'Animal Blue' home Dignity Giving Suit now available

Fantastic new 'Animal Blue' pattern Dignity Giving Suit now available to buy from Fashion at Work!

Building on the success of their hospital version, Fashion at Work are now offering the Dignity Giving Suit in the brand new 'Animal Blue' design
 Budding David Attenborough's will simply love to wear our new exciting suit. With so many different animals to discover in the pattern this suit will not only... be a fashionable replacement for the current boring hospital gown but will keep children engaged for hours on their very own safari!

Made to the same exacting standards of the original Dignity Giving Suits you can be sure that you are purchasing a quality British made garment that will last even the hardest trips to the jungle!

Fashion at Work & Dignity Giving Suits Announce Home Suit Range

Fashion at Work & Dignity Giving Suits Announce Home Suit Range

Dignity Giving Suits announced that it will be selling a home version of its popular replacement for the hospital gown.

The home suit has all the benefits of the hospital model with the addition of many bright and exciting patterns to choose from.

Bev Ward CEO of Fashion at Work said “Many parents have been requesting suits for after and long term care and we are delighted to be able to extend the benefit that this suit brings into the private market”

Fashion at work will be providing the suit via its established web store, for more information follow this link.

Dignity Giving Suits Showcase at NHSConfed

Dignity Giving Suits Showcase at NHSConfed

Dignity Giving Suits today demonstrated its new replacement for the Hospital Gown at the NHS Confederation conference.

Among the many visitors to the Dignity Giving Suits was the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP where Bev Ward CEO of Fashion at Work demonstrated the suits many design features that allow healthcare professionals segmented access to their patients while at the same time protecting the patient’s privacy and dignity at all times.

The suit is currently being made for children but will soon be available in adult sizes

More information can be found at:
www.dignitygivingsuits.com

Dignity Giving Suits Showcase at HEFMA

Dignity Giving Suits Showcase at HEFMA

Dignity Giving Suits today demonstrated its new replacement for the Hospital Gown at the Health Estates Facilities Management Association conference.

Many of the delegates were amazed at the versatility of the suit and wanted to know more about how facilities management could help to introduce the suits into the NHS.

Bev Ward CEO of Fashion At Work was at the show to meet delegates and talk about how this revolutionary garment was designed and produced.

The suit is currently on trial at Birmingham City Children’s Hospital and will become the standard hospital gown for many of their wards.

Fashion At Work Launch The Dignity Giving Suit

Fashion At Work Launch The Dignity Giving Suit

Fashion At Work today revieled its newest product the Dignity Giving Suit a revolutionary new concept in hospital patient gowns.

The Dignity Giving Suit has been developed in cooperation with the clinicians at Birmingham Children’s Hospital to provide patients a comfortable and clinically functional alternative to the un-flattering and impractical gown currently utilised by the NHS.
Ask any patient of their worst memory of life on the ward and they will undoubtedly tell of how the NHS provided gown left them feeling vulnerable, cold and without dignity. Ask any clinician about the current ward offering and they will tell you that they are impractical and often need to be cut and destroyed to gain access to the patient.

Finding the current design unfit for purpose, the development team at Dignity Giving Suits had to totally re think the way they looked at the patient gown. Effectively starting from scratch, they envisaged a unisex karate style suit that completely covered the patient to preserve dignity while at the same time offering healthcare professional’s unrestricted access to their patient.

Fashion at Work 28 today!!

We at the corporate clothing blog would like to wish Fashion at Work a very happy 28 years at the forefront of corporate clothing and leisurewear. From it's humble beginnings in a tiny workshop in Sheffield servicing the local brewery trade with bespoke uniform solutions Fashion at Work has grown into an international manufacturer of high quality garments and has built a reputation for it's professional service and commitment to quality.

To celebrate this anniversary we have teamed up with Fashion at Work to give our readers an exclusive money off offer of 5% on the first 100 orders Fashion at Work receive using the promotion code FAW201128 this offer is valid until the end of November 2011 

So get shopping now to claim your discount and join in the celebrations.

