Focus on Added Value at ISS
Exhibitors focused on providing recession-weary buyers with a reason to buy at the Imprinted Sportswear Show, which took place Jan. 22–24 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif.
The show, which took place during extended rain storms, drew a strong attendance, according to exhibitors. Show Director Nikki Houston said she heard reports that some exhibitors were pronouncing the show their best ISS in eight years. “The vibe was very good, really positive,” she said. Final attendance figures for the show were unavailable at press time.
On the show floor, approximately 400 exhibiting companies ranged from dye houses, manufacturers of blank apparel, makers of screen-printing and embroidery machines, makers of specialty inks, suppliers of embroidery thread, makers of athletic team apparel, heat-transfer appliqueacute; makers, digital ink jet and sublimation printers, and more.
The two lone dye houses on the show floor, American Dye House of Gardena, Calif., and Los Angeles Dye & Wash Co. of City of Commerce, Calif., both made their ISS debuts this season.
Tom Stanton of the Los Angeles Dye & Wash Co. partnered with New York–based S&S Fashions, a maker of PFD T-shirts and fleece thermals, to be able to offer a one-two punch of blanks and wash treatments to potential customers. The partnership, Stanton said, could create a variety of new opportunities for both companies. “Together we can offer better pricing than if we were working independently. We can work with mass marketers who need 800,000 pieces or we can work with smaller, independent printers who only need 800 pieces,” he said.
Joe Ryan, American Dye House’s vice president of business development, said brands are looking for ways to differentiate themselves and washes are a good way to do that. The company—which specializes in novelty washes for denim and counts Joe’s Jeans, Fidelity and Dylan George among its clients—added PDF washes to its list of services one year ago. Since then, garment dyeing has become a significant part of American Dye House’s business. At ISS American Dye House showed a handful of its latest treatments, including a mix wash that results in a double-sided crinkle look, a velvet wash that results in a subtle tie-dye effect and a half-and-half wash that creates an ombreacute; effect. On average, each treatment costs $3 per garment, Ryan said.
Blank-apparel manufacturers took the opportunity to debut their latest wares.
American Apparel brought new “50/50” unisex sweat pants made of polyester/cotton, fine jersey hoodies and a tri-blend leisure shirt to the show. Buyers at the booth focused on American Apparel’s classics, said Mark Smalley, and seemed to be upbeat. “It’s been a great show for us,” he added.
Delta Apparel brought a new men’s T-shirt made in part of recycled plastic bottles and a T-shirt that features an easy fit made of 6 percent organic cotton. “People are concerned with the environment, but most aren’t willing to pay extra for eco-friendly products—especially not right now. These two options are price-efficient and provide some level of eco-friendliness,” said Gina Pepe, a sales rep with Delta Apparel. The company also added 21 new colors to its promotional price-point collection. “Before, the promotional price-point T-shirts were offered in a limited range of basic colors,” Pepe said, adding that more premium offerings had a wider range of color options. In recent seasons buyers have been opting for the lower-priced T-shirts, prompting the company to expand its color options to better serve its price-conscious customers.
Pepe said the show had been busy, with plenty of walk-in traffic. “Business is picking up—especially among mass retailers and men’s [brands],” she said.
The Bella booth was busy with returning clients, said Erin Talbot, a national account executive with the company. Unisex styles are a major push for the Los Angeles–based blank-apparel manufacturer in 2010. In Canvas, Bella’s men’s line, new styles include a long-sleeve T-shirt, hoodies and a new deep-V-neck T-shirt. The women’s line has a new “Yoga T-shirt” with a sportier cut, a deep-V-neck tank top with a racer back, slouchy “boyfriend” fit T-shirts with deep V-necks and added tissue-weight jersey offerings.
Commerce, Calif.–based Kavio brought colorful new burnout T-shirts with sublimation prints to ISS. Dean Vuong, Kavio’s vice president, said the T-shirts—available in V-neck, crew-neck and hoodie styles—are a good option for independent stores looking for unique shirts to print on. “Everyone is looking for something unique to help set them apart,” Vuong said. #9679;
