Buying the Right Placket

by Teena Booth

Atlantic Coast Cotton Bill Blass Style 8066

THE NUMBER OF PLACKET STYLES ON THE market is exploding along with placket sales. Here is expert advice from industry leaders on choosing the placket shirt that will best meet your promotional needs.

What has four names, wears a logo, leaps from the office to the golf course in a single bound and sells faster than a speeding Tiger Woods drive?

For anyone in the promotional products industry, the answer is obvious. The placket shirt--a.k.a. the polo, sport shirt, and golf shirt--has become the shirt of choice for promotional products consumers in every arena.

"Over the past four years the volume of placket shirts sold in the decorated apparel market has grown at a compound growth rate of almost 22 percent per year," says Susan Kohout, marketing manager for Lee Printwear. "It is the fastest-growing apparel category in the industry and now stands second only to T-shirts."

A major catalyst for this growth has been the advent of corporate casual, with an extra boost from the rising popularity of the golf "look." Yet, perhaps the main reason placket shirt sales continue to grow has more to do with function than trends. After all, the placket shirt offers a versatility no other shirt can match, according to Donna Hoskins, a sales and marketing administrator for Ash City.

"People can wear a placket in a wide variety of situations, whereas other types of shirts may be sport or work specific," she says. "People wear plackets to work, or out on the playing field, or out on a Saturday night."

Inner Harbor Style 7009

This adaptability to almost any setting makes the placket the perfect partner to the promotional products industry and plackets now are available in a wide array of styles appropriate for a vast range of promotional uses, from corporate giveaways to school uniforms. The increasing number of style options is, of course, a boon for distributors.

"Promotional products distributors never have had as much variety to choose from in meeting the apparel needs of their clients," Lee's Kohout notes. "But the diversity and sheer number of options often can be confusing to the distributor trying to match the right product with the right customer."

In order to help distributors sift through style options more quickly, The Corporate Logo presents the following guide to choosing the right placket for any promotional need.

the fabric factor

When looking for placket shirts, many clients walk through the door knowing how much they want to pay and perhaps the color they want, but little beyond that. It is usually up to the distributor to recommend fabric types, knits and weights that will serve the client's purpose and still be in line with the client's price-point and color needs.

Fabric options include:
Composition-- The majority of placket shirts come in either 100-percent cotton or a 50/50 cotton/polyester blend.

Rivers End Style 3595

50/50 cotton-poly shirts run from low to medium price-points. The addition of polyester decreases shrinkage and helps shirts stand up against repeated washings. The increased strength and durability of 50/50 shirts makes them a good choice for utilitarian purposes such as uniforms for team sports or employees that will be performing heavy work.

100-percent cotton shirts run from low- to high-end price-points and are the best choice for fashion-sensitive needs such as corporate office wear. All-cotton shirts offer a high level of comfort, but they also tend to shrink over several washings.

"Woven shirts or twill shirts don't shrink, but a cotton knit is going to shrink to some degree, which can be a concern if the shirt is going to be decorated," says Rick Cesere, president of Rivers End. "If an embroiderer puts a 10,000-stitch design on a high-end shirt, and the shirt shrinks by 12 percent, that design will be impacted."

Cesere notes that it is possible to minimize shrinkage by using treated yarns such as combed, ringspun or mercerized cotton. Shirts of higher quality always will use one or more of these treatments.

Ash City Style 225431

Recently, a number of placket styles constructed from synthetic materials such as Tencel® or Intera® have been making their presence known on the market. These very lightweight fabrics are known as "performance fabrics" because they are particularly good for sports applications, he says. Intera even boasts the ability to help regulate body temperature by whisking away excess moisture.

"Also, Intera won't wrinkle, no matter what you do to it," he adds. "You can roll it up in a ball and throw it in a golf bag, and when you take it out, you won't see a wrinkle."

Knit--Placket shirts are available in a variety of knits that suit different purposes.

A jersey knit offers the light, smooth texture of a T-shirt, and often can be found at price-points close to that of T-shirts. In fact, plackets in this category have come down in price so much over the past few years that they are sometimes ordered in place of T-shirts, according to Michael Wikes, director of marketing for Atlantic Coast Cotton.

"In some cases, our customers are choosing basic polos over tees because they are comparable in price to what T-shirts were four years ago," he says.

The lower cost of a jersey knit placket makes it a good choice for giveaways or other high-volume orders, while its smoothness makes it a good choice for decoration by screenprinting or heat transfer.

An interlock knit also provides a smooth surface that works well with embellishment of any kind--screenprinting, heat-transfer or embroidery--but it offers a heavier feel by interlocking two pieces of fabric in the knitting process.