With one of the countries largest events and venue expedition happening this week focus is firmly set on the hospitality sector and service industries!

Square Meals venues and events exhibition is currently showcasing the best the industry has to offer from big players such as the Hilton hotel group to smaller companies offering a more personable service to consumers.

One aspect that is being firmly showcased is the importance of corporate identity and most importantly how professionally designed uniforms focussing on brand recognition.  Corporate colour schemes and styles are being utilised by major companies to convey a style in keeping with the product designs ranging from classically styled silver service examples promoting decadence and comfort to modern chique designs denoting efficiency, professionalism and style.

Many top and new restaurants are exhibiting this year showcasing dining as more of an experience than simply 'eating out' here more than ever the use of bespoke uniforms for all staff is being used to enhance the brand and provide the customer with a memorable experience of dining and decadence.  In these frugal times more and more emphasis is being made to off the shelf solutions as a base for restaurant uniforms while personalisation is coming from either embroidery of brand or custom designed accessories which when properly employed can make an eye catching, elegant and unforgettable style that in itself can become a focal point for advertising and brand identity.

We have also seen an increase in promotional clothing being not only handed out at exhibitions but actively becoming a marketable brand for the business for example our keen eyes are starting to see t-shirts being sold at the ever popular Wagamammas restaurants!

Which ever way you choose to promote your business, a strategic corporate uniform strategy can be a powerful tool in your marketing arsenal and one that shouldn't be overlooked.

To early to think of your winter wardrobe?

With such a nice summer as we have experienced should now really be the time to start thinking of winter?  Well the corporate fashion industry is certainly beginning to turn its attention to a more winter orientated range.  We are starting to see the forerunners of winter collections across our desks and must admit that 2011 is gearing up see a very stylish winter .  With a leaning back to the more retro styles with a hint of modern lines we cant wait to see how the ever competitive corporate clothing sector reacts to an even more demanding market this year.

This year the consumer is demanding not only groundbreaking styles but durability and an harder wearing garment that is more resilient to todays hectic work hard play hard lifestyles.  manufacturers are already responding to this with innovative fabrics such as teflon treated cotton giving the wearer a durable performance from their outfit while remaining breathable when needed.  the classic wool mixes are still as popular as ever and the new bespoke style suiting methods are providing a welcome mid range customisable suiting solution without costing as much as a full blown fitted suit.

In summery the options for corporate suiting and accessories this year have expanded beyond any of our expectations here at the Corporate Clothing Blog and we are looking forward to bringing you more information on this exiting market sector as the winter months draw in.

Summers here time to get body beautiful!

Everyone wants to look good for summer and this year has been no exception!  With more and more coverage in the media about fitness and emphasis on a healthy lfe style people are now more than ever hitting the gyms and streets to get fit.

We have seen many different fashions running past our offices here at corporate clothing blog HQ from the casual to the outright futuristic!  this has inspired us to focus on sports clothing and leasurewear.

So why bother with sportswear?  well todays modern sports and teamwear combine both style with cutting edge fabric technology to enable the serious and not so serious fitness enthusiast to not only get more out of there exercise regime but to actively reduce the impact of ill fitting and inadequate clothing on the body under pressure.  Many new fabrics in this market support the body while keeping body temperatures at a constant rate to protect muscles as well as providing a breathable barrier against the elements.  Al this technology combines to provide clothing that works with the fitness enthusiast and not against him.

Another benefit of specialised sportswear is the ability to fight off the bacteria that accumulate after a serious workout thus prolonging the active life of your sports garment well beyond the life expectancy of older fabric types.  Garments can now be impregnated with antibacterial  properties so that smelly cloakroom smell is banished forever!

With this surge in fitness comes growth in team sports from football to running clubs it seems everyone is enjoying the fitness and social benefits of a healthy life style.  So what better way to show your membership of a team or club than embroidered teamwear,  with the option to print or embroider any garment off the shelf club names are cropping up on high streets as teams of runners take there daily exercise,in fact some clubs are almost becoming designer names themselves!!

