Dog clothes. Clothes … for dogs. Yes, folks, it’s not a fabrication, but a fact. People love to primp and preen their pooches and dress them up in everything from polyesther to polos. And now, there are promotional products to prove it.

Introducing the “Polo Pup”, a new ringspun cotton shirt for that discriminating pooch in your life, compliments of ProLine Supply Company, Inc.

We just bought a yellow lab from a line of show dogs.  Talk about a Diva Dog!  I could see her in one of these easily as she shies away from loud noises and investigates foreign food! 

Don’t like polos?  Maybe you are the t-shirt or bandana type?  There are a whole range of products to choose from.

It occurred to me when my son came home after his first semester at Texas A&M University, that I had raised a fun-loving, happy-go-lucky, selfless person who was destined to make a go of it in the engineering department.  You might ask me how I knew this…  his laundry.

There is a lot you can determine from the condition of that first take-home laundry.  Is it neat, disheveled, really smelly or is it suspiciously too clean? Is it in a take-out bag, in a laundry basket, a pail, a plastic garbage bag, or is it just strewn all over the back of a truck?  Is he doing the laundry, am I doing the laundry?  There were so many unanswered questions.

And, there seemed to be a dirty t-shirt that advertised everything;  the department he studied in, the year of graduation, the maroone-mandatory university shirt, the freshman “fish” one, and, not to be left behind, the “I donated blood” t-shirt.  WOW.  The last one took me awhile to digest.  Is it possible that I could have raised a child that would donate his time and blood for someone in need?  I knew I had done my best, but hey, this was a confirmation of a mother’s best intentions.  I had a whole new perspective on how my child had assimilated into society. 

Semester two came around, and no new t-shirts.  Surely, there must be blood donations every semester.  But, being the “child defender mom” that I am always accused of being, I assumed he was so preoccupied studying for a test, or working on a lab, or reading in the library, that he just could not take the time to pursue his altruistic goal of saving the world, one pint at a time.

Being the involved parent that I am, I decided to ask.  Imagine my surprise when the answer came back. ”The opportunity to donate blood did present itself, but, honestly mom, the t-shirt wasn’t worth it.”  Huh?  And, being the glutton for punishment, I asked. “You mean you only donated blood because you liked the t-shirt?”  I closed my eyes and waited for the response.  “Of course!” was his response.

Knowing I put 18 long years of my life into this child, it was apparent that I had obviously missed a few lessons in giving back to the community. I wanted to crawl under the table and die.  This may not have been as embarassing, had the conversation not taken place in front of his grandparents!

All was not lost, however.  He did do his own laundry from then on and somewhere along the way he learned to finger press those t-shirts like a professional dry cleaners would.  Who knew??  To this day, he still wears the “Donorsaurus” t-shirt and I have to laugh everytime I see it. 

I learned the value of the perfectly branded t-shirt that day, a lesson not likely to be forgotten anytime soon.

P.S.  He did graduate, and is now an engineer with giving heart, and wonderful mind.

My Son Today

For t-shirt options, http://www.prolinesupplyco.com/:quicksearch.htm?quicksearchbox=t-shirt+apparel

What do you do when you are asked to buy some reflective work wear for associates that are in high trafficked areas?  Where do you go?  Who has the latest information? 

When it comes to workwear, there are several compliance issues to keep in mind…

Class 1

This apparel provides the minimum amount of necessary reflective striping to differentiate the wearer from the work environment.

Class 2

This workwear provides superior visibility by the additional coverage of the reflective striping on the torso and stands out more than Class 1 (above).

Class 3

This clothing is intended to offer greater visibility to the wearer in both complex backgrounds and through a full range of body motions.  Class 3 visibility is achieved with the full addition of background and retroreflective material to the apparel’s arms and/ or legs.

Class E

This standard applies to pants or shorts that are used to create a high visibility ensemble.  When Class E pants are worn with a Class 2 or Class3 upper body garment, the overall classification is Class 3.

Which color to choose?

Workers should be wearing the color that will make them stand out in their particular environment.

Bright Lime- will best differentiate workers from orange-colored work vehicles, signs and construction barrels.

Bright Orange-is recommended for those working in leafy green areas.

For garments that meet ANSI/ ISEA class requirements, give us a call. Proline Supply Company, www.prolinesupplyco.com,  713-939-9730.  Ideas, Solutions, Results!

An advanced-level review of tie-dye variations and tips

Creating tie-dye requires knowledge of patterns and how to manipulate the fabric and dyes to create the distinctive markings. “The designs tend to go by different names depending on who you talk to,” says Karl Beck, owner of Tie Dye Pro (asi/92330). “I find that the spider or spike, along with multicolored spiral, designs are the most popular. The spider is usually a one- or two-color design with colors emanating from the center. The multicolored spiral is anywhere from three to six colors, with the rainbow colors being the most popular. Another style is the crinkle design that is made up of random folds over the entire piece. It can also be in multiple colors.”

Choose 100% cotton T-shirts for the best dyeing results. “The dyes are designed to work with natural fibers,” Beck says, “but blends can still be dyed. A 50/50 blend will usually have a heathered effect. The polyester doesn’t take the dye at all. Some people like that.”

Jersey knit is the most common material for tie-dying, resulting in sharp edges. Beck says that woven fabrics, when dyed, have a sharper effect with more defined edges of colors.

For buyers who want cozier tie-dyed apparel, fleece is an option. However, remember the benefits of cotton. “Fleece is hard to find in a 100% cotton, but there are a lot of 80/20 blends out there that work real well. Most of the synthetic fiber is on the inside, so the colors are still vibrant where it counts,” Beck says.

Don’t be shy about choosing a crazy palette of colors when planning your tie-dye design for personal crafts. For promotional applications, though, it’s best to keep the number of colors within reason. “Most of the time, the colors are limited to something that represents the organization,” says Beck. “Schools usually have two colors, for instance. A lot of times a color is based on a theme, like blue for swim teams. Single- or two-color tie-dyes are also good for sports leagues to distinguish teams.” For a corporate promotion, consider a single color with tonal variations.

You can add a logo or imprint artwork onto a tie-dyed shirt with screen printing or embroidery. “Using an embroidered logo on the left chest and large screen print on the back is a great way to combine these methods,” Beck says. “Also, the direct-to-garment printing machines that can print on dark fabrics can be used. Dye sublimation is not an option due to its inability to print on dark fabrics or 100% cotton. Laser etching could be used on fleece or towels, as the dye penetrates through the fabric. Although I’ve never seen it done, it has possibilities.”   -Wearables Magazine.

For more information on tie-dyed apparel, go to www.prolinesupplyco.com.