ImagesMagUK_Digital_Edition_March_2018

www.images-magazine.com 70 images MARCH 2018 WORKWEAR driven by fashion and wearers wanting to look and feel good at work. Is this move towards modern design being reflected in current colour trends? Black, navy and royal remain the key colours in this market, however charcoals and greys are increasing in popularity, offering a modern and practical alternative to black. Variety in colour is, however, a trend in itself, enabling the customer to create an almost bespoke look for their business. What’s happening in terms of fabrics for the workplace? Durability is key in the workwear industry, but demand for quality is increasing, even at a value product level. Customer expectations are focused on performance, quality and comfort, and customers won’t accept anything less, encouraging brands to focus on improving what may be considered basic fabrics and designs to stay relevant with modern developments. The Pro Polyester Polo (RX105) is made from 100% polyester to increase durability, but the piqué fabric is knitted in such a way that it feels like cotton. Before launching Pro RTX at the beginning of this year, what did your research reveal about the needs of today’s workwear buyers? We spent a great deal of time working with our distributors and customers to find out what they need from a new workwear brand. It was so important for us to listen to the people who are at the forefront, selling and using the product. We received some fantastic feedback, which we then took into consideration when developing the collection. Stock availability, sizing and value became apparent as key to this market. In response to this we have launched the Pro Polo (RX101) and Pro Sweatshirt (RX301) in sizes S-7XL and 15 colours to offer workwear solutions to cover the widest variety of customer needs. What are the key design trends in workwear at the moment? Workwear of the past could be considered as predominantly functional, with style and design taking a back seat. Today’s market seems to be demanding a change: functionality is, as it always will be, key, however modern design and fit is becoming just as important, and is Sharon Bell, brand manager of new workwear label Pro RTX, discusses the rise of charcoals and greys, and the increasing demand for quality fabrics Talkingworkwear with Sharon Bell How do you think the workwear market will develop over the next few years? With fabrics continuously advancing, we would expect the workwear market to follow this trend. Customers already expect better quality, functionality and a wider choice in products, and this is set to continue. What is the most popular type of decoration seen on workwear and could you see this changing in the near future (and if so, why)? Embroidery remains the number one choice due to the versatility of design, durability and smart look. However, advances in printing continue to expand and new digital technologies create fantastic effects. What’s the single best piece of marketing and/or sales advice you can give to Images readers to help them sell more Pro RTX garments? The Pro RTX collection offers performance workwear with a focus on quality, comfort and fit while remaining fantastic value – the product, size and colour range really speaks for itself! www.prortx.com The Pro Sweatshirt (RX301) goes up to size 7XL