Uniform & Product News - August 2008

Industry News Releases

NAUMD Overhauls Best Dressed Law Enforcement Contest

New York, July 24, 2008 – Those looking to enter the 2008-09 Best Dressed Law Enforcement Awards, sponsored annually by the North-American Association of Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors (NAUMD), will notice a number of changes to the popular program. The competition, which recognizes outstanding design in public safety uniforms, is receiving an overhaul of sorts, including, among other things, a broader range of professional judges and a streamlined judging process. And in a first, winners will be honored on April 24, during a gala awards breakfast and multi-media presentation at the association's annual convention in Las Vegas.

In a move to better reflect the evolving law enforcement marketplace, the contest's name will also change. The NAUMD Best Dressed Public Safety Awards, as it will now be known, will also seek to bolster participation by pursuing entries from its newer Canadian and Mexican members. "Our goal is to re-establish the Best Dressed Public Safety Awards as the gold standard of public safety apparel and accessories design," said Richard J. Lerman, NAUMD president. "By engaging public safety authorities, media and professionals as our judges, and streamlining the judging process through an on-line web-based process, we are ensuring maximum member participation and expert evaluation of these important programs."

Three new categories have also been added to endure the broadest possible range of submissions. Awards will now be handed out to the best fire service agency, and recognition will be given to the most innovative accessory and product will the greatest lifesaving qualities.

Members will be invited to submit entries electronically beginning in early November, via a new web-based judging process. "Our members, and their client departments will now be able to post digital photographs and program descriptions for their submissions on a secure website – this will eliminate the need for expensive and time-consuming materials," said Lerman. "We believe this streamlined process will encourage greater participation, making the competition truly representative of NAUMD's membership."

Winners will be honored at the NAUMD welcome breakfast to be held on Saturday, April 24, 2009, at Bally's Las Vegas , Las Vegas , NV . "Our goal is to recognize the broadest range of Public Safety Apparel & Accessories in our industry, and to encourage design creativity across all industry sectors," said Dan Donahue, chairman, NAUMD Public Safety Committee and vice president of Strong Leather, Inc. "To this end, the NAUMD welcome breakfast, now featuring the Best Dressed Public Safety Awards Program, will become a celebration of the very best the industry has to offer in the design, protection and enhancement for public safety officers."

Only NAUMD member companies and their client departments are eligible to participate in the 2008-09 Best Dressed Public Safety Awards program. "All items submitted must represent live programs currently in use in the industry," noted Lerman. Members will receive complete information packets in early November.

Complete details can also be found on the association's website, www.naumd.com

 

Rick Cesere Appointed Executive VP Kazoo/Edwards Garment Company

Kalamazoo, MI, July 18, 2008 – Kazoo Inc./Edwards Garment Company is pleased to announce the appointment of Rick Cesere, executive vice president. "We are extremely pleased to have Rick join the Edwards team," comments Gary Schultz, CEO.

Rick has been in the garment industry for over 20 years and has a wealth of experience in the uniform and imprinted apparel market. His most recent position was with Hartwell Apparel as CEO where he made some outstanding achievements in building sales and customer relationships. Prior to Hartwell Apparel, Rick held senior management positions at Trimark USA, Rivers End Trading Co., and Tri-Mountain. Rick's experience in the ASI and Uniform market will assist Edwards in continuing its strong success and growth into the future.

Kazoo Inc./Edwards Garment has been manufacturing and supplying corporate, casual and uniform apparel for 140 years. The company is privately held and headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan. "Dressing you from top to bottom," Edwards products are available through a nationwide network of dealers and distributors.

To learn more, please visit the company's website at www.edwardsgarment.com

Tri-Mountain Apparel Launches New and Improved Website

Irwindale, CA, July 21, 2008 - Tri-Mountain Apparel is thrilled to announce the launch of its new and improved website, www.trimountain.com, featuring innovative marketing tools and an updated online ordering system. The complete redesign of the site features a brand new layout with user-friendly navigation.

