I have always viewed my job as a fantastic privilege. Being a journalist opens doors and I have been fortunate, over the years, to meet some truly inspirational people. Working on Printwear & Promotion is no exception. This month, I headed off to Neasden to spend a morning with Continental Clothing Company's Mariusz Stochaj. What a great ambassador for Continental Clothing he is, and what an excellent advertisement for ethical clothing. As part of this month's Organic & Fairtrade feature, I spoke to Mariusz about EarthPositive, the ethical clothing range launched by Continental a couple of years ago.

Royal Mail's uniform manager, Bob Taylor, won the Workwear section of The Business Manager Awards at the Workwear and Corporate Clothing Show in Birmingham.

Now you can keep your cool this summer in edgy black polo shirts featuring Coldblack coating, which not only prevents the shirt from heating up in the sun, but protects the wearer from UV rays.

Fruit of the Loom has launched a 20-page Collegewear Yearbook which features the new hooded and organic cotton Ts, the sporty baseball and ringer Ts, polos, hooded sweats and jog pants.

M&R has announced the launch of The M&R Companies Forums which have been designed as a platform for those involved in digital textile printing, textile screen printing, and graphic screen printing.

Adelco chose Sign & Digital to exhibit the top of the range Kornit 931DS direct on Garment digital textile printer along with a hot air textile dryer from their own Jet Force range.

The Henbury Business Wear Collection offers a totally co-ordinated range of clothing for both men and women.

Corporate clothing firm NKD Clothing has been commissioned to provide bespoke uniforms to the new Fraser Suites in Edinburgh and Glasgow, which have opened under the world-renowned Fraser Hospitality banner.

M&R has added the new Alpha 8 6080 and 80110 models to its line of automatic textile presses. The new models join the smaller Alpha 8 5070.

Leading workwear manufacturer Dickies (UK) Limited have introduced a premium range of garments for the worker who wants practical, durable and stylish clothing.

Today's challenges include working hard to stabilise your business and at the same time, looking at potential new revenue streams. Perhaps your current business is seasonal, such as in the schoolwear sector, and you are keen to explore new markets and sales opportunities.

UKL have launched a campaign to encourage customers to receive documents electronically. A donation of £1 will be given to the NSPCC every time a customer signs up.

Result, pioneers in stylish and affordable outerwear has launched a handy A5 size 'Lightweight' mini brochure illustrating its full range of light, packable, tough and fast drying, 'on the go' products for 2009.

Sign & Digital UK returned to Birmingham's NEC at the end of April and despite the economic downtown, the show is being hailed a success.

After 17 years' service, PenCarrie's warehouse manager, Alun Morgan, has retired.  Paying tribute to Alun, Paul Persey, PenCarrie's founder and executive chairman said: "Alun helped shape the company from the earliest days, insisting on the highest standards in all aspects of warehouse operation and service to customers.

Kent-based KeepMe Promotions has launched a glossy 24-page brochure, dedicated to promotional products, designed and built at the company's Chinese manufacturing plant.

Roland DG has reported that its 30" UV-curable integrated printer/cutter, the VersaUV LEC-300, was the main attraction at Sign & Digital UK 2009, while its engraving solutions also drew plenty of interest.

Moisture management is key for sportsmen and women keen to get out in the summer sunshine. And Daiber's comprehensive sports wear range includes something for everyone.

M-Tech is celebrating its tenth year of trading in secondhand embroidery machines.

Mike Mahoney, who launched the company after serving 25 years with G E Macpherson Ltd is delighted with the business that he has processed with his many off shore customers.

Eazzee.co.uk have been awarded the contract to supply all merchandise for the Special Olympics Leicester 2009 (www.sol2009.com).

Dr Mike Bartle is the new president of the Society of Dyers and Colourists (SDC), the world's only chartered society, professional body and educational charity dedicated to the science, technology and application of colour. He takes over from Sue Williams.