All this has got the offices here at CCB HQ sparking with excitement and we cant wait to get in the fitness spirit with some embroidered sportswear of our own.

Make it personal this fathers day!

At a loss for what to get dad for father’s day? Well we have been exploring high and low for some unique ideas that will make your farther feel special and look amazing too!



We know that every dad is special and every dad is unique so that's why this year we are going to be looking at the world of personalised clothing to provide a quirky and totally customised gift for the hard working dads of the world.


Workwear:



What dad doesn’t like to dabble in DIY or work on a project in there spare time? Long gone are the days of wearing old jeans and a tatty t-shirt. Today's dad deserves the latest in high tech work clothing. Today's modern work apparel provides comfort, protection and style, a must for today's discerning dad!




Leisurewear:

With more and more men getting into ‘sports for life’ regimes, the demand for high quality leisurewear is increasing. Because of this we think that an ideal present for todays active farther must be quality sportswear clothing, and with many ranges to select from golf clothing to general high fashion leisurewear the options are endless.







Making it special


Father’s day is all about showing dad that he is the best in the world, so we think he needs something that is just for him. All of these items can be personalised through embroidery or printing to really make them something totally unique and special for your farther from something simple such as a baseball cap with‘Worlds Best Dad!’ to a fully embroidered biker style jacket, the only limit to the design is your imagination!




Whatever we decide to get our dads this year we would like to wish all fathers a truly amazing father’s day.

Fashion in Focus: Catering

In today’s competitive restaurant and food service industry more and more business owners are extending their branding and corporate identity to areas that until recently has been out of bounds to customers.

With more people being turned on to food by celebrity chefs and a general back to basics cooking culture in the UK. People are now becoming more interested not just in what they are eating when they go out, but how their food is being prepared. Shows such as hells kitchen have invited the consumer right into the heart of the kitchen and sparked national interest in all things foodie.

This has led to more restaurants opening up kitchens to the discerning view of their customers and provides another perfect opportunity for the business smart restaurant owner to promote their brand in a way never before known.

Even basic measures such as coordinated chef’s uniforms promote an impression of a professional well oiled kitchen and in turn instill confidence in the consumer. One can also use custom embroidery or printing to attach your corporate logo or branding to your kitchen workforce extending the coverage area of your branding.

Many businesses are now employing the services of professional work clothing designers and are already seeing the return in revenue that a coordinated approach between front of house staff presentation and an open kitchen with coordinated uniform can bring. Applying a design professional to your in house branding will ensure coordination through out your business while defining and promoting the roles within your service for the customer.

Many restaurants have taken this approach further and are trading on the name of there head chiefs effectively branding there staff and marketing them via such initiatives as kitchen days and cookery lessons. This approach is becoming more sought after by the consumer who now wants to be a part of there dining experience and what better way to remember this experience than for them to purchase ready branded chiefs apparel from their favorite restaurant. The opportunities appear to be endless in this new and exciting corporate workwear environment!

2011 a year for new business and a chance to rebrand

Finally the UK is starting to see the light at the end of the recession tunnel! While Christmas sales weren’t as good as five years ago they are starting to climb as consumer confidence starts to become more stable. Even humble garment retailers and manufactures are starting to notice an increase in new companies requiring their services and once again the mantra of the new business set is branding branding branding!

Even companies that traditionally had no interest in corporate image are starting to understand that the discerning customer is now looking for a relationship with their suppliers that they can identify with. No more prevalent is this trend, than on the shop floor with companies from small building firms to large national retail chains investing in embroidered workwear bearing anything form a small embroidered company logo to full corporate branding.

So what are we to expect when organising our corporate identity with a professional garment reseller. Normally company’s would submit there corporate design as a picture (either by email or on a disk via the post) this will then go through the process of digitization. This is where the picture/logo is converted into a stitch configuration that can be read by an automated embroidery machine.

Normally a setup fee is charged for this but depending of the supplier you choose this could be either a one off fee or may be added as a smaller fee every time a garment is customised (personally we would recommend a suppler that is up front and charges you a one off fee, after all how many times are you going to alter your company logo!) once this process is complete you are ready to customize any garment you wish with this setup (beware of unscrupulous retailers who try to make you pay a separate setup fee for different garments!)