"Our new website is specifically designed to save you time and dollars by automating marketing tasks that tie up precious company resources" says Danny Tsai, marketing manager of Tri-Mountain. "Our customers have been very patient with us while we were building this site, but I definitely think it was worth the wait."

New features to the site include:
• Virtual Sample Studio – upload a logo and see it on a garment instantly
• Garment color changing with a click of the mouse
• Create a Flyer tool
• Improved online ordering system
• High-resolution image downloads of every style in every color
• Size chart downloads of each style, and much more

Along with the re-launch is the release of Tri-Mountain's new generic site, www.appareltm.com. The generic site is tailored specifically for end users and although it keeps the same layout and navigation as www.trimountain.com, certain features are omitted. These include Virtual Sample Studio, Create a Flyer, pricing and contact information.

Previously registered users can login with their provided email and password to access all features. New users can call (800) 824-6464 for account activation.

 

Munro's Safety Apparel Announces New Facility in Port Arthur, Texas

Beaumont, TX ,July 22, 2008 (PR Web) -- Munro's Safety Apparel, one of the nation's leading providers of fire resistant apparel and other safety clothing, is pleased to announce they are building a new facility in Port Arthur, Texas. The new facility is in addition to three other locations in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana and is being built to serve the contractors in the rapidly expanding Port Arthur area with the fire resistant apparel and other safety clothing they need.

Currently, the Port Arthur area is home to expansion projects worth over ten - fifteen billion dollars and over six - eight thousand additional contractors are expected in the area to help with the new construction. Many of the projects are part of the huge oil refining facilities in the area and Munro's safety clothing and fire retardant apparel are an integral part of the equipment needed on these jobsites to ensure that the people performing these jobs have the protection they need to perform their duties safely.

For almost eight decades, Munro's Safety Apparel has been an industry leader in fire retardant clothing, protective equipment, and safety clothing of all kinds. They offer a huge selection of pants, shirts, coveralls, and other outerwear, as well as a wide range of safety accessories, such as hard hats, boots, safety glasses, ear plugs, and much more. They also offer their customers custom embroidery and emblems on their safety clothing and feature many brand names of fire resistant apparel such as Wrangler, Topps, Workrite, Reed, Walls, NSA and Bulwark. Along with these quality apparel manufacturers, Munro's also offers steel toe boots from well-known suppliers such as Timberland, Wolverine, Dr. Martens, Red Wing and many more.

The new facility is expected to open in late August 2008 and is located on Highway 73, close to all the major refineries in Port Arthur. The new facility will feature a complete line of all their fire resistant apparel and other safety clothing.

Visit www.munrossafety.com to learn more.

SanMar Releases 2009 Apparel & Accessories Catalog

Seattle, WA, July 9, 2008 - SanMar Corporation, a leading supplier of imprintable apparel and accessories, is debuting its 2009 Apparel & Accessories catalog. With 452 pages featuring over 875 products, this year¹s catalog is the largest to date and is releasing in time for the crucial fourth-quarter selling season.

"This year, our tried and true meets new," says Lee Strom, senior marketing manager. "We¹re including all of our customer favorites and industry staples, in addition to over 180 new styles‹making the 2009 Apparel & Accessories catalog an essential customer tool. Customers will also find something for every client budget‹from our extended colors and styles in the Tiger Woods Collection to our Port & Company Essential T-Shirt."

Among the debuting products, this year¹s catalog will also premier six styles from New Era, the world¹s largest sports-licensed headwear company and the supplier of the official on-field cap of Major League Baseball. Under an agreement reached earlier this year, SanMar will become the exclusive supplier of New Era to the corporate identity market.

"With so many products this year, it was our highest priority to make this an easy-to-shop catalog that engages and inspires our customers' buying audience," explains Strom. Improved shopping ease includes color-coded tabs for easy flipping and navigation, while the growing offering of occupational workwear means that this year¹s catalog will debut an entire section devoted to workwear.

