Printwear & Promotion The Total Promotional Package
AS Colour is guided by three key principles: Quality is key. Respect the detail. Keep it simple.
AS Colour was created in 2005 in New Zealand, as an answer to the lack of quality blank T shirts on offer. It was conceived with an eye to supply creatives a quality blank canvas for their ideas to come to life.
AS Colour has evolved to being the largest supplier of T shirts by volume in the Australian and New Zealand market. In 2016 the brand was launched in the US with its first warehouse in Los Angeles where the brand has had to move twice to accommodate its double-digit growth. The growth in the US has been so good that AS Colour is opening a second warehouse in Charlotte, North Carolina. This 237,000sq ft warehouse will be operational early in 2023 to increase capacity and ensure quality service for the American East Coast.
The UK wholesale business is looking to move from Buckinghamshire to a larger distribution centre mirroring growth trends experienced in North America.
Global presence
With a global presence AS Colour has forged many worldwide partnerships with major brands looking for a retail quality blank, in the knowledge that they can source the same product no matter where they operate in the world.
AS Colour has a global retail estate of 23 stores. Its Shoreditch store in London reopened after retail restrictions were lifted and has posted record weekly sales volumes. The range is aimed at the 18 to 35 demographic, and the shop sells identical product offered to imprint customers. The retail estate is a key tool as a bellwether that shapes the imprint styles offered to serve the targeted demographic, as well as doubling up as an unofficial London showroom where customers can see the range in a correctly merchandised retail environment.
The production process begins with sourcing the highest quality yarn, and never buying pre-made fabric off the open market and have full vertical sight on their manufacturing business, with the majority of premium fabrics used originating from Australia and shipped directly to selected audited factories.
Social responsibility
Environmental sustainability is something AS Colour takes very seriously, as should any decorators who wish to enter the retail environment. AS Colour is a member of the Amfori BSCI initiative which also includes a code of conduct procedure. Amfori is a leading business association for transparent and sustainable trade. The initiative’s vision, ‘Trade with purpose’ helps members monitor and improve their supply chains to deliver social and environmental benefits. BSCI incorporates all of AS Colour’s Code of Conduct, including environmental sustainability.
AS Colour is committed to improving cotton farming practices globally with BCI Cotton. The Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) is a global not-for-profit organisation and the largest cotton sustainability programme in the world. BCI uses members fees to tackle labour challenges that often exist in the farming sector, aiding in Better Cotton’s core vision of a world where all cotton farming is sustainable.
To achieve this mission BCI trains farmers to use water efficiently, care for soil health and natural habitats, reduce use of the most harmful chemicals and respect workers’ rights and wellbeing. Partnering with an organisation that improve social, environmental and economic outcomes for the industry we are a part of is important ethos of AS Colour’s. By choosing AS Colour’s cotton products, you’re supporting the brand’s investment in Better Cotton’s mission.
With an extensive corporate and social responsibility policy coupled with full vertical view of production, it means that AS Colour can supply any high street retailer as the brand adheres to the same strict ethical guidelines as global fashion brands. It is quite common to see AS Colour T shirts in the high street retailing for 20 times the imprint wholesale cost having been decorated by a brand.
AS Colour is constantly evolving and stays ahead of modern T shirt trends. With a boxy fit Heavy tee range, that is slightly wider and shorter than the average T shirt, to its Classic Plus tees which are slightly longer than the average tee, AS Colour caters to all modern requirements.
The Classic Tee 5026 is a favourite with surf and skate brands being a premium, heavyweight tee. The Classic Tee now offers 29 colours in its ever-expanding range introducing butter, plum, clay, walnut this year, as well as a long sleeve version of this popular line.