What garments can be customized? Well the simple rule is if you can wear it you can customise it, from baseball caps to socks handkerchiefs to umbrellas the world of customisable corporate clothing is endless!

It’s Christmas! A time for giving as well as receiving

Finally after all the shopping and stocking up the Christmas season is upon us! With UK deliveries being disrupted due to snow many delivery companies are working up to the very last days to get your parcel to you this Christmas.

We here at the corporate clothing blog are positively brimming with excitement at what Santa has got for us this year and as we are all mad about corporate clothing we are looking forward to some quality suiting and accessory’s that we can show of in 2011, In fact we think that socks for Christmas are the best present you can get!

Also with lots of fantastic new innovations in leisurewear and fitness apparel, we have all put in our orders and are all looking forward to looking like members of pineapple studios!

But as it is the season of good will and for giving we are trying to think of ways to bring the Christmas cheer to everyone this Christmas especially those who are less fortunate than ourselves. After putting all our heads together we came up with the only real corporate clothing blog solution!

If like us you are passionate about clothing, your wardrobes at home are bursting with clothes just waiting to be used again. So this year we are urging everyone to clear out their wardrobes and give those old clothes to someone who will make them really work for good causes. People such as Oxfam or TRAID who’s good work benefit people all around the world or the British Red Cross who help vulnerable people in the UK. All you have to do is simply take your garments to the many shops throughout the UK or place your clothes into the TRAID textile bins that are dotted around your area! And you can aid everyone to have a great Christmas this year!

So from all of us here at the corporate clothing blog, have a fantastic Christmas and a very fashionable new year!

Cotton price increase threatens corporate clothing industry

It has been reported this month that the price of cotton is due to rise in the wake of flooding in major cotton producing contries such as Pakistan. Many market analysts are predicting tough times ahead for the corporate clothing and leisurewear industries citing the planned increase in UK VAT to around 20% as another challenge for UK retailers in 2011.

UK fashion retailer Next, reported a 45% increase in cotton from this time last year and are bracing themselves for a five to ten percent increase by next spring!

So where does that leave the corporate clothing consumer? How do you make sure that you get the best bang for your buck? Well we recommend some simple options.

1. Buy now before the raise!

Corporate clothing styles tend to stay constant for many years unlike the constantly changing leisurewear designs; the cleaver consumer will buy now while the price is reasonable for the coming seasons.

2. think outside the cotton box


Think about what makes up your suit with today’s synthetic fabrics you may not even notice the difference in price. For the winter, blended wool in a suit not only will keep out the cold but will cost you less at the checkout.



Whatever you decide to do to beat the cotton crisis always shop around. As component prices sour, many consumers are reluctant to pay ever increasing prices for items they know were cheaper a month ago, this should force the market to be more welcoming to a customer willing to negotiate a fair price.

happy hunting

Leisurewear in focus: Golf Clothing

Golf, love it or hate it this sport is becoming more and more popular with everyone, from the seasoned business golfer to up and coming hobbyists golf is no longer the folly of the rich and famous.

Such is the appeal of this sport an whole leisurewear industry has sprung up to cater to today’s serous golfer that requires both functionality and style (lets face it you don’t want to look drab on the fairway!)

But what of fashion in golf? What was its origins and how has looking good on the field become part of this sport.

If we look back at the games Scottish origins in the 1700s players would be happy wearing kilts and animal skins but as the game increased in popularity the civilized golfer could be seen in quite formal attire such as knee high britches with stockings and tailcoats. (Very civilized indeed!)

As time moved on so did the fashion sense of the players and inevitably britches gave way to trousers however it wasn’t until the 1950’s that golfers started to move away from this very formal style of attire.



Golfers started to experiment with there clothing and by the 60s fashion houses started to pay attention to this up and coming market with vast swathes of colour and styles starting to appear the golf course became the new catwalk of the sporting world. From the sublime to the ridicules many styles colour schemes and ranges have had there day in the golfing sun, many have fallen but some great designer labels such as the ever popular Pringle and Ashworth Golf Clothing continue to explore the cutting edge of golf fashion.