Product highlights this year include new men's and women's non-iron wovens available from Port Authority®. And Sport-Tek® is introducing an entire family of Dry Zone technical moisture-wicking knits in men¹s, women¹s and youth options. Outerwear has also been a strong performer in the industry, so SanMar is pleased to meet the demand with 18 new outerwear styles, ranging from lightweight soft shells to heavyweight parkas.

The 2009 Apparel & Accessories catalog will be available early August. Options for the catalog include custom imprinting on the front and back covers, and priced and un-priced versions.

To order, call (800) 426-6399 or visit www.sanmar.com.

Medelita Introduces a Breakthrough in Healthcare Uniforms for Women

San Clemente, CA, July 12, 2008 (PR Web) -- Medelita™ introduces a breakthrough in medical apparel for female clinicians, including intelligent innovations that redefine the way women in healthcare present themselves professionally.

"Clinician scrubs and lab coats have not changed since the 1970s," explains J. Manchik. "Medelita originated out of a very real and urgent need among female clinicians, myself included, who were frustrated with the shapeless unisex style scrubs made from uncomfortable fabrics. Female clinicians are consummate professionals who deserve a uniform that reflects their confidence and poise. Until Medelita, we simply had no other choice. Now, finally, we do."

In creating the Medelita line of clinician scrubs and lab coats, Manchik introduced a number of welcome, first-time innovations. While maintaining many of the traditional scrubs features, Medelita provides a professional and flattering fit for the female form never before seen in the typical unisex scrubs. Clinician scrubs tops feature darting at the bust, tapering at the waist and hips, and tailoring at the sleeves, while clinician pants include a subtle, slimming bootleg, contoured rise front to back, and flattering seam placement. Combined with thoughtful features such as side panel pockets and a hidden money pocket, Medelita clinician scrubs allow women to look and feel their best at work.

Manchik paid equal attention to form and function in designing the Medelita clinician lab coat. Featuring a rounded feminine color, tailored shaping, finished inside seams, high-quality buttons and a flattering back waist belt, Medelita lab coats look as professional as the women who wear them.

Based on her years working in a fast-paced ER environment, Manchik also understands the importance of comfort and performance as well as style and fit. Hand-sewn in the U.S.A. using the finest quality fabrics, Medelita clinician scrubs and lab coats maintain their supreme softness, wash after wash. While comfortably soft, they are also extremely durable, thanks to a number of high-performance, cutting-edge fabric technologies never before used in medical apparel. Clinician scrubs feature moisture-transferring Dri-release® technology and bacteriostat FreshGuard® microblend technology by Optimer, which help keep the fabric fresh and odor-free even after a grueling 12-hour shift. Made from ultra-soft 100% brushed cotton that resists wrinkling, the Medelita lab coats employ Advanced Dual Action Teflon® developed by DuPont® to repel liquid spills, as well as High IQ® Easycare Plus by Huntsman to maintain a crisp, professional appearance, wear after wear.

These innovations are quickly capturing the attention of appreciative female clinicians around the country. An early adopter of Medelita, Long Island Physician Assistant Jamie Huggler expresses her excitement at wearing her Medelita scrubs and lab coat on the job. "Now I look forward to going to work. I look better, feel better, and am simply more comfortable while doing my job. This is exactly what young, professional women in healthcare have been looking for."

More than an innovative line of medical apparel, Manchik is dedicated to creating a supportive community of women in healthcare who deserve recognition and respect for the important work they do, often so selflessly. "Medelita is something women can do to reward themselves," says Manchik. "As a company, we want to reward them as well. That's why we've dedicated a section of our web site to celebrating Women In Healthcare, by giving visitors the opportunity to nominate and shine the spotlight on exceptional women who inspire us all."

Medelita clinician scrub sets and lab coats, as well as an innovative line of nursing scrubs, are currently available online at www.medelita.com, and can be ordered by phone at (877) 987-7979.

