corporation, a leading supplier of

imprintable apparel and accessories, is proud to announce that their employees have raised over $36,000 for breast cancer research.

It was a whirlwind of fundraising activity and certainly no lack of creativity, with raffles, bake sales and garage sales.

“We are so pleased to partner with the local community and raise money toward such an important and worthy cause,” explains Susan Jarvie, human resource manager at SanMar.

The SanMar fundraiser was held in conjunction with the October campaign of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Cities around the country, including Seattle, host 5-kilometer noncompetitive walks to raise funds to fight this difficult disease. As a flagship sponsor of the Bellevue walk, SanMar donated, in total, more than $36,000 to support breast cancer research and to aid patients and their families.

The American Cancer Society hosts its annual premier event, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, every October to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer patients and research. Since 1993, 3.5 million walkers have raised over $230 million through the Making Strides campaign.

SanMar Corporation is a leading supplier of wholesale apparel and accessories including Nike Golf, Tiger Woods Collection, PING Collection, and Port Authority. A family owned business since 1971, SanMar is based in Seattle, WA with six national distribution centers.

To learn more about SanMar, visit www.sanmar.com .

End Users In the News

Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputies Get New Uniforms

Lincolton, October 31, 2007 (Lincoln Tribune) - Lincoln County Sheriff’s deputies are transitioning into new uniforms starting Thursday. Instead of the tan shirt and dark brown pants, deputies will wear a gray shirt and either black cargo pants or black dress pants with a gray stripe down the side.

The new uniforms are poly-cotton blend instead of the all-polyester of the old uniforms.

The new uniforms will give the Sheriff’s deputies a more updated and professional look, along with other practical advantages. The gray shirts are fire retardant, will provide better wearability, and will last longer. The new uniform also includes a black jacket and a black campaign hat.

Lincoln County Sheriff's Office chief deputy Barry Taylor modeled the new LCSO uniform, which will be in effect as of Thursday.

“The new uniforms will be safer and will last longer than the old polyester uniforms,” said Lincoln County Sheriff Tim Daugherty.

The uniform change will become effective on Nov.1 when officers go to their winter uniforms.

Convict Labor Still Used for New Prison Guards' Uniforms

Austin, TX, November 27, 2007 (American Statesman) - Texas' prison guards may get a fashion makeover for the first time in almost 40 years.

Officials confirmed Monday that in coming months, the state's 25,675 correctional officers could begin wearing navy polo shirts and black, military-style pants as an alternative to the gray, police-style uniforms that have been a prison staple since the late 1960s.

Gone would be one long-standing given of prison life: Guards are "gray shirts," and convicts are in "prison whites."

A few things would remain the same: the American flag on one shirt sleeve, prison-system emblem on the other and a State of Texas seal on the front.

The change is subject to the approval of the prison system's governing board, which will meet Thursday in Austin to consider the switch. The proposed uniforms, similar to styles adopted in most other states, are scheduled to be unveiled at that meeting.

The proposed pants have two pockets and an adjustable waistband.

"The new uniforms are designed to be more comfortable, especially for those officers who have to wear (protective) vests on duty," said Michelle Lyons, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. "I think people will be excited about them."

Not everyone, it seems.

"It's a good move, but there's been kind of mixed reaction so far because some old-timers like the current uniform that shows their years of service — stripes on the long sleeves, one for every five years of service," said Brian Olsen, executive director of the union that represents Texas correctional officers. "Inmates know those stripes. They're less likely to mess with someone who's been around for a while."

Lyons and other prison officials said the new uniforms would be optional. Guards could wear the old uniforms or a combination of the two.

Like the old uniforms, the new ones would be made by convicts in prison factories, Lyons said. She said the cost would be about the same.

The last time Texas changed the uniform was about a decade ago, when the basic gray uniform was modified slightly. Before that, the main changes involved allowing female guards to wear slacks instead of skirts and abolishing neckties and hats.

"This has been in the works for a long time, months and months," Olsen said. "It's a change. ... And the system is very slow to accept change."