To summerise, golf is no longer for the privileged and fairway fashion is reflecting this with a move away from its stuffy formal roots to a new casual and in some instances urban influence. This all adds up to an exciting mix of old and new which will influence both fairway and high street fashions for years to come, something we are all looking forward to.

Back to School!

Its the time of year all children hate and all parents cant wait for! All children in the UK will soon be going back to school leaving tired parents in their wake. As if this time of the year was not stressful enough many parents have to renew their children’s school uniforms (gone are the days of older siblings hand me downs!)

In answer to this all of the high street retailers have stocked their shelves full with back to skool ranges ranging from the budget generic Schoolwear with shirts at a mere three pounds for families on a budget to quality expensive ranges even some of the larger fashion houses are starting to turn on to this lucrative market.

However all this choice in an ever expanding market is starting to take its toll on busy parents who barley have the time to run a modern household let alone respond to the growing demands of today’s fashion conscious children

In an effort to help these parents many specialist retailers are forming partnerships with schools an collages to deliver to students a comprehensive line in childrens schoolwear that falls both in line with the schools dress codes and with the budgets of parents.

This system also allows schools to offer personalized embroidery and collage branding as an option for all school attire, this way schools can ensure that their pupils will be smart and well dressed ambassadors when out on school outings and parents can be assured that there child’s attire will adhere to the high standards of quality that the school has negotiated with the supplier as well as having a one stop shop for all school uniform and sports equipment needs.

The Importance of high vis workwear

It is very important for each every company to take care of their workers and to keep them protected from all kinds of dangers and accidents that happen so often in work places. This is something that is very common with workers that work in construction works and in areas where they are exposed to many other hazards as well. High vis workwear can be considered to be a great aid in avoiding these kinds of accidents to happen in the first place.

All kind of building workers are exposed to certain amount of dangers, whether they are into the building construction or people working on roads, or pathways, repairing or maintaining electrical and telephone connections or any other job that requires for the person to be standing somewhere in the middle of a road or even in a path near a road. Not all of these people are able to work on daylight and sometimes the light conditions of the area are not enough for proper visibility and therefore the workers can easily become targets of accidents which can easily be avoided with hi-visibility clothing.

Fashion at Work is a company supplying High vis workwear of very good quality and at very affordable prices. If you are looking for work guard management wear or hi-visibility clothing like coats and pants, or motorway jackets and safety vests, then you can be assured that Fashion at work will be able to give you the right items and you don’t really need to look for them anywhere else.

It is extremely important to make sure your workers are safe by being clearly visible, and it is very stressing to come to know that one of your workers has been injured because of an accident which could have been avoided by giving them the right kind of uniform to work with, which is affordable and which can be life saving at the same time.

High visibility clothing allows motorists to be able to see the other person on the road at about 500 to 600 feet and this should be enough to allow him to stop and slow down and avoid unwanted accidents.

There is a lot of other gear that should also be taken into consideration to protect a person from all kinds of hazards, from the face and eyes, to the ears and the neck and to the feet as well. High vis clothes play a very important role in the whole gear and therefore should not be underestimated at any time.

If you are a person working constantly in an environment that has security issues involved, you should make sure you have the proper high visibility workwear to protect yourself properly.

High Visibility Clothing Store Online

You may want to know where to buy high visibility clothing online. Our company offers a wide range of high visibility clothing that can help you to be seen more clearly on a work site. We offer many great varieties and there are no minimum or maximum orders required. Safety on the jobsite is very important and wearing clothing that is highly visible can help prevent accidents. Most of the products are 100% polyester.

The RTY high visibility T-shirt has reflective tape over each shoulder and around the chest and stomach area. Top this off with a reflective hat. The more visible you are the better chance of safety on the worksite.





The Result Reflective Safety Jacket is a seamless, waterproof jacket with a hood that can be hidden when not in use. The jacket has reflective bands and has pockets that have flaps, accompanied by studded fasteners. This can be a place for your cell phone to stay dry.