Pique knit gives the fabric a meshed, honeycomb look by making a pattern of tiny loops. Pique can present a solid look or be made to produce vertical lines, diamonds or herringbone ridges within the fabric for greater visual appeal. Because of its rich texture and thickness, pique is the most popular knit with consumers and more pique plackets are sold than any other kind.

"Pique is a sturdy knit that offers a number of advantages," says Wendy Rogers, advertising manager for Crystal Springs. "It holds up well under stress and laundering, and doesn't pick as easy as, say, a jersey knit."

Diport USA Style 3148

Pique also comes with a disadvantage for decoration purposes because its roughness makes it unsuitable for screenprinting or heat transfer. Embroidery is the best choice for pique, as long as the embroiderer understands the unique needs of the fabric.

For example, small lettering does not show up as well on textured fabric such as pique. Embroidery stitches may "sink" into the fabric unless the knit is very tight or special topping is used. Stitch counts also may need to be adjusted by the digitizer according to the weight and thickness of the fabric, according to Craig Brewer, president of Inner Harbor.

"Sometimes a design will have to be changed, the stitch count increased or decreased, depending on roughness," he adds. "But if the digitizing is done correctly the embroidery will look good."

Several other knits also offer interesting textures that are growing in popularity with consumers.

A jacquard knit uses two or more colors and weaves subtle patterns such as intersecting lines, tiny diamonds or wavy stripes into the fabric.

A rib knit forms vertical rows within the fabric and is known for its elasticity.

A waffle knit weaves the yarns together to make a waffle-like pattern.

Knits that create a pattern within the fabric of a shirt offer a fashionable touch that many consumers, especially those on the high-end corporate and golf markets, simply cannot resist.

Weight--Fabric weights for placket shirts can run anywhere from 4 ounces to 8.5 ounces, with each weight having its own advantages and disadvantages.

Heavyweight fabrics, those 8 ounces and up, are appropriate mainly for cold weather usage and/or heavy labor that may stress the shirt. Heavy fabrics also stand up well to embroidery and other methods of embellishment.

The standard weight for quality placket shirts is generally considered to be 6.5 ounces to 7.5 ounces. Shirts in this weight range are the most versatile, wearing comfortably in all but extreme weather and easily accommodating most kinds of decoration.

Lightweight fabric, roughly between 5 ounces and 6 ounces, works well in warm weather and during vigorous physical exercise. Lighter weights also make up the "promotional weight" category, which are designed to be less expensive for giveaways or other high-volume needs.

The main drawback to lightweight fabric is the challenge it presents to embroiderers. The lower the weight, the smaller the design and stitch count required to prevent the fabric from bunching or tearing.

"A lightweight golf shirt should go with outline embroidery rather than a fill to keep the embroidery light," advises Rita Regev, director of marketing for Diport USA.

Very lightweight shirts are those 4.5 ounces and under. They are designed mainly for sports or work in hot summer climates. While these weights will take screenprinting well, embroidery is not recommended unless the design is small and stitch count low.

looks count

Dunbrooke Worldwide Style 3443

For many placket consumers, the most important thing about a shirt is not its weight or knit, but how their company's logo will look on it. They see the shirt not as something that will incidentally include a logo, but rather as the backdrop that must enhance their logo.

When asked what style or color of placket is best suited for embellishment, most imprintable apparel manufacturers are quick to point out that all the garments they make are designed for embroidery and other forms of decoration. They may agree that solid colors form the best backdrop for a logo, but they also will insist that a skilled embroiderer or other decorator will be able to make any imprintable shirt look good.

"You can say a solid color works best, but really it is what the customer wants that is most important," says Crystal Springs' Rogers.

Corporate clients are likely to choose safe and solid corporate colors such as black, navy, red, royal blue, forest green or white. According to Brewer, 95 percent of the placket shirts sold at Inner Harbor are ordered in a solid corporate color. For Melco Clothing Company, corporate colors make up 70 percent of sales, with earth tones making up the difference, says Executive Vice President Jim Mahnke.

Page & Tuttle Style 65009

"It all depends on the personality of the company and the color of their logo," he says. "Many large companies have to use approved colors on their logo and have no choice but to pick a neutral color shirt to match it. Meanwhile, some companies are willing to experiment with the colors to create a more interesting-looking shirt."

For golf courses and other organizations looking to impress an upscale clientele, Christie Lindsey, a marketing manager for Fruit of the Loom, notes that colorful trims can provide visual appeal while retaining the solid background flattering to an embroidered logo.

