2023 WINNERS

Winner: Garment Function

Member: Flip-Hem
Program: Flip-Hem® Adjustable Length

There has been no easy solution for an adjustment in pant length. Until now. Flip-Hem® technology was designed to enable a single pair of pants to cover multiple inseam sizes. One pant length, with Flip-Hem inserted, provides up to 3 inseam sizes – the original length and 1-2” shorter. Done in seconds without pins, tape, or fasteners. Uniform pants often come in 22 waist sizes, 11 inseams, and 5 colors -- over 1200 SKUs for one style of pants. With Flip-Hem inserted in the hems of specific inseam sizes, those 1,200 SKUs can be reduced by 40-60% while still covering the size range, a benefit for both the uniform provider and wearer.

Winner: Safety

Member: Australian Defence Apparel
Program: ENFORCR™+EVO Vest

The ENFORCR™+EVO integrated load bearing vest is a first-of-its-kind thermodynamic, micro-climate controlling load-bearing vest that ensures 360-degree protection for 12,500 Queensland Police members. The revolutionary technology results in an intelligent, lightweight, breathable vest made with a hypercool penta-layer system which regulates the wearer’s thermal ecosystem. Additional features include the ability to easily enhance armor protection for high risk situations with discreet front and rear HAP pockets; full 360 Hi-Vis system that overlays the vest and can be easily and quickly removed; and a pouch attachment ladder system designed to house any off the shelf pouch. Quick released tubes on the waistbands and shoulders allows the user to easily don and doff the vest.

Winner: Outerwear

Member: Logistik Unicorp
Program: Vegeto Milkweed Insulation

Logistik developed an eco-friendly vegeto milkweed insulation material to update an existing Northern Parka in Canada Post's wardrobe, a solution that was both more high-performance and environmentally friendly than the synthetic insulation previously used. Vegeto, which is the brand name, is a 100% plant-based solution and provides a top-quality alternative to animal or synthetic materials. Following a very successful field trial on the milkweed insulation with a hundred mail carriers, Canada Post has decided to offer the new material option to its entire workforce.

Winner: Technology

Member: Bodd
Program: Uniform Sizing Solution

Bodd has developed the only Uniform Sizing Solution globally that can size head to toe from a single body scan. Bodd's body scanners process more insights on a person than any other 3D body scanner and has been specifically built to service the global uniforms sector. The Bodd solution eliminates costly sizing and fitting processes, provides an instant size match for infinite products and reduces labor costs associated with lengthy fittings.  Scanners are lightweight, easily collapsible, or can be fixed in a retail environment.  Scanners are WiFi / LAN / 4G/5G enabled.

Winner: Footwear

Member: Rocky Boots
Program: Rocky Coronado Collection

The Rocky Coronado collection is inspired by Navy SEALs. The boot is built for water operations with a fast-drying mesh that offers breathability. This collection is built to fit the majority of fins in the marketplace and the reinforced superfabric toe and heel help to prevent wear and tear. The outsole is designed with specific drainage ports that remove water quickly for faster drying times. The fast-drying mesh upper combined with the drainable Vibram Mega Grip outsole allow this boot to excel at being best in its class.  Since going live with the collection, Rocky has seen unique opportunities outside of military applications. The brand is now placing these styles in dive shops as well as seeing consumers purchase for outdoor recreation and casual wear.

Winner: Garment Comfort

Member: Workwear Outfitters
Program: Red Kap’s Airflow Raglan Chef Coat

Red Kap’s Airflow Raglan Chef Coat with OilBlok technology is purpose-built to help repel heavy stains - from olive oil to the toughest kitchen grease. Our exclusive OilBlok finish offers unique stain control and repels the toughest cooking oils, keeping chef coats looking newer for longer. OilBlok technology gets clothes clean quicker with 1/3 fewer washes.Meanwhile, Airflow breathes in the hottest conditions keeping you cool and comfortable. The lightweight mesh back is nearly 75% more breathable than others.