The Hi-Vis Waterproof Contractor Trouser Yoko Work wear is available in Hi-Vis Orange or Hi-Vis Yellow. A comfortable fit with an elastic waistband and reflective band on the lower part of the leg. A matching jacket is also available to accompany these trousers.

The polo shirts have 3 buttons with a collar and cuffs on the sleeves with reflective stripping. The RTY is a Class 2 shirt has pop stud buttons and cuffs and a collar. The Dickies shirt is Class 2 with knitted grey collar and cuff on the sleeves is twin needles stitched. The hi-vis Yoko short sleeve shirt has 3M Scotchbrite bands and contrasting knitted collar and cuffs. The long sleeve Yoko Hi-Vis Class 3 shirt comes in and individual bag. It has scotchbrite bands, a knitted navy collar and cuffs.

High visibility pull over sweatshirts can be worn over work clothes during the cool or winter seasons. You can stay warm but still be visible. The sweatshirts have ribbed necks and cuffs on the sleeves with reflective tape for extra visibility.

We also offer brightly collared bags to put your work wear into when you are not wearing it. This can help keep it easy to find and your gear more storable. We offer the Result driver safety bag for single items. Another bag we offer is the Seattle Hi-Vis Bag Shugon which has a single compartment, a side pocket and reflective outer strap and stripping.

EVERYONE LOVES A TAILORED SUIT

It has long been the height of sophistication to be able to afford a tailored suit, so much so that many suit manufactures advertise some ranges as having a tailored fit or designer tailored style. While these types of ‘custom cut’ styles make your suit look like its better suited to your frame you cant beat that personal measured and cut feel that a totally tailored suit brings.



So what options are there for the consumer who needs a stylish corporate clothing but whos budget just won’t stretch to Savile Row prices? Well we have already talked about tailored fit designs and while these garments are totally off the peg purchases the customer can mix and match various sizes to fit his or her body shapes.


Another alternative is measured fit suiting. This concept stands firmly between the fully tailored suit and the off the peg market providing customisable suiting at a more reasonable price.



So how does it work?


Instead of producing a suit from scratch measurements, the customer tries on a series of basic sizing suits. Once a standard size is found the customer has the option of ‘adjusting’ the suits measurements to better fit their body shape. With multiple areas of the suit being size adjustable the customer can truly be in control of how his or her suit feels and hangs. Couple with this the ability to choose fabric, lining button configuration and minor styling of the suit and you can quickly create your own customised business suit as if you went to the Taylor himself.

Because the measuring is not as technical a process as a full tailoring process companies can quickly fit whole workforces at minimal cost to the business in fact many companies in the legal profession are starting to adopt this method of corporate clothing for their solicitors and barristers giving them a standard corporate feel at a fraction of the cost.

We believe that this type of measured fit suiting is an exciting development in corporate suiting and look forward to following its progress in the coming years maybe into the mainstream suiting market!

Never underestimate the power of the freebie!!

If there is one thing everybody wants, it’s something for nothing! Anyone who has ever left a tube station in the London rush hour will be scanning the exit gates for the latest promotional handout, I know I do! So why do large companies such as Nike and Muller give away so many goodies? Yes you’ve guessed it, to push the brand directly to the customer and try to raise its image with the consumer.

More and more business are starting to court there customers in this way with many actively using the prospect of a freebie to place their logos or brand directly on the customer, how? by the use of customised promotional clothing. Many fitness gyms now include free branded leisurewear with new subscriptions such as polo shirts and baseball caps. In the IT sector it is rare for people attending technical training courses with large vendors such as Cisco or Microsoft not to be given a branded polo shirt, tee shirt or baseball cap.

With many ranges of promotional packages and customisation deals on the market today, promotional clothing marketing campaigns don’t have to break the bank and can be incorporated into a standard marketing budget. In fact we believe that you will receive more return on your investment from someone wearing your branded Leisurewear and interacting directly with your target audience than placing advertisements in traditional media.