Selecting the Right Water-Resistant Jacket For Your Brand

Whether commuting or hiking, it’s not enough to simply tout around an umbrella, especially for those who frequent the great outdoors. Now is the time when you should outfit your clients or employees in jackets that are breathable, stylish and resilient. 

They want protective materials that allow them to enjoy their active outdoor adventures or strolls through the city without getting soaked from head-to-toe. In fact, an important piece of criteria that many people use to evaluate the best suitable lightweight jacket is water-resistance.  

Waterproof vs. Water-Resistant

In picking the right outerwear jacket to add your logo to, it’s important to understand the difference between waterproof and water-resistant. 

Waterproof

Although many outdoor pieces are often advertised as being waterproof, 100 percent waterproof fabric doesn’t exist naturally. Truthfully, water can pass through just about anything when enough pressure is applied.

In order to produce materials that are actually waterproof, the most common method is ultrasonic welding. It’s rarely applied to clothing due to the cost and expertise required in manufacturing, but can sometimes be found on accessories like waterproof bags.

What all fabrics are, is water-resistant.

Water-Resistant

Water-resistant by definition means that something can “resist though not entirely prevent the penetration of water.” In reference to fabric, materials like cotton are less water-resistant than something like nylon, but they can be made more resistant—even 100 percent waterproof—through the use of special coatings that help reduce absorbency.

This is usually done through an application of either a laminate membrane or liquid coating  to the interior of a garment. Another method typically used is taped seams. This technique melts tape over the seams of a piece of clothing to prevent water from leaking through.

After a garment has gone through the waterproofing process, it’s put through a series of tests to determine both its waterproof rating and breathability.

How is Water-Resistance Measured?

A fabric’s ability to remain water-resistant for a sustained period of time is tested through the application of pressurized water, also known as the static-column test. This can be a little misleading, but that ability is labeled as the fabric’s “Waterproof Rating,” even though as we mentioned earlier, most fabrics aren’t capable of being “waterproof.”

During this test, a one-inch diameter tube is placed on top of a piece of material. As the tube is filled with water, there are markers for measuring the water level height in millimeters. The height where leakage begins is used to indicate a fabric’s waterproof rating.

Fabric waterproof ratings typically breakdown into five classifications that help sellers and shoppers best determine which water-resistant jacket works best for them. The higher a waterproof jacket’s rating, the longer you’ll remain dry.

Source: evo.com

While it’s important to keep the elements out, all of the heat that builds up inside of a jacket also needs the ability to escape. Otherwise—by rain or sweat—a customer will end up wet regardless of how water-resistant an item actually is. This is where breathability testing comes into play. Measured in grams, it expresses how much water vapor can move inside-out through one square meter of fabric over a 24-hour period of time.

The Best Water-Resistant Jackets

Independent Trading Company is known for its surf-inspired, soft, casual styles. Their Expedition Collection features durable pieces made with warmth and functionality in mind.

Their moisture wicking, water, and wind resistant fabrics are top-of-the-line for use in just about any outdoor activity. Here are just a few of our favorite water-resistant jackets from Independent’s Expedition line:

Poly-Tech Soft Shell Jacket

The highest resistance of the line at 20,000 millimeters, this jacket comes complete with a waterproof polyester shell and microfleece lining. It’s a great addition to any outdoor enthusiast’s closet—perfect for backpacking, outdoor sports or any other activity prone to getting stuck in the occasional downpour.

Hooded Water-Resistant Windbreaker Jacket

This lightweight jacket alternative has a 10,000 millimeter waterproof rating and good breathability. It’s easy to pack away in a backpack for long bike rides or the short overnight camping trip.

Lightweight Windbreaker Zip Jacket

On the lower end of the scale, with a 600 millimeter waterproof rating, this 2.5 oz jacket is available in 13 different colors and combinations: like Forest Camo and Classic Navy/Saddle. For city commutes and a night around the bonfire, this jacket is a lightweight mix of fashion and functionality.

Contact us to find out how we can add your logo and branding to water resistant apparel to keep your clients and employees dry.

www.barefootswag.com 866-247-4320

sales@barefootswag.com

How Do I Put My Logo On Promo

As a business owner we all have a special connection to our business name and logo. Seeing our logo on Swag just brings a smile to our faces. And seeing how excited others get when you give them a promo piece with your logo makes it even better.

But if you are new to the swag game, then the first question you ask is HOW to put your logo or company name onto various promotional items, whether it is pens, hats, shirts, shoes, mugs or any number of other items to promote your business.

First, we need to start with high resolution artwork. An original file from your graphic designer in a vector format is the best option. Low resolution files, like those pulled from a website, do not have “clean” edges and will appear grainy or jagged when printed. You won’t be happy with the finished result, and frankly, we won’t print it anyway. So start with clean, vector art. If that requires paying to get art redraw or converted to the correct format, then that is what is necessary to give you the best results. After all, you want everyone to be excited and happy to receive your swag and having an amazing looking imprint is key to that excitement.

Now that we have your logo squared away, it’s time to decide about how you are going to put that logo on your items. Generally a one color imprint is the least expensive, most common and works on more items. One color imprints can be screen printed, pad printed, embroidered, debossed, embossed, digital print, sublimated- pretty much any imprint method and promo item can accommodate a one color imprint.

Example of a one color logo. Notice the color is solid and consistent across the entire logo.

Not all logos are designed as one color though, and keeping your brand and message consisted across all the swag you put your logo on is important. Multi color imprints are possible with spot colors or full color imprints. In the example below, the logo on the left can be printed in two spot colors (blue & black). This would incur a 2nd set-up charge and an additional run charge for screen or pad printed items. The logo on the left is 4 colors even though all the colors are purple (Barefoot, S, w, ag are all different shades of purple). To get an exact PMS match on these colors we would print these as spot colors with screen print or pad printing. These can also be done with embroidery, which does not require additional charges per color.

Examples of spot imprints- on the left is a 2 color imprint (blue & black) and on the right is a 4 color imprint. This can be achieved with spot color imprinting or embroidery.

Full color logos, logos with gradients or shading, colorful backgrounds are generally printed with a digital process or sublimated. The options for items to put your logo on that can accommodate a full color imprint seem to increase daily. Shirts, blankets, mugs, backpacks, blue tooth speakers, power banks and a huge assortment of other promotional products look amazing with your logo in full color. Even if your logo is not full color, items that can accommodate these methods allow you to get creative by adding backgrounds, design elements, photos of products and more to make a huge impact with your marketing. Events with multiple sponsors can take advantage of full color digital imprints on bags, lanyards, notebooks and more so that each sponsor’s logo can be showcased within their branding guidelines.

The gradients and drop shadow of the logo on the left lends itself to a full color digital or sublimated imprint. Showcasing full color products or backgrounds such as on the right is another way to take advantage of full color imprinting techniques.

There are many options available for putting your logo onto marketing items to build your brand. We can help guide you in the right direction by taking a look at your logo and showing you what items will work well and steering you away from items or imprinting techniques that won’t work well. This also includes helping make sure you imprint your logo at a large enough size to be legible.

Give us a call or email today and we will help you put your logo on the right swag for your brand and message.

http://www.barefootswag.com 866-247-4320

sales@barefootswag.com