"Solid-color plackets with colored and/or patterned trim on the collar and cuff areas make a very fashionable canvas," she says.

Ellen Schwartz, a marketing associate for Klouda-Lenz, Inc., adds that, depending on the knit, one can get a patterned "look" without abandoning solid colors.

"Both the Page & Tuttle and Munsingwear lines offer shirts with ribs and other interesting textures," she says. "The pattern is achieved through the knitting texture rather than through color changes."

Melco Clothing Co. Munsingwear Style 9725

Rivers End's Cesere adds that some patterns, such as houndstooth, are so fine and subtle that they function as a solid color, allowing greater creativity and complexity for the logo or design. Busier jacquard patterns, which he calls "fancies," can overwhelm the visibility of a logo, and so better lend themselves to less elaborate tone-on-tone designs.

"It is always a good idea to obtain fabric swatches from your supplier to test the embroidery before sewing the bulk of the shirts," advises Ash City's Hoskins.

It also is a good idea to keep in touch with suppliers about their latest styles, and what is rising or falling in popularity.

"Consumers always are going to be looking for new styles," Inner Harbor's Brewer observes. "No one wants to give away the same thing year after year. They want to be able to identify themselves with something fresh, something new."

Clients also tend to be "wowed" by a distributor who presents a selection of placket shirts that addresses the client's specific needs, adds Lee's Kohout.

"By knowing as much as possible about what the customer is trying to accomplish, a distributor can help guide the client to the right decision," she says. "And a satisfied customer almost always returns."

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New plackets for 2000

Lee Printwear Style T1800

Virtually all apparel manufacturers worked hard to develop designs and debut new styles for the year 2000. Some highlights include:

Ash City introduced two new lines of placket shirts. The first is called "Essentials" and offers men's and ladies' crossover styles in herringbone pique, pique with a pocket, solid body pique and a jersey in 14 different colors. The second is called "Embroider It," a line of pique shirts designed especially for embroidery.

Gildan Activewear, still a relative newcomer to the field of placket shirts, has already expanded its offerings to include a new 5.6-ounce Ultra Blend™ adult jersey sport shirt, style 8800. The 50-percent cotton/50-percent polyester shirt comes in eight basic colors and with or without a chest pocket.

Crystal Springs added five new placket styles. Among them are Style 7401, a men's short sleeve made from 100-percent Intera polyester pique, and Style 7539, made from 100-percent ringspun combed cotton nailhead.

Atlantic Coast Cotton added the Country Cotton label and new placket styles from Bill Blass, Van Heusen, Outer Banks, InnerHarbor, Jonathan Corey and others.

Rivers End introduced 25 styles with its new "On Tour" collection designed to meet the needs of the corporate market with a wide range of price-points.

New from Page & Tuttle, the micro stripe ombre, Style 23409, is solid in the chest area to work well with embroidery. Solid colors now include new baby pique and solid interlock styles.

Dunbrooke Worldwide added 10 new placket styles, for a total of 27 styles offering everything from two-button plackets to six-button plackets in piques, interlocks, ottomans and novelty textures.

Diport presents new placket styles including the Monterrey houndstooth jacquard, the Bayside vertical shadow strip tipped placket and the Tavernier, 60 Lyocell/40 cotton pique.

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The secret to increased placket sales

Crystal Springs Style 5035

Apparel manufacturers unanimously agree that the secret to increasing placket sales is in the quality of the samples on hand.

Clients presented with a poor selection, full of wrinkles from being haphazardly stacked on the shelf, are not going to get excited about ordering shirts.

On the other hand, clients who walk into a room full of freshly washed and pressed shirts--hanging on racks in a wide variety of styles, colors and sizes--are going to feel the "shopping" urge.

If you have already ordered a sample shirt (or two or three) embroidered with the client's logo, then give it to the client to take home and wear. The shirt just might sell itself.

Need	Method of Decoration	A Good Bet
Shirts for the servers and bussers in a small restaurant chain.	Embroidery	A 50/50 pique knit for durability in 6.5-ounce weight to take the heat of the kitchen.
Shirts to give to 400 employees at a company picnic.	Screenprinting	A 50/50 jersey knit in 5-ounce weight to keep costs down and employees cool.
Shirts to be given away to potential customers at a golf tournament.	Embroidery	In a cool climate, a 100-percent cotton jacquard knit in 7.5 ounces with a generous cut for movement; in a hot climate, a light 4.5-ounce Tencel or Intera shirt.
Shirts to be given as gifts to high-performing employees	Embroidery	A 100-percent ringspun, combed cotton pique knit with fashion trim, in a 7-ounce weight.

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