Winter is Coming: How and Why Decorators Should Prepare for the Changing Seasons

It might not seem like it, but late summer is the perfect time to offer your customers winter and cool weather gear. While many are still wearing T-shirts and enjoying the warm temperatures of the summer, making sure they’re prepared ahead of time for the changing seasons is a good business decision.

For those apparel decorators that serve schools, sports teams, corporate groups, nonprofits, and even custom print-on-demand, preparing now for the upcoming fall and winter seasons will help keep orders flowing in and ensure clients have their gear when the temps do drop. This year, there’s one more reason to look ahead: inventory and continuing supply chain challenges. With blanks still being tougher to source, ordering ahead of time will help you — and your suppliers — make sure no orders are left undone.

Need some help getting ahead? Here are some tips and insight on how to get ready for winter.

Shop Smart, Shop Early

Let's start with why and how you should start selling cool weather gear early. Perhaps the most obvious reason is that it ensures your customers' orders don’t get delayed and are ready for when temps do drop. But this year, there are some bigger challenges forcing this decision.

The vast majority of apparel decorators are most likely familiar with the inventory struggle brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic problems it caused. "As we all struggle to get our inventories back in line, buying early when product is