Edun Live has produced a range of limited edition T shirts for men and women as part of yoox.com's environmentally sustainable project Yooxygen.

Come hail, rain or shine, riders from all over the world flock to Britain to compete in the prestigious Badminton Horse Trials.

The Scottish textile industry is set for a major resurgence in demand for industrial workwear, claims the new owner of Livingston-based Drummond Textiles.

From product giveaways to business gifts and premiums, promotional merchandise is widely used in external marketing campaigns to thank customers, introduce new products and services, generate sales leads for existing products and boost direct mail response rates to name but a few applications while, internally, it is often used in employee motivation schemes.

Leather has always been an important fabric in clothing but it does present its own set of problems. This month we will look at some of them and try to offer some guidance.

Competition is good for business. This is a statement ingrained in everybody's mindset and substantially it's true. At the same time, all businesses like a situation where a customer automatically chooses to buy from them and doesn't bother going through competitive quotes. This happens for lots of good reasons - previous excellence of quality, service, price, reliability and a host of other factors.

Enjoy everything you love about the fit, feel and durability of a vintage T shirt in a brand new version.

Style TR401 comes in Tri-Blend (50% polyester, 25% cotton and 25% rayon) construction.

The current Blue Max menswear line-up is cutting edge in terms of quality but classic in design, ensuring that each piece stands the test of time.

Many of the garments within BTC activewear's stable of new workwear brands are as likely to be worn down the pub after work as much as their original intention.

Perfect fit, high-quality materials and snazzy colours - all hallmarks of the latest menswear by Daiber's own brand James & Nicholson.

Edun Live, the ethical solution to blank T shirts, has introduced a range of new developments guaranteed to make you feel good inside and out.

Finden+Hales men's teamwear encompasses tops, bottoms, outers and accessories for a head to toe, co-ordinated look.

Men want clothes that are comfortable and hassle-free - no fuss and frills. Front Row's wardrobe staples are exactly this. Front Row's philosophy is to keep it simple with clean, structured lines, quality materials and colourways that reflect current trends.

Do you know what the most successful, most produced T shirt in the world is?

It's the flagship of the legendary Hanes Beefy line - the Beefy-T, which has been pleasing customers since 1974 and is included as usual in the 2009 catalogue. The secret of success is its especially high quality. This is a true heavyweight at  215g/m; it is comfortably tailored and made of 100% ringspun cotton, designed to meet the highest demands without breaking the bank. And that goes for all the other models in the Beefy collection, too.

Fruit of the Loom's new long sleeve hooded T for men is shaping up to be the star of the 2009 summer music festival season.

The stylish, co-ordinated menswear range takes you from woven shirts and trousers to sweats and polos when a more casual "uniform" is required.

Once the preserve of the grumpy teenager, hoodies are now a popular menswear staple, largely because of their sheer practicality.

It is time to get out the summer wardrobe. Mascot has launched a pair of Craftsmen's shorts in a light, soft fabric with many functional details. These include holster pockets which provide space for different tools. With tool straps on both sides, Mascot's hammer holder can be placed on either side as required by the wearer.

Mantis has introduced three trendy new tees for men, all with complementary styles for women.

Made in sheer jersey, the 100% combed cotton has a soft feel and a beautiful drape - perfect for embellishment.

PenCarrie's focus is on laid back leisurewear for men from brands such as Skinnifitmen, Wombat, Front Row and Kariban.

A smart, quality uniform can make an enormous difference to how a company is perceived. With the extensive colour palette in the Premier Colours range of businesswear, your customers can create a bespoke uniform to match their corporate identity perfectly, creating a seamless look from logo, livery and signage, right to front of house.

In the printwear and promotion market the most popular area is workwear. New brand RTXtra have a range of four core products offering wearability, washability, highest possible specifications, stock availability, great value and 100% customer satisfaction. 

The menswear market offers decorators a wide range of industries to sell into.

From casualwear to corporate, workwear to sports, there's a vast and versatile selection to choose from.