Workwear Trends Changing in the Era of $5 Gas

Cleburne, TX, July 14, (PRNewswire) -- Now that it takes over $100 to fill up a full size pickup, hardworking American families are closely scrutinizing their budgets to buy fuel to get to the jobsite.

This is having a major impact on the apparel industry, including non-luxury brands that are simple necessities, like basic durable and protective workwear.

"When a guy needs a sturdy work jacket or flame resistant coveralls, it's like buying a tool," says Jerry Meyer, CEO of Walls Workwear, the value-priced brand leader in this niche part of the apparel industry. "He has to have it, but now price is far more of an issue."

That's why value priced quality brands like Walls are actually seeing a spike in demand, because paying $90 for outerwear doesn't make sense when similar quality and features are available for $45 -- and the extra money is desperately needed at the gas pump.

The trend towards brand flexibility is showing up across the board in the apparel industry, which is highly unusual for male buying behavior. While it's estimated that women purchase over 70% of men's apparel, and their guys usually stick to their known brands, budget pressure is making many more flexible about their clothing choices.

"A married guy may not know the price of bread and milk, but he sure knows what gas costs," says Meyer. "As long as his work clothes fit, last and are comfortable, he may try different brands in order to have the extra cash to put in his vehicle."

An increasing number of workers also need specific apparel that must meet expanding OSHA safety requirements in order to be allowed on jobsites, so it's not always enough to sling on an old pair of jeans before heading out the door.

"It used to be enough to show up with a hardhat and a tool belt, but it's more complicated now in many workplaces," says Hugh Hoagland, one of the world's top experts in safety apparel, and lead technical advisor to Walls and many other companies.

"Flame resistant and workwear can be expensive, but Walls has invested heavily in newer technology and streamlined their production so they can offer the best priced safety apparel that also meets tough government regulations. This really benefits working consumers."

Gerber Technology Launches New Series of Cutting Solutions

Connecticut, June 13, 2008, (Textile Web) - Gerber Technology, a business unit of Gerber Scientific, Inc., and the world leader in providing innovative integrated software and hardware automation systems to the sewn products and flexible materials industry for forty years, launches the GERBERcutter Z7. The first in the new Z Series premium line of multi-ply cutting systems, the Z7 is engineered to meet the demands and business challenges of manufacturers in many industries including automotive, aerospace and apparel.

GERBERcutter Z7 combines precision with efficiency to consistently cut the most demanding materials to the tightest of tolerances. It maximizes throughput and yield while cutting intricate shapes, multiple-hole sizes and notches with high accuracy across a full range of material types and thicknesses, including bi-laminate foams, technical textiles and high-loft fabrics.

The Z7 is designed to help manufacturers meet continuous improvement initiatives and pressures within the supply chain for quality and turn time with more stringent requirements for reporting of performance metrics. With environmental concerns and energy consumption regulations mounting, a key value to the Z7's design is its increased efficiency and reduced power usage.

"The voices of our customers were the driving force behind the features and functionalities of the Z7," said Ron Ellis, product manager, Multi-Ply Cutters & Control Systems. As a component of Gerber's "Voice of the Customer" (VOC) product development process, members of a cross-functional team met with companies in the Americas, Europe and Asia to interview and observe them. "Through our VOC work, our team identified solutions to needs that even our customers didn't realize existed, just by virtue of our process. To see these features and functionalities in production today is really rewarding, and is a testament to the insight and expertise that comes from being in the business for 40 years," added Ellis.

A key requirement for cut part quality is material stability. The Z7's hardware and software systems were designed to work together to ensure piece-to-piece and bite-to-bite accuracy. Gerber's exclusive CutWorks cut path optimization software, digitally-controlled variable vacuum regulation, advanced electronics and a new conveyor design enable material to convey while under precise vacuum levels throughout the cutting process. Depending on the application, an integrated clamp bar is available for conveying material when not under vacuum.

