Impressions - May 2019 - 39

Roberts says. "They have to have the same high expectations as the
consumers of name brands."
According to Roberts, retail's influence on the wholesale channel
still is strong, but the delay has shrunk considerably. "The reason is
the promo [market] is becoming more retail, as every small business
is trying to build a brand of their own," he says. "We're seeing our
promo customers push the envelope of design, style and ambition
when it comes to what they want to best represent their clients' small
businesses or events."
Consumers experience a strong relationship with retail through
mobile technology and e-commerce, and the expectation of B2B
customers has evolved just as much as B2C customers.
"Everyone wants the 'Amazon' experience, regardless of what
e-commerce site they are purchasing from," Roberts says. "We have
upped our experience substantially over the past few years and are
continuing to evolve based on feedback and our customers' needs for
more self-service, quicker response and transparency to things like
order status. We're also in the process of becoming fully compliant
with Promo Standards."

Popular Patterns

Camo patterns will remain popular and more versatile than ever.
"With the military-inspired trend, camo has been seamlessly integrated into the streetwear market for everyday wear," Ki says. "Our
best-selling Flexfit and YP Classics styles are now equipped with
MultiCam patterns that provide the perfect utilitarian look."
Design trends also are running the gamut, from minimalism to
bold logos. Consumers are happy to conspicuously reveal their brand

loyalty. Logo-centric patterns and an emphasis on brand identity
have a prominent place in the headwear market.
Men's styles will encompass florals and allover prints this season,
including plaids, tie-dyes and geometric patterns, Roberts says. For
women, it's all about fabrics: metallic leathers, velvets, heavy-washed
denim and frayed edges.

On the Horizon

Headwear's future remains positive and strong. "Look for surf, skate
and coastal brands to continue to shape wider trends across headwear," Roberts says.
One trend to watch is how sustainability affects the headwear
category as has been the case in most other apparel sectors.
"Since sustainability is gradually becoming more of a norm rather
than a trend for the fashion industry, we view brands taking on and
prioritizing sustainability," Ki says. "As a company that is constantly
evolving, we've been closely researching sustainable practices that we
can implement into our products."
For example, plastic waste is a threat to the environment, so Flexfit
has created its Rescued + Renewed collection. Ki defines it as headwear engineered with renewed fabric made of recycled plastic bottles.
"The end goal of our Rescued + Renewed collection is to become
a catalyst in promoting the protection and prosperity of our planet," she says. 
Jennifer Morrell is an award-winning writer who has written for a number of
national consumer and trade publications. For more information or to comment
on this article, email Jennifer at jennmorrell@hotmail.com.

"Being in a promotional
industry where pricing
is constantly a concern,
this may have contributed
to the popularity of
trucker caps."
- Tina Liu,
Otto Intl.

The "evertyhing-old-isnew-again" sentiment will
continue to ring true for
the headwear category.
MAY 2019

P.39

Impressions - May 2019

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