Result continue to produce groundbreaking products that perform in almost any condition.

Result soft shell garments are enormously versatile. Lightweight, non-bulky, windproof, water resistant and breathable they can work as a mid-layer in cold conditions and an outer layer when it's warmer. 

Campbell Cameron, sales and marketing director with RSK Tech boldly goes where no man has gone before and takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the menswear market

Through their brands, Russell continues to bring new menswear styles to the market, with the focus being quality and comfort combined with retail styling. The increasing requirement for stylish garments drives menswear to follow womenswear trends for more individual garments, with fitted styling and quality fabric choice.

Skinnifitmen is all about giving the customer a great quality product that fits, that wears well and that people will want to wear again and again.

In 2006 White Duck branched out and began printing on paper as well as onto wearable merchandise, which is causing a buzz about the business as well as bringing the work in.

A modular embroidery system with automatic tensioning and speeds of up to 1,500 stitches a minute, is proving a winner for Petersfield-based Amaya Sales UK Ltd, which has seen some record sales months since the Autumn.

In recent months, there has been an increased focus on the importance of buying British. Many major retailers, including large supermarket chains, have followed the trend in order to supersede their competition. And it looks as if the promotional merchandise industry is set to follow suit.

As an industry, I have always believed that we are forward thinking. We are now constantly looking into how our products can be more environmentally friendly and ethical production is being constantly considered. In a similar way, patriotism is a topic of the moment. More of us are following the trend and trying to buy British in the supermarket, and this is also happening in the promotional merchandise industry.

A strange thing happens to you when you become a parent. From the moment that baby first opens its eyes and looks at you or curls its tiny hand around your finger you feel something shift inside you. From that moment on there is nothing you would not do, no length to which you would not go to keep that child safe. Your own personal security will forever more come second. Apart from that occasional moment when they hit puberty perhaps...

As part of Edun, the socially-conscious clothing company founded by Ali Hewson and rock star husband, Bono, Edun Live's mission is to promote sustainable employment in sub-Saharan Africa through bulk sales of blank and organic T shirts. Debbie Eales talks to Edun Live's business development manager, Christine Driscoll, about the company's ethos and the positive impact it is having on the Third World.

Almost all the major players on the High Street now offer a Fairtrade range. But just as vital is the commitment of the original fair trade pioneering companies working in the ethical sector, companies which exist to benefit farmers in developing countries.

Alo, a collection of women's and men's performance apparel is named after Air, Land and Ocean. The line is both stylish and functional and features performance-driven fabrics, fashion-forward colours, dynamic details, technical features and sport-inspired design. The collection was designed with active individuals in mind.

In addition to its basic line of 100 styles of sportswear and accessories in over 88 colours, Anvil´s anvilOrganic, anvilRecycled, and anvilSustainable brands have made it a leader in the sustainable apparel industry and recently ranked the 6th largest organic program in the world by the Organic Exchange.

B&C offers a modern and totally customisable range of T shirts, polos, sweatshirts, shirts, fleeces, jackets and accessories - all designed to emphasise brands. 

Promotional bags and headwear in certified organic cotton fabrics are central to the new Eco-Option sub-brand from Beechfield Brands.

BTC activewear has run the EarthPositive range of organic apparel since inception and for 2009 has added to this unique collection.

For the first time this year, The Co-operative Clothing is offering 100% Fairtrade Certified Cotton garments from stock.

Waste education teams in Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire have been kitted out with uniforms that reflect their commitment to care for the environment. The garments have been supplied by Cotton Roots, whose slogan is "corporate clothing with moral fibre".

The hooded top company has increased stock of its 100% Fairtrade hooded top. The W15 Fairtrade hoodie is made from 100% Fairtrade cotton and is licensed by the Fairtrade Labelling Organisation.

The new Myrtle Beach style represents the whole corporate culture as shown by the specially created logo Green Beach. It stands for the organic and recycled products with which Gustav Daiber GmbH especially campaigns for environmental protection.

