Apparel, including caps and headwear, accounts for more than 40% of distributor revenue in the promotional products industry.

Kind of a big deal.

And as such, it’s critical to stay on top of trends across the many wearables categories, from T-shirts and polos, to mid-layers, outerwear and more. Here’s a sampling of six apparel trends spotted on the floor at the ASI Show Fort Worth 2023.

1. ‘Shackets’ Are In

Top 40 supplier Charles River Apparel’s (asi/44620) booth was abuzz with distributors keen to take pics of the Sharon, MA-based firm’s unisex Hyannis Snap Shacket (1485).

Sean Moore, trade show manager for Charles River Apparel (asi/44620), said the Hyannis Snap Shacket was “getting a lot of interest from distributors.”

A transitional piece, the shacket is a combination sweatshirt/jacket with a relaxed fit and mid-weight warmth with snaps down the center and on the pocket. Made of cotton (60%) and polyester fleece (40%), the shacket was getting a lot of looks, with distributors envisioning the style being a hit with end-buyers that range from craft brewers and distillers, to trucking companies, resorts and technology firms with a millennial/Gen Z workforce, among others.

2. Sustainability Options Continue to Increase

Shelly Johnson of SanMar (asi/84863) displays polos from the Top 40 supplier’s Port Authority C-FREE collection.

One of the biggest evolutions in the promotional products industry in recent years has been the market’s growing sustainability movement, something ASI Media has been documenting through Promo for the Planet.

Driven in part by end-buyer demand and by an imperative from industry firms to do better by the environment, the eco-minded initiatives include bringing more products to market that are made with earth-friendlier materials and producing those items through operations that have less of an impact on the planet.

At ASI Fort Worth, apparel suppliers were showcasing a variety of products that fit the green bill. For example, Top 40 supplier SanMar’s (asi/84863) on-floor exhibition included pieces from its Port Authority C-FREE collection. These garments, which included popular cotton blend pique pocket polos, are carbon neutral because SanMar uses recycled materials to make them and because the supplier purchases third-party, verified offsets with Carbonfree certification.

“They’re better for the environment and that appeals to a growing number of buyers, from the university market to younger clients in general,” said SanMar Regional Account Manager Shelly Johnson. “They care about the sustainability story behind the apparel they purchase.”

3. Five-Panel Caps & Rope Hats Are Hot

Jamie Jeter of Outdoor Cap Company (asi/75420) said five-panel caps like these are much sought after.

Jamie Jeter, head of sales and licensing at Top 40 supplier Outdoor Cap Company (asi/75420), had the dish on headwear styles that are highly popular.

Those include five-panel hats, like Outdoor Cap’s OC571 premium trucker. “There’s no center seam on the front panel so it allows for a really clean logo,” Jeter explained. “Also, there’s an element of nostalgia to them. They’re the style of cap your grandfather might have worn, and they have this retro appeal because of that.”

A vintage-inspired aesthetic also partially accounts for the popularity of rope hats – caps that feature a cord running along where the brim meets the front panel. Outdoor Cap’s OC504 –which can be scrunched and packed and then spring back into shape – is a five-panel hat that embodies the rope style. “It’s definitely a popular item with younger men at the moment,” Jeter said.

4. Demand Grows for Retail Brands & Style

Steve Zimmerman of J. America (asi/62977) with the Spyder brand Impact ladies vest (S17996).

In a flash poll at ASI Fort Worth, nearly eight in 10 distributors reported that brand-name items were the trend that resonated most with customers in 2022. No surprise then that apparel suppliers were spotlighting both more retail brands and more retail-inspired looks.

Examples at the show included J. America (asi/62977) carrying items like shirts, jackets and vests from Spyder, a Colorado-based manufacturer of high-end skiing and snow sports apparel. A couple of products drawing attention were the men’s Impact full-zip jacket (S17977), which featured a puffer-style front and sleek low-profile mock neck, and the ladies Impact vest (S17996), made of nylon puffer with recycled polyfill, polyester, rayon and spandex stretch knit panels.

“These items compete with other big name retail brands like North Face,” said Steve Zimmerman, vice president of sales at J. America wholesale.

Staying on the fashion-forward theme, Members Only (asi/70569) is a retail line that just entered promo in 2023. The brand’s history stretches back to 1975 and is best known for its Iconic Racer jacket.

Ron Malhotra of Members Only (asi/70569) showcases the Iconic Racer and the Varsity Racer.

After some down times, current company leaders have been rebuilding the brand and it’s been getting a lot of traction at retail, executives said. Now, there’s a groundswell in promo too. “In just two weeks we’ve received hundreds and hundreds of sample requests, and we had more than 300 scans in just a few hours today,” said Managing Partner Ron Malhotra on the first day of exhibits at the ASI Show Fort Worth.

For the unfamiliar, the Iconic Racer was especially trendy in the 1980s and thus carries a retro appeal. Its standout features include a double-snap collar latch, shoulder epaulettes and a front chest logo pocket with a zipper. In its current incarnation, the Racer comes in a greater variety of materials and styles, going beyond the classic nylon to include lambskin, suede, a quilted look and a varsity jacket silhouette. “It’s a piece that can be worn year-round,” said Malhotra.

5. Workwear & Office Styles Meld

The 5350 Motion jacket, shown by Dri Duck’s (asi/50835) Lexie Schrock and Pam Rodriguez, infuses rugged dependability with a style that weds the outdoors and the office.

No doubt Dri Duck Traders (asi/50835) makes heavy-duty workwear that can hold up on the toughest job sites. Just consider the new Dakota bib overalls (6300) the firm had on display at the show.

In the promo space, though, one of Dri Duck’s top sellers is a soft-shell jacket – the Motion (5350) – that can both handle hard work and look stylish when worn in a corporate/business setting.

The piece – which infuses rugged dependability with style that weds the outdoors and the office – represents an increasingly sought-after aesthetic in the branded merchandise space, said Dri Duck product guru Lexie Schrock. Engineering firms, schools, technology providers, utilities, financial companies – all these and more go in for it. The popularity of workwear in office settings is part of a larger trend toward casualization that’s been happening in apparel since well before the pandemic.

“It’s highly versatile, and works well for a variety of markets,” said Dri Duck Marketing Manager Pam Rodriguez.

6. Dip Dye’s Got Drip

Joshua Harrison of T-Shirt Tycoon Solutions (asi/87000) shows an example of a dip dyed T-shirt.

Drip – as in “really cool.”

Dip dying involves submerging a fabric/garment into a bucket or vat of dye to give it a color. Different tones of the color can be achieved by leaving the garment submerged for various lengths of time. Longer? That blue will be a deeper blue. Shorter? It will be a lighter blue.

T-shirts that feature dip dye in these varying tones are trending up, as are mineral wash looks in general. “You’re seeing it more with bigger brands, and it’s something that could work in the collegiate market too,” said Joshua Harrison, a customer success manager at T-Shirt Tycoon Solutions Inc. (asi/87000), which was displaying dip-dye styles.

Promo for the Planet is your destination for the latest news, biggest trends and best ideas to help build a more sustainable and socially-responsible industry.