Impressions - August/September 2021 - 15

" With the popularity of sweats came innovation, and now we are
seeing sweats in a variety of weights, styles, colors and washes, " says
Marcus Davis, manager of product development for HanesBrands.
" The obvious reason why sweats are trending even higher now is because
of COVID. We've all turned to the most comfortable items in
our wardrobes when working from home, and the obvious answer is
sweats. Looking forward, the question is, 'What are we wearing back to
the office?' People do not want to give up comfort. The days of khakis,
dress shoes and button-ups may fade away as we see people holding
on to their favorite sweats. But they can't look like they just jumped
out of bed. They'll need to look like they are, indeed, dressed for work. "
The term " work-leisure " hits closest to the heart of this new trend,
especially as companies embrace more relaxed dress codes. Employees
aren't willing to give up comfort, so more style details, such as tapered
pin tucks or faux flies on sweat pants, will be popular.
" It could be a lightweight hoodie with a blazer on top, " Davis says.
" Still comfortable, but you have dressed it up. The quarter-zip sweat
shirt is another great example of 'dressing up' your fleece. "
Tri-Mountain is working to take advantage of this trend via several
new fleece styles offering texture and design features that use
stitching to create a pattern, or by cutting the fabric in such a way to
create angles to accentuate certain aspects for wearers. For example,
the company's style FL7278 is a sporty, athleisure type with thumbholes
and lightweight fabric on the sleeves to increase breathability.
" Making fleece fabric thinner and more breathable has contributed
to this trend, " says John Perez, marketing manager at Tri-Mountain.
" During cool-weather seasons, fleece is great for layering; however,
during warm-weather seasons, a fleece top may be worn on its own
or worn with a very lightweight inner layer. I think there will always
be a market for these types of styles because cold weather, snow, skiing,
etc., aren't going anywhere, and heavier fleece apparel - being
great for layers - fits right into this market. "
Jen Semsak, senior merchandiser at SanMar, says having a garment
that offers so many options for dressing up or down is a game changMade
in varying
weights and hybrid
variations, fleece's
versatility gives it allday,
year-round appeal.
Photo courtesy
of Alternative.
er. " Fleece is great for wearing indoors and out, dressed up or down,
hoodies, pullovers, jackets, vests, parka lengths to cropped lengths, "
she says. " It really has limitless possibilities. Textures, from the visuals
of heathers to tactile grids and high pile, give today's fleece garments
that offer a premium look a higher perceived value. "
Rugged Good Looks
The demand for more traditional, heavier fleece garments continues to
leave the door open for brands looking to step into the game. Reimagined
through a different lens, there are many hybrid fleece variations
that use multiple weights and textures within a single piece.
" Traditional heavyweight fleece also has its place with the revival
of all things vintage, " Zimmerman says. " Fleece is a blank canvas
for every brand to create something new, whether it's basic or
forward-thinking. Designers have the innate ability to dream up new
and exciting iterations on old classics and create innovative new designs
that push the boundaries on sustainability. "
As Greg Brown, chief operating officer, AWDis, examines today's
marketplace in the wake of a pandemic that threw so many off course,
he sees an opportunity for fleece to be the answer to so many apparel
questions. " I do believe the hoodie is now just a garment of choice, "
he says. " With inside temperatures being maintained at cooler levels
in malls, schools and businesses, the ease of fleece gives the layering
effect that provides comfort. That means that heavier fleece is definitely
back on the radar of many. "
A few years ago, jackets became popular in the promotionalproducts
world. Now, with price points becoming more of an issue
and more people working from home, heavy fleece has provided an
option for consumers.
" Fashion fleece has become more affordable, but the heavier-cotton
fleece content has added a layer of softness that has given the basic
fleece an immediate uptick in demand, " Brown says. " Also, the printMany
younger consumers
are looking for clothes
unique to them and their
personalities, which
allows garment-dyed
fleece to make a bold
statement. Photo courtesy
of ComfortWash.
AUG./SEPT. 2021
P.15
Impressions - August/September 2021

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