"We're particularly proud of CutWorks and the engineers behind it," said Ellis. "This software ties together and automates so many critical functionalities and provides a great deal of benefit to our customers as it relates to quality, ease of use, repeatability and throughput." CutWorks Cut Path Optimization software automatically maximizes throughput and material yield by calculating the most efficient cut path and part nest. In addition, buffer management functionality maximizes material yield. CutWorks files can be saved and programmed as QuickSets, which enable operators to quickly and accurately set up jobs.

The Quick Change Drill feature allows operators to change drill bits in seconds -- without tools. CutWorks automatically prompts the operator when a change is required and informs the operator of the required bit size. This feature can be done mid-job, saving minutes per cut file, and minimizing down time for maintenance.

The Z-Series features Knife IntelligencePLUS , specially-developed software that anticipates knife deflection and automatically compensates to prevent it. This ensures accurate cuts from top ply to bottom and produces superior quality circles and notches to very tight tolerances. This feature enables more holes to be cut rather than drilled, which yields as much as a 10 percent improvement in throughput for hole cuts.

A growing challenge in many cutting rooms is operator turnover, because it affects both quality and throughput when operators are inexperienced. With this in mind, Gerber designed the Z7 to be easy to use. It features an intuitive touch-screen interface and software that accommodates preprogrammed cut files and machine settings, and provides easy access to job information. These features dramatically reduce setup times, operator learning curve and margin for error to ensure repeatable and predictable process control.

Powerful reporting capabilities make it easy to measure throughput and meet customer information and vendor compliance requirements. "We observed that many customers must rely on simple spreadsheets in order to quantify throughput and yield. With these new reporting capabilities, we aim to help our customers offer more value to their customers as it relates to tracking performance metrics," said Ellis. "Reporting capabilities are becoming more and more important, especially for companies who are vendors in lean or six-sigma-focused industries such as aerospace and automotive," he added.

Yes, Virginia, it IS a Uniform: Mailman Seeks Comfort in Kilt

Boston, July 21, 2008, (Boston Globe) – Dean Peterson has heard the snickering.

His 17-year-old son "keeps quiet" about his father's new obsession, and when his 15-year-old son proposed following in his dad's footsteps, the principal at the boy's school warned that other students might pick on him.

But the 6-foot-tall, 250-pound mail carrier from Lacey, Wash., doesn't worry about anyone questioning his virility, or ogling his bare knees. He just wants to feel as free as a woman wearing a skirt.

"A lot of people think I'm crazy," said Peterson, 48, who became a mail carrier after retiring from the Air Force eight years ago. "This is important to me - I just want to be comfortable. I just want the option."

As some 10,000 mail carriers gather in Boston this week for the 66th biennial convention of the National Association of Letter Carriers, Peterson is on a one-man mission to persuade his colleagues to approve a change in their strictly regulated uniforms. He has proposed a resolution to allow mailmen to wear kilts, which he calls a Male Unbifurcated Garment, or MUG.

Over the past few weeks, he says he has spent the $1,800 he received as part of the federal government's stimulus package to send about 1,000 letters and photographs of a mockup of the new uniform to postal union branches in every state, as well as Guam and Puerto Rico.

"MUGs are worn all over the world, and have been for thousands of years because they are comfortable," he wrote to fellow mailmen. "Unbifurcated Garments are far more comfortable and suitable to male anatomy than trousers or shorts, because they don't confine the legs or cramp the male genitals the way that trousers or shorts do."

He argued that pants can cause sweat rashes and added, "Please open your hearts - and inseams - for an option in mail carrier comfort!"

Peterson's efforts have already attracted support. During the spring, similar resolutions calling for mailmen to be allowed to don kilts passed at letter carrier conventions in Washington and Oregon. Women can wear skirts.

Paul Lunde, who promoted the resolution in Oregon and has worn kilts on St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, and occasional Saturdays when his supervisors aren't paying attention, said that expanding the uniform choices would be a way to express his Celtic heritage, just as Jewish postal workers are allowed to wear yarmulkes.

