Comfort versus Fashion

We often joke about how easy the clothing business was 10 to15 years ago. It seems like a different era now. We had a choice of 2 sweats, maybe 3 polos and if we were lucky 4 t-shirts. Of course they were all unisex, your choice was a simple one and there wasn’t much choice of colour. It all began to change and personalised clothing began to follow the high street in terms of choice and fit.

The fashion revolution had arrived.

Fitted garments were now very fashionable. In almost every genre of garment we now have unisex and fitted choice and we think it is great. There is something for everyone.

However fitted garments don’t suit or fit everyone and are often a shorter cut. What you might want to wear on a night out can become inappropriate in the nursery or in the office.

Unisex fit may seem un-cool but sometimes they are the sensible choice. So, if one of your staff is less confident about their body image or perhaps a little on the larger size, consider their comfort and the practicality of the fitted garment.

Also remember that you can mix all garments in the order, they don’t have to be all the same
When you are choosing please bear these options in mind.

Consider the following items:

Raglan Sweatshirt 762M unisex as opposed to 762F
Klassic Polo Shirt KK403 unisex as opposed to KK703
Valueweight T-Shirt SS28M unisex as opposed to SS79M
Stretchy V Neck T MA4 unisex as opposed to MA3
Polycotton Polo Shirt H400 unisex as opposed to H40

Beat the Credit Crunch!

Don’t read the papers, ignore the News at Ten and psychologically you might just get through the so called credit crunch almost intact.

It’s difficult to escape from or ignore.

It is in everyone’s psyche now NOT to spend as we used to do. Cut back on this, cut back on that, look for a cheaper alternative, cut back on holidays… the list goes on!

Forget Waitrose and M & S, hello to Aldi and Netto whose sales are booming in a tighter economy. Yet for most people nothing really has changed. The majority are still working and earning the same amount of money. If we all try to ignore the credit crunch and spend as before then the near future can’t be so bleak.

We at Banana Moon are about to buy a new factory unit, install new machinery and equipment and employ more staff. We could have held back and changed our minds but Carpe Diem, we are going ahead.

Let’s all try to remain confident and surely the economic hardship will be much less.

We are continuing to expand our ranges with top brands such as Regatta Outerwear, Wombat Surfwear and will shortly be adding further brand names.

On the other hand if things are beginning to bite and you want to save money we have some of the cheapest deals on the internet.

Click here to access our exclusive internet only offers. In addition we are promoting the following offers:

• UC105 embroidered polo from £3.95e
• GD05 embroidered t-shirt from £4e
• GD72 ladies t-shirt from £4e
• UC203 embroidered sweatshirt from £5.95e
• UC604 embroidered fleece from £6.95e

Please don’t hesitate to contact Banana Moon for any of your embroidered or personalised clothing requirements.

Prepare to pay more for clothing in 2009

This is the message that world economic conditions are giving to us all.

1. The rising price of oil and raw materials
2. The global energy shortage
3. Rising cotton costs
4. Global cotton shortage
5. Rising employment costs in the Far East

The recent excellent TV documentary Blood, Sweat and T-Shirts highlighted the problems of child labour, poor conditions and low pay in Indian sweatshops. We like to think that as responsible buyers, most concerned consumers will be happy to pay a little extra to fund improvements in the working conditions in the Far East.

Indeed for the first time I can remember we have been hit by half yearly increases on many products. Further increases are expected at the end of the year as well.

All our brands have an ethical policy in place. Click here to view Banana Moon’s ethical policy.

A flagship brand is Awdis who are members of W.R.A.P (http://www.wrap.org.uk/).

Superb hoodies such as the JH001 and the new children’s hoody (JH001B) supplied at a fair price and manufactured in good conditions. The times are a changing as the song says for our industry.

I am sure they are changing for the better.

What do you think? We would appreciate your comments on this subject.

Everybody's going hoody mad...

We sold so many hoodies last year that all we could think of for 2008 was to expand the hoody ranges as much as possible.

It had become clear that they were being asked for in all sorts of weird and wonderful colours.

Whatever the purpose, ski trips, theatre productions, school and college leavers, school enterprise sales, everyone wants a hoody!

So here we are...

We have introduced the JH001 pullover hoody - it's a great item with exciting colours such as

• airforce blue
• baby pink
• burnt orange
• caramel
• cranberry
• fire red
• hot chocolate
• hot pink
• lime green
• moss green
• red hot chilli
• purple
• sapphire blue
• sun yellow
• true violet

At last we even have an olive green for the military, and...of course we have jet black.

Even though there is a massive demand for weird colours in hoodies , black is always the clear fave.

The GD57 heavyweight hooded sweatshirt by Gildan is new - a great soft feel hoody with a big choice of colours, it is building on the success of the GD54 ultrablend hoody, now a perennial fave.

For those wanting a good quality hoody at the cheapest price, look no further than the W71 hoody by Cottonridge... it comes in a terrific range of colours:

• navy
• grey
• candy pink
• pink
• powder blue
• cornflower
• black
• brown
• lime green

It starts from just £7.95 + VAT embroidered... great value, great hoody!

You might be surprised to learn we now sell a lot more pullover syle hoodies than full zip styles.

But if it's great colours you're after, look at the GD58 heavyweight full zip hoody by Gildan, or the wonderful SS16M full zip hoody by Fruit of the Loom.

Is there anything else you would like in hoodies? New colours, different styles,etc?

We would love to hear from you, so let us know!

Soft Shell - The Outdoor Phenomenon of 2007

Now we at Banana Moon don’t often get too excited about new fabrics but the regularity with which personalised Soft Shell jackets are leaving our warehouse, its all beginning to change.

We all wear fleece jackets, warm, comfortable, cheap to buy and great value.

Over the years they have become the backbone of our jacket sales. Indeed they seem to have been around for ever. At last an up-market successor has arrived on the scene!

• It’s soft shell
• It’s sexy!
• Multi-purpose!
• A great performance garment
• And finally.....it’s just so fashionable!

OK, it’s more expensive but who cares, it offers so much more and it offers a much wider choice.

Ladies fitted styles, men’s and even body warmers now.

• It’s light in weight and warm
• It has a younger, sportier look than fleece.
• It can be embroidered or printed
• It’s water resistant, breathes and yet is windproof
• It’s the ideal garment for all outdoor activities...

Yachting, event wear, golf, all fitness markets, skiing, hiking and walking.

Yes, even perfect for watching Bradford City football club on a cold Friday night in Morecambe.

It’s not going to be long before everyone discovers soft shell for general wear and when they do, watch sales go BANANAS!

For 2008, there will be more styles and choice and sexier colours.

We can’t wait!