2024 WINNERS

Winner: Garment Comfort

Member: Workwear Outfitters
Program: Cooling Workpant

The Workwear Outfitters team’s research found that workers are continually subjected to the heat whether inside or outside on the job. The company partnered with NC state to fully test and vet several commercialized cooling technologies, ultimately partnering with Coolcore® to develop an innovative, cooling fabric with stretch. The Men's and Women's Cooling Work Pant, part of Red Kap’s Cool Collection, offers active, customer-facing workers with a temperature-regulating solution and an improved professional image at an affordable price. Features include a flex waistband, multi-pockets for small and larger items, and a modern fit.

Winner: Decoration

Member: Penn Emblem Company
Program: Veteran Affairs

Penn Emblem’s PennFlex™ Badges are thermoplastic emblems that create a superior, three-dimensional effect and include many customization options, such as a matte or metallic finish. They are also proudly made in the USA. Colors used in the Veteran Affairs badge are not often seen in standard PennFlex badges.  Contrasting textures on the flags take the viewer’s eye from a smooth, flat base of stars to elegant ripples in the stripes, creating a visually striking experience.

Winner: Outerwear

Member: Unisync Group Limited
Program: Puffer Jacket

The puffer jacket is a groundbreaking innovation in cold-weather apparel: a line of ultra-lightweight, packable down jackets for men and women. The jackets are designed for extreme weather conditions, offering a temperature rating down to -40 degrees Fahrenheit, and also adhere to the highest standards of ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship. The fabric selected for these jackets has a matte finish and a soft feel, enhancing the wearer’s  comfort without compromising durability. The fabric is certified to STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX®, and the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), an industry-leading set of criteria developed to ensure the humane treatment of geese and ducks in the down supply chain.

Winner: Garment Function

Member: Logistik Unicorp
Program: Merino Wool Base Layer System

The Merino Wool Base Layer System has been developed by Logistik with the specific requirements of military forces in mind, in environments ranging from the desert to the tropics, to the tundra, to the Arctic. These pieces form a unique system, which is designed to adapt to a variety of environmental conditions and metabolic elements. The Base Layers are made of 100% merino wool and include four categories of items, from cooler to warmer, to optimize the wearer’s experience: Underwear, Mesh, Light Thermal, and Mid-Thermal. Merino wool naturally will not melt in contact with heat or fire, ensuring the wearer’s safety.

Winner: Sustainability

Member: Way To Be
Program: McDonald’s

The 2023 McDonald's crew apron, jeans, and iconic graphic t-shirt were redeveloped and tested by Way To Be and is the first national food service uniform program to feature a full crew outfit using CiCLO® polyester. The uniform industry relies heavily on polyester as a staple fabric for its excellent durability, pricing, and overall performance. CiCLO® products have been out in the market in the retail space, but this crew head-to-toe look is the first of its kind in the food service uniform world. Way To Be is proud to be the first food service uniform adopter of CiCLO® by launching with Mcdonald's.

Winner: Fabric

Member: Winnitex Americas Limited
Program: Sustainability

By combining collective analytical data and working with various fiber, yarn, and chemical suppliers in the industry, Winnitex Americas can develop and deliver some of the best fabric solutions. Their latest innovations incorporate sustainable materials like hemp, cotton, and the enhanced biodegradable 37.5® temperature-regulating yarn provided by Cocona Inc. into the design process. Most workwear fabrics contain synthetic materials like conventional polyester and nylon, which have less breathability, trapping sweat and odor. This hemp-blend fabric solves the problem of body odor sensitivity in the workplace. Not only does this fabric naturally have the ability to inhibit microbes, thereby preventing the spread of bacteria, but it also helps the wearer maintain a comfortable temperature of approximately 37.5 °C with a humidity of 37% from the thermoregulating properties of 37.5® technology.

Winner: Digital Service

Member: Bodi.Me
Program: Fashion Fit Technology

The collaboration between Bodi.Me, Incorporatewear, and M&S represent an innovative approach that seamlessly integrates design, technology, and business processes to address key challenges in the retail industry, particularly in the realm of uniform provision. By leveraging technology to provide personalized fit recommendations, the collaboration has transformed the uniform selection process, ensuring that each M&S employee receives a garment that not only fits well but also aligns with their individual preferences and values. The significant reduction in return rates further demonstrates the effectiveness of the solution. Moreover, the positive environmental impact of the innovation cannot be overlooked. By reducing unnecessary waste and carbon emissions associated with returns, the technology contributes to M&S's sustainability goals and reinforces its commitment to environmental stewardship.

Winner: Garment Function

Member: Fechheimer
Program: Global Merino Re-Rapt

Re-Rapt is a lighter Merino Wool fabric with greater strength and recovery with superior durability and pilling performance, particularly when blended with other staple fibers. This gives Global Merino Re-Rapt™ fabrics exceptional durability with the flexibility to adjust performance parameters by changing the fiber blend when blended with other staple fibers. Key features of Re-Rapt are durability, breathability, comfort, odor resistance, thermal regulation, & quick dry time. This technology combined with 37.5 Technology allows the Merino Wool Base Layers by Vertx to be the perfect garments for outdoor enthusiasts. The durability and temperature regulation of the garments allow these customers to maximize their performance outdoors without comfort or protection.

Winner: Technology

Member: Diamond Data Systems
Program: The Uniform Solution

The Uniform Solution is a point-of-sale and order management solution for uniform retailers and distributors with over 30+ years of deep experience and knowledge of the uniform industry. The software takes complex tasks and creates simple, flexible, and powerful solutions for operating a business that is accessible anywhere. Areas of focus include Inventory Management, Order Management, Contract & Group Management, eCommerce, Cloud Software, and Payments. The Uniform Solution leverages connected supply chain solutions, automation, and intelligent solution design to increase efficiency, improve accuracy, simplify, and gain insight to help a business start, run, and thrive.

Winner: Badges

Member: Smith & Warren
Program: Neptune Beach Police Department

Neptune Beach Police Department chose the BadgeStudio concept service to design a badge to uniquely represent their community. As a beach community known for its good surf conditions, Neptune Beach’s badge artfully features King Neptune, the Roman god of water as he reigns supreme atop the breaking waves while dolphins frolic on either side. Blue enamel scrolled waves bring the ocean theme full circle. Sculptural details make this badge unique: notice King Neptune’s beard, defined muscles, and the individual scales and fins on his fish-like bottom half. The dolphins have detailed eyes and an anatomically perfect snout. Elements like forceful breaking waves and the ripple of the fan element in the badge’s background suggest the movement of water.

Winner: Manufacturing

Member: WINTEX Apparel GmbH
Program: Modular Factory Design

A modular-based apparel factory designed and built to fulfill the specific needs of the uniform industry in Togo on the west coast of Africa from which goods are duty-free into the USA and Canada. As opposed to traditional apparel cut and sew facilities with long production lines requiring large minimum order quantities, the Wintex Togo factory has modular, team-based production which promotes quick turns of small orders. Due to the unique demands of the uniform industry, where few units of select sizes are often required to meet customer demand, Wintex Togo was designed to fulfill both large and small production orders with the capacity to employ about 250 manufacturing employees.