Some of Lunde's co-workers have accused him of cross-dressing. Then there are the inevitable, sophomoric questions: "What are you wearing under there?" (He and Peterson insist they wear underwear.)

"They're mostly ribbing me, but occasionally there are people who appear to be offended," said Lunde, 38, who has delivered mail in Salem, Ore., for nine years. "I say, 'Show me a picture of Jesus in slacks, and I'll consider it.' " He's usually portrayed wearing some kind of long robe, Lunde added

Others who have watched Peterson lobby for support are less eager to change their style.

"I'm just old fashioned," said Bob James, 56, president of the Washington State Association of Letter Carriers, who is more concerned about the declining use of the mail system and efforts to contract out work. "I've always been raised that guys wear trousers. I personally will not wear one, but if that's what the membership wishes, that's fine with me."

If the mailmen who staff Local 34 National Association of Letter Carriers on Dorchester Avenue are like the other delegates at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in South Boston, Peterson's efforts may be for naught.

Inspecting a picture of Peterson in his pale blue short-sleeved shirt, gray kilt, and shiny black shoes, Bob Simpson shook his head and his cheeks turned red. "I don't think we would be interested," said Simpson, 52, who has delivered mail in Brookline for 21 years. "It just doesn't fit my idea of a uniform look."

Michael Kidd, a 15-year veteran of the US Postal Service, has worn kilts and likes the way they feel. But the South Boston mail carrier wasn't sure the kilts would be right for the hard work of fending off dogs and other activity that requires a lot of bending.

"I don't think it would be such a good idea when you have to go up and down a lot of stairs and get in and out of a truck," he said. "I don't know how feasible that would be."

Peterson's resolution is one of about 60 that the convention's delegates will consider, including everything from whether the nation's 220,000 mail carriers - about 30 percent of whom are women - should support certain national taxes to whether they should endorse contract changes.

The association's executive committee has already voted against the proposal, but that vote is merely advisory.

"His resolution will be debated and discussed, and what the members decide, we will do," said William H. Young, the association's president. "I don't want to say my opinion before the members of the union discuss it. They make the decision."

If Peterson manages to persuade fellow delegates, he will then have to win the approval of management officials, who every few months meet with union officials as part of the uniform control committee.

Postal officials said nothing in the contract would bar mailmen from wearing kilts, which are not worn by mail carriers who work for Royal Mail in Scotland.

But the uniforms, according to their contract, must meet certain criteria, such as an "immediate visual identification with the Postal Service to the public," a "neat, professional, and pleasing" appearance, and "a feeling of esprit de corps."

David Partenheimer, a Postal Service spokesman, added: "There are also questions of safety. Any apparel must go through extensive testing."

Whatever happens, Peterson's wife, Joni, said she is proud of her husband, even though he has spent a lot of the family's money on his campaign.

After all, she said, she's the one who three years ago introduced kilts to Peterson, a descendant of Norwegians and Finns with no Scottish ancestry. She brought one back as present from a trip to Scotland. "We are a primarily one-income family, and he earns the income," she said. "If he wants to dress in a kilt, that's his choice, and I support him."

For now, Peterson is resigned to wearing his kilts - he owns 15 - after hours, every day, even when he picks up his children at school. He and several colleagues plan to wear kilts at the convention.

"I'm known as the kid's dad who wears the kilt," he said. "People are getting used to me."

Lonoke County Inmates Issued Pink Uniforms

Little Rock, AR, June 25, (KATV) - They're not designed to be fashion statements, but the new jail uniforms in Lonoke County are causing quite a buzz.

Sheriff Jim Roberson has taken a page from some of his colleagues in other states that will make it difficult for inmates to escape or go unnoticed: Pink jumpsuits.

"We had to buy new uniforms--our old ones were worn out. I decided to go with hot pink because of the visibility--because we have a crew that works on the roads, patching potholes, and we have a crew that picks up litter, and we want to be able to identify those individuals quickly," says Sheriff Roberson.