Winner: Sustainability

Member: Sapphire Finishing Mills Ltd
Program: SAPPHIRE X LYCRA® DUAL COMFORT

Circular fashion has made the consumer reconsider how a garment is made but also how long it will last. Sapphire, a longtime proponent of sustainability, has developed a path-breaking technology that extends the life of uniform products. Fabrics and garments produced with SAPPHIRE X LYCRA® DUAL COMFORT provide soft comfort, excellent shape retention, good dry-wicking, and a natural aesthetic with minimal shine.  Products also receive OEKO-TEX®  MADE IN GREEN product labeling. The labels allow anyone to trace where a product was manufactured, enabling a whole new level of transparency for companies and consumers. Such steps will help secure customer satisfaction and loyalty among those who are looking for durable fashion.

Winner: Fabric

Member: Cordura Advanced Fabrics
Program: Ready Set Cargo Pant

A pant often worn by emergency medical technicians (EMTs), tactical teams, and outdoor adventurers, the Ready Set Cargo is a reimagined and stylish multi-pocketed pant designed with intuitive functionality for tough jobs featuring CORDURA® NYCO Fabric in a micro-ripstop fabric and milled by Sapphire Finishing Mills Ltd. CORDURA® NYCO Fabric brings the comfort of cotton with enhanced durability of nylon. With 8 pockets (including 2 big-bellowed pockets) and 2 clip tabs for carabiners, Ready Set Cargo is a walking storage unit for tools, supplies, and gear, and a classic example of Dovetail Workwear’s exemplary design and production processes where women are involved every step of the way.

Winner: Badge Design

Member: Smith & Warren
Program: Oklahoma Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement

The team at Smith & Warren used its BadgeStudio consultative process to design a one-of-a-kind badge that represents the history, values and mission of this department. The modeling in this badge has an organic, natural feel and is representative of a physically knapped arrowhead. The badge was digitally sculpted using techniques that mimicked the percussion methods used when developing arrowheads out of stone. The designer used these reduction methods to remove material from the base shape, leaving behind a lifelike arrowhead. The use of digital sculpting combined with laser removal for cutting the die/mold gave the

designer absolute control over the aesthetic and artistry of the design.

Winner: Manufacturing Process

Member: C4 Belts
Program: On-Demand Production

C4 Belts invested hundreds of hours and tested over 1,000 different medical grade elastomer formulas for tensile strength, aesthetics, printability and durability to arrive at the collection of premium beltss and accessories. They went through a collaborative process with customers, specialists, and partners across 20+ product iterations, and now have a proprietary print on demand process for flexible substrates. The just in time dropship program, which means no inventory,  and 100% recyclable materials make C4 Belts a sustainable operation as well.

Winner: Quality Control

Member: Kariwala Industries
Program: Digital QC Process

Manufacturing has always faced pressures to improve cost, speed and resiliency.  Digital factory innovations, however, are accelerating solutions to these ever-present challenges.  While digital solutions are rapidly transforming factory floors, they also hold the potential to create efficiencies in the supply chain and generate new revenue possibilities – and new customer relationships. Kariwala Industries’ Digital QC Process increases value creation of a product by lowering the costs of production, increasing quality and flexibility and reducing time to market. The digital transformation of QC on a single dashboard giving real time defect ratios and correlation systems is a step towards smart factory transformation.

Winner: Branding

Member: Penn Emblem
Program: Penn Emblems’s 75th Anniversary

In 2022, Penn Emblem celebrated its 75th anniversary and chose to create a commemorative logo using its Flex™  design technique. PennFlex™ is an intricate, thermoplastic emblem that creates a superior, three-dimensional effect for any design. With many customization options, such as a matte or metallic finish, PennFlex™ exceeds expectations with its high definition, lightweight and flexible structure.  The 75th Anniversary logo was used in a plethora of marketing initiatives throughout 2022, including trade shows and celebratory parties. The logo was displayed on shirts, bags and other keepsake items.

Winner: Decoration

Member: Penn Emblem
Program: Dumpster Fire

The dumpster fire emblem was created for uniform supplier Propper as a promotional giveaway for a recent trade show event. They wanted something funny, different, and well-known in pop culture. The concept of a “Dumpster Fire” became famous in the aftermath of 2020’s pandemic. People humorously deemed the year a dumpster fire, and today, those who remember the year surely remember the slogan. The design itself appears cartoonish. The use of PVC allows for the design elements to appear three-dimensional and realistic. The giveaway was a hit with attendees, as Propper distributed all 2500 patches within the first two days of the show.