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Odds & Ends

Staff Writer

Our May Style section is pretty. It’s also informative (and since I wrote all the articles in it, this is a completely fair and unbiased opinion, obviously).
I know the thought of NOT reading the issue multiple times is a completely preposterous notion, but just in case you missed these tidbits, here are a few points I found of particular interest:

Women’s Wear: Learning Curves (page 67)
Faced with an ever-growing wardrobe of tops and blouses, I’ve recently realized that I avoid shopping for pants like the plague. The reason for this is twofold: 1) finding the right fit is

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Gold Medal Fleece and New-At-Vantage

Staff Writer

RiverMills Made in USA Fleece endorsed by U.S. Track & Field Champion
RiverMills Outfitters, manufacturer of Made in USA fleece apparel, is proud to announce the endorsement of Dr. Thomas Fahey, 10-time U.s. Track & Field Senior Discus Throw Champion. Dr. Fahey will be wearing RiverMills R100 microfleece jacket at this year’s National Senior Games where he is going for an unprecedented 11th straight National Seniors Champion title.
For more information on RiverMills Outfitters, visit www.rivermillsoutfitters.com

Vantage Adds Veteran Garran to Sales Team
Avenel, New Jersey-based Vantage Apparel hired Brett Garran as the sales representative for Northern N.J. and Western N.Y. Garran

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News From Around the Industry

Staff Writer

SanMar Debuts the 2008 District Threads Collection Catalog
Seattle-based SanMar Corporation, a leading supplier of imprintable apparel and accessories, is releasing its 2008 District Threads catalog. The 36-page catalog showcases the entire District Threads line of essential fashion apparel, while offering a preview of forthcoming fall styles.
“The District Threads brand finds its appeal with teens and young adults who are looking for clothes that reflect their comfortable, relaxed approach to life,” explains Jeremy Lott, SanMar vice president of sales and marketing. “It’s all about a smart balance between fashion and function-like our District Threads organic styles, which combine environmental responsibility with casual

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The Aftershock

Staff Writer

Though it seems more than a little callous to worry about how the earthquake in China’s Sichuan province will affect our marketplace, in an industry that heavily depends on Chinese manufacturing, it would be sheer folly not to.
However, various reporting outlets are stating that the disaster’s effect on the Chinese economy will be minimal, which hopefully by extension, means U.S. manufacturing will receive nary a jolt. Here are a few soundbites from various news sources that you might be interested in:
BusinessWeek: ”China Quake Won’t Shake Economy”
However, many economists expect the impact on the Chinese economy of the power outages, communications

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The End of Paper or Plastic?

Staff Writer

I think supermarket vocabulary is about to change. As plastic grocery bags look to be heading the way of the dodo, the age-old question of paper or plastic my not be relevant in the not-so-distant future. I say this for many reasons, both societal and personal. Firstly, a string of cities and even entire countries have moved to ban the unbiodegradable petro-chemical sacks that have a tendency to not only end up as unsightly litter, but to also clog up drainage and sewage systems. Secondly, many companies have started to produce some quality, green alternatives, which, citing the laws of supply and demand, indicates

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Say A Little Prayer

Staff Writer

Today’s installment has nothing to do with promotional products. In fact, it’s not even my typical, lighthearted fare.
I’ve been on CNN.com numerous times throughout the day, following the breaking news of the earthquake in China. I simply have no words to describe how staggered I am by the amount of destruction Mother Nature can cause. They are reporting more than 8,500 lost lives.
8,500 people.
And all this in the wake of the recent disaster in Myanmar. The toll there keeps rising, but at this point, it’s way beyond normal human comprehension. My brain is literally shutting down at the sheer

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Rocky Road

Staff Writer

Astronomical gas prices. Food shortages. Global warming. It’s feeling a little apocalyptic out here, no?
In case you happen to have missed the news, are evading the stock market or avoiding all human contact—there’s this economy thing going on right now and people are kind of freaking out.
The possible imminency of a recession is palpably affecting the retail sector, according to the Women’s Wear Daily Web site, WWD.com.
Obviously, the real question is how/if it will affect the wearables contingent of the ad specialties industry. I think we’re all fairly confident the T-shirt will remain a sound investment. However, does a slowdown

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$200 a Barrel Oil

Staff Writer

Light, sweet crude. This market term for oil is somehow endearing, hearkening back to a time when Hollywood glorified oil men. Wildcatters striking it rich and Jed Clampett moving his family to Beverly … Hills, that is. There was an everyman’s face put to the image of oil wealth.
Oh, how times have changed.
As of today, oil has peaked to an all-time high of more than $122 dollars a barrel as worried traders start buying on what they think the future will hold, whether it be increased demand (see China and India) or decreased supply (see OPEC). And as

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Extreme Office Makeover

Staff Writer

I’m surrounded by promotional products—and I mean that literally. For the upcoming June edition of Promo Marketing magazine, we will be doing an Extreme Office Makeover, which is very similar to the reality television home makeover shows, only on a much smaller scale (and, of course, limited to promotional products).The response from suppliers wanting to participate has been amazing and products are starting to stack up (one of the publishers started calling me Fred Sanford because of the junkyard quality of my cube as boxes roll in).
To my right are a rainbow collection of new-fangled letter openers/staple removers. At my feet, sits a

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That Pesky Flag Pin

Staff Writer

The Pennsylvania Democratic primary finally arrived, and it’s good to see the promotional products industry is so relevant on a national (and, dare I say, international) stage. I’m, of course, talking about the flag-shaped lapel pin scandal which is sweeping the nation (for a second time). Poor Senator Obama can’t seem to catch a break on this one. First it was on. Then it was off. And, now, apparently it’s back on again. People are latching onto the issue to say he isn’t patriotic. That he hates America (as if the act of running for the presidency doesn’t earn you any patriotic points). <br

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