In Texas, some inmates wear pink jumpsuits--and live in pink cells--to deter them from coming back. It's an idea sparked by a controversial Arizona sheriff who bought inmates pink boxer shorts to keep them from stealing underwear.

"This was not punishment or anything like that. It's not our job to punish people--we just wanted the visibility," the sheriff says.

"I guess people will know now--if they get caught and go to jail in Lonoke County, expect a pink outfit," adds Mike Denham of Little Rock.

"Most of the males are okay with it," says a female jailer. "They understand, and actually they like them. They're new clothes--they just like getting a new suit. The females didn't like them at all--very unhappy with them, and I don't have a reason why."

Roberson says they decided against colors like blue or green, because they looked too much like hospital scrubs.

 

Of Interest

Sewing for US sailors a booming business in East Boston

Boston, July 13, 2008 (Boston Globe) - East Boston is known for Suffolk Downs, Logan Airport, and Italian restaurants.

Apparel manufacturing? Not so much.

Most folks have no clue that Eastie is home to one of the nation's biggest makers of authentic Navy peacoats, Sterlingwear of Boston Inc. The family-owned company has been in business since the 1960s, producing coats, dress jackets, and uniforms for the US military, as well as a fashion line of peacoats for civilian customers. Every article of Sterlingwear clothing is assembled in East Boston and bears the label "Made in the USA."

The walls in the main lobby of Sterlingwear's corporate offices and factory on Route 1A, less than a half-mile away from Logan Airport, are decorated with framed photographs of people wearing peacoats of various styles and colors. "All of the models are friends and relatives of our employees," said Jack Foster, director of marketing and sales for the company.

Inside Sterlingwear's 60,000-square-foot factory, the hum of machinery fills the air. It's warm, but fans provide a breeze. Huge bins are filled with bundles of fabric and zippers, and unfinished coats dangle from hangers attached to an overhead conveyor system, which moves them from one work station to another.

Sterlingwear's production system is computerized, but it still relies on human hands to craft each garment. Women sit at sewing machines, carefully stitching fabric together. Nearby, a young man dressed in an Adidas cap, T-shirt, and jogging pants listens to music on his headphones as he lays out patterns on a table.

Many of Sterlingwear's 250 employees are immigrants, hailing from places such as Morocco, Italy, and Southeast Asia. Some have worked at the company for more than 35 years.

Sterlingwear's employees belong to UNITE HERE, a union of textile, hotel, and restaurant workers. They get paid by the piece, and their benefits include health insurance and pension plans, according to Warren Pepicelli, the union's international vice president and coordinator of the New England Joint Board.

"Sewing is a lost art," said Foster. "Nowadays people don't come out of high school and say, I want to be a sewer and work in a factory."

Were that the case, they might have a hard time finding work, as many manufacturers have moved operations overseas.

According to data from the Massachusetts Division of Employment and Training, the number of jobs in the state's apparel industry declined from 39,957 in 1980 to 14,205 in 1997. State officials expect that apparel and textile manufacturing jobs will continue to disappear. According to their statistics, there were 5,610 sewing machine operators in Massachusetts in 2000, and they project that 21 percent of those positions - which equals 1,160 jobs - will be gone by 2010. The number of hand-sewing jobs is also expected to decline by 13 percent.

"There are no advantages in staying here," said Sterlingwear's CEO and president, Frank G. Fredella. "But for me, it seemed to be the right thing to do."

Group Says Uniforms Come from Sweatshops

Chicago, July 1,(UPI) -- Workers rights activists Tuesday urged U.S. police and fire departments to avoid buying uniforms from companies they contend use sweatshop labor.

SweatFree Communities said U.S. cities have a history of social awareness in purchasing and should be aware that routine uniform purchases can unwittingly enrich companies that use overseas garment factories that offer low pay and deplorable working conditions.

"We hope that this report is a wake-up call for all of us who do not want our tax dollars to support and encourage the most heinous conditions of work, conditions contrary to our values," SweatFree Communities said in the 56-page report.