Epona are a leading supplier of Fairtrade promotional clothing and since 2005 their whole range has been made using Fairtrade certified cotton.

Evan Lewis, director, Everything Environmental, reckons some people can be a bit green when it comes to environmentally friendly give-aways. He explodes some long-held myths about the promotional merchandise market's green products

Alison McKenzie, Fruit of the Loom's European brand director, explains the background to the company's move into organic cotton apparel and what the new products bring to the promotional wear portfolio.

I.S. Enterprises offers a range of organic T shirts suitable for a variety of promotional activities.

The company handles a number of different clothing and apparel brands including, Fruit of the Loom, Gildan, Jerzees, Kustom Kit, Mantis, Quadra and Result jackets and headwear.

Madeira's philosophy has always been to take great responsibility for employees, the natural world and eco systems, from high standards of production with the best of conditions for workers to raw materials from only accredited suppliers - all resulting in the best threads, produced in highest consideration for the environment and the end user.

The organic cotton used in Mantis World's Tender Loving Clothing (TLC) range, is certified by accredited agencies EcoCert and BioInspecta.

With so many products to choose from, it's so hard to get yours noticed. Okarma can help. Not only is its selection of clothing and accessories easy-to-wear, stylish and great looking, it also comes with an added bonus: organic cotton. None of the cotton used in Okarma garments has been treated chemically, making it purer than conventional cotton. This also means that the growth of organic cotton avoids pollution, as well as spiralling debts for farmers.

Orotoro have been in the wholesale market for just over a year and despite the economic downturn we have seen a rapid growth in sales and expanded our range. 

PenCarrie has stocked Okarma's full range of 100% certified organic cotton goods (including clothing and accessories) since the brand's successful launch in 2007. The company also stocks the entire collection of Fairtrade garments from funky fashion brand Wombat, which has its own dedicated following. Eco-clothing from other respected brands is also available, including the new Fairtrade cotton apron from Premier and, from Result, some high visibility jackets made from over 25% recycled material.

A recent survey by GlobeScan suggests that despite the economic downturn, support for Fairtrade is on the rise with UK sales of its products increasing in 2008 by 43% compared to figures in 2007. But consumers also have higher expectations when it comes to the social, economic and environmental responsibility of the retail outlets they choose.

Most brands in the Prestige Leisure collection are Öeko-Tex Certified and committed to protecting the environment.

As a distributor Prestige Leisure UK Ltd are pleased to offer customers an ethical choice, including organic and Fairtrade garments.

Ralawise are pleased to offer top brands who provide environmentally friendly products to meet increasing demand in this niche market.

For 2009 UKL created a whole section of their brochure dedicated to Organic, Fair Trade and Environmentally Friendly products.

The Continental brand is one of the most up-to-date wholesale blank T-shirt names in the world. But two years ago, and with 99% of its garments traditionally being sold via retail channels, Continental began looking for a product to offer the promotional market with the aim of targeting large and progressive corporations.

Bella underwear is ideal for both the promotional market and the fashion industry. The attractive intimates collection consists of six styles including the new low rise thong (303), the sexy shorties (491), the thong bikini (301) and the dual tone thong bikini (302).

BTC activewear launched a number of iconic workwear brands earlier this year, many of which offer a selection of quality socks to complement their safety boots and shoes.

Continental Clothing Company offers a top drawer collection of basic modern underwear ready for decorating.

Underwear has always been a niche sector for the promotional market, with lines from international brands such as Bella and Hanes at Ralawise, there's a whole range to choose from.

Choosing a protective, warm outfit for work or play in the outdoors has to be planned thoroughly to ensure maximum comfort.

Everything Towel City does is with the decorator in mind and the latest selection of soft and fluffy bathrobes is perfect for the hotel, spa and gym.

Bella a firm favourite at UKL, offers colourful and comfortable under garments. The most perfect fitting ladies intimate apparel and underwear.