From caps and headscarves, to shoes and socks, accessories are perfect for showing off personalised branding from head to toe
Accessories have always offered garment decorators a profitable route to add-on sales. It takes only one on-trend piece to complete, or completely restyle, a head-to-toe look, which is good news for those looking to offer their customers even more ways to promote their team, brand or organisation. Chosen wisely, an accessory can transform a uniform or outfit, making it memorable and adding a bold, lasting statement.
Retro and classic styles, neutral tones, prints and wearable technology dominate accessory collections for Autumn/Winter 2019, offering decorators stylish and versatile options for keeping on-trend in all sectors, from corporate and workwear to schoolwear and fashion retail. The leading brands have cottoned on to the sales potential of accessories, offering a vast range of products that are ready to be customised with print, embroidery, sublimation and more – from hats and scarves, to underwear, headscarves and even baby bibs.
Handy headwear
New from Le Chef, vibrant and stylish headscarves (DL02) are available in a wide selection of prints for endless style possibilities, and are both practical and versatile for everyday use. The headscarves can be embroidered for extra personalisation, and can also be used as a neckerchief or bandana. The brand says there are very limited quantities per design, which are updated regularly, allowing for the whole range to be collected.
Also new for 2019, the Hooder from Stanley/Stella is a highly versatile accessory, says the brand. “It’s designed to be worn over a baseball cap, or with the Cruiser sweatshirt for multiple styling options.” The unisex balaclava is made from a 300gsm terry fabric lined in single jersey with adjustable drawcords. It’s available in black and tangerine, a striking new colour from the brand’s autumn/winter collection.
The Running Headband (TL690) offers the perfect athleisure accessory, says Tombo, as well as a unique branding opportunity. Inspired by performancewear fabrics, the headband is made with 100% stretch-fit French terry polyester with a tear-away label for easy customisation. Available in black and grey marl with dyed-to-match binding, it measures 26cm wide, and is 7cm high at the front and 5cm at the back.
Available in a high-visibility yellow, the ProtecWork Beanie (9068) from Snickers Workwear is made from a flame-retardant (EN 1149-5) and electric-arc (EN ISO 14116) certified fabric. The soft beanie is machine washable, and comes in two sizes: S-M and L-XL.
Winter wearables
Get ready for the change of seasons with the Classic Check Scarf (BC489) from Beechfield, says Ralawise, a stylish statement layer that’s perfect for autumn. Featuring a classic woven check pattern and tassel trim, the soft-touch acrylic scarf is available in four colourways: blue check, grey check, mustard check and red check.
The Thinsulate Acrylic Gloves will offer a soft, durable and smart option when the winter creeps in, says Regatta Professional, providing outstanding warmth to weight ratio. Made from an acrylic knit with a thermal lining, the gloves are also both anti-pill and moisture-wicking.
New to PenCarrie, the Flexfit brand also offers a great collection of bold headwear, such as the six-panel Wooly Combed Hat (F6277). The baseball cap is made from a wool-like fabric that is 63% polyester, 34% cotton and 3% spandex for a stretch fit. It features structured front panels, a pre-curved beak, silver underpeak, inner elasticated branded band and an authentic visor sticker. The cap comes in 22 colours in sizes Youth, S-M, L-XL and 2XL.
Eurocap offers bespoke jacquard knitted hats and scarves, made to requirements from a large choice of yarn and available in a minimum order quantity of 100 pieces. The brand’s digitally printed Jacquard Knitted Hat has a breathable polyester outer layer with a knitted inside, and can be made with a bespoke pompom. UK delivery is two to three weeks.
Winter is coming, and Dickies Workwear says it offers a variety of accessories for tradespeople to keep warm in style. The Evadale Beanie from its ‘Hard Working Since 1922′ collection is made from a soft, 100% acrylic knit fabric that promises to deliver both insulation and comfort. It features the Dickies logo badge on the front, and comes in one size in five colours. T-shirts, a fleece and a puffer jacket are also available from the collection.
New from Beechfield, the Cable Knit Melange Scarf (B499) offers a hand-knitted feel with a timeless heavyweight cable knit design. Made from 100% soft-touch acrylic, the unisex scarf has a chunky, wrap-around style and a tear-away label. It’s available in four colours: black, navy, mustard and light grey. Matching accessories are also available in the collection: the Melange Beanie (B480) with a Suprafleece thermal band and self-coloured pompom, and the Melange Gloves (B497).
Thinsulate Acrylic Gloves from Regatta
Cool caps
The Recycled Rapper Cap from Atlantis offers an on-trend and innovative accessory, says Absolute Apparel, as one of three styles from the brand that has in-built NFC (near field communication) wearable technology. Designed using polyester fibres made from recycled plastic bottles, the cap also features mesh side panels and a curved visor.
Perfect for promotional headwear, says Just Cool by AWDis, the unisex Ultralight Cap (JC091) is made from 100% lightweight polyester and is fully printable. The cap features a sturdy peak with six-panel construction, and a hook-and-loop adjustment at the back for a close, comfortable fit. It is available in six colourways in one size. Also available is the Holdall Bag (JC098), which comes in seven colours and is the perfect unbranded carry-on for any promotional design, adds the brand.
Fitting footwear
Spiro offers a range of socks that are ideal for all fitness and sports activities, such as the 3 Pack Mixed Sneaker Sports Socks (S293X) that feature a ribbed cuff and instep for a comfortable and secure fit. Other available styles include: the Technical Compression Sports Socks (S294X), which feature fast-dry, antibacterial Coolmax technology and are anatomically shaped for optimum protection; and the low-cut 3 Pack Mixed Stripe Sneaker Socks (S295X) that have a cushioned heel and toe and a ribbed ankle cuff for a secure fit. All three styles are suitable for transfer print and embroidery, and are available in sizes S-M and L-XL.
New from Work-Guard, the Hardy Safety Trainer (R457X) also offers a stylish and breathable footwear option, says the brand. Made from a flyknit polyester mesh with a suede trim upper and double density PU/PU sole, the trainers feature a heel loop, steel toecaps and a padded tongue and collar. They also have an energy absorption heel and are oil- and SRA slip-resistant, as well as CE EN ISO 20345:2011 SB SRA certified. Available in shoe sizes 3-12, the trainers come with a spare insole set.
Brief encounters
The on-trend Women’s Fashion Crop Top (SK236) and Women’s Fashion Briefs (SK436) from SF Clothing are free from decoration, offering a unique base for branding, embellishment and personalisation. Featuring a soft jacquard band and tear-away label, both styles are made from a stretch, single jersey fabric with high polyester content, which is ideal for sublimation printing. Both styles are available in two colourways: black/white and white/white, with a black/black version of the SK236 launching in January 2020.
The Classic Shorty (67-020-7) from Fruit of the Loom offers a modern style with a short cut and close fit for comfort. Made from a soft 95% cotton/5% elastane fabric, the label-free underwear features a tone-on-tone colour waistband printed with the brand’s name. It comes in a two pack, and is available in four colours in sizes S-2XL.
Finishing touches
Fun and easy to use, the Drawcords in a Tube (JH200) from Just Hoods by AWDis are the perfect length for drawcord replacements or swaps when creating customised hoodies for customers. Made from 100% cotton with rounded plastic ends, the drawcords are available in a choice of four colours and come packaged in handy, retail-ready tubes. Each tube contains two 199cm long drawcords in two different colours.
Offered in a range of 16 plain and contrast colours, the Baby Bibs (LW082) from the Larkwood Baby & Toddler Collection are free from decoration to offer the perfect base for branding, embellishment and personalisation. Designed to be durable and gentle on the skin, the one-size bibs are made from a 100% cotton, double interlock fabric with a detailed hem and feature a hook-and-loop fastening at the back of the neck.