The Chicago Sun-Times said Tuesday that the state of Illinois placed $80,000 in uniform orders with three companies the coalition identifies as linked to sweatshops in Honduras, Pakistan and China.

The newspaper said the purchases were apparently made despite a 2005 order from the governor's office, although state officials say they comply with all such directives and that the uniforms in question were made in the United States.

 

End Users in the News

Firefighters go Space Age

Australia, July 3, 2008 (The Age) - They might not be heading for the moon, but Melbourne firefighters are to be decked out in new uniforms made from the same hi-tech, flame resistant material worn by NASA astronauts.

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade's (MFB) chief fire officer, Tony Murphy, said the Australian-made uniforms would provide better protection and greater support for the city's firefighters.

He said safety improvements would depend on the type of environments the firefighters faced, "but they provide significant protection to the firefighters and it's a significant enhancement to the current uniform".

The upgrade follows years of campaigning by the firefighters' union for safer uniforms and the serious injury to the MFB's Richard Zapart during a factory blaze in Yarraville last year.

He denied firefighters' lives had been put at risk in the interim.

"(Yarraville) was a terrible situation, one that no one's proud of and one that no one's happy about,'' Mr. Murphy said.

He said the outcome could have been different had Mr. Zapart been wearing the new and improved uniform but that was "only speculative''.

The final product is the result of a comprehensive consultative process was carried out with firefighters and the University of Wollongong.

Improvements include back and knee supports, neck protection and a moisture barrier to keep out airborne pathogens.

All 1500 fire fighters will be issued with three sets of the distinctive gold uniform - valued at $2000 each - by March.

United Firefighters Union national secretary Peter Marshall said the new uniforms were long overdue.

"It's absolutely disgraceful,'' Mr. Marshall said, "The MFB should hang their heads in shame. No doubt, had the MFB acted years ago a member would not have been injured."

Rapides Parish Sheriff's Office Getting New look

Alexandria, LA, July 3, 2008 (thetowntalk.com) - Rapides Parish Sheriff Charles F. "Chuck" Wagner Jr. said the new color theme – blue, yellow and tan – seen in their new uniforms, patrol vehicles and badges represents a new era.

The uniforms, which arrived Wednesday and are being distributed now, have tan shirts and navy blue pants. All Sheriff's Office employees will begin wearing them Monday, July 7, when Wagner will be sworn into office during a public ceremony.

The new uniforms will cost a total of $143,366.78 while the new badges cost a total of $53,953.10, officials said.

The new patrol cars will begin to be changed to include the new theme of yellow and blue within the next few weeks.

Revising the look of the approximately 50 patrol cars will cost $600 per car.

But the changes aren't just to help revitalize the staff, Wagner said, they are also to help the Sheriff's Office with inventory control.

"I'm not sure who has a green uniform," he said referring to the uniforms the Sheriff's Office has had for decades. He pointed out that with the turnover the Sheriff's Office sees and the old policy of being able to purchase badges without proper permission, officials have no idea who has Sheriff's Office uniforms.

"From this point on we will have a strict inventory control system," the sheriff said.

In addition to the new uniforms and car revisions, the Sheriff's Office has purchased new badges for the employees.

Within the coming months those deputies who carry weapons will start to get Sheriff's Office-provided weapons and "duty rigs" – the equipment they use to hold the weapons, Wagner said.

Although talk of cost to the taxpayer has been a big topic of conversation, Wagner stressed that the purchases are for the better of not only the department, but the community as well.

"To de-mark and re-mark the cars won't be much of an expense because we are doing all that here," he said. "And the uniforms, badges and weapons were needed."

The Sheriff's Office has been spending about $100,000 a year on uniforms to replace worn-out uniforms, and the amount being spent this year is about $43,000 above that because the office is going to the new uniforms, according to Sheriff's Assistant Chief Deputy Herman Walters. The cost in future years should be $100,000 or less, he said.

Wagner said most departments provide duty weapons to officers and that this is a move the office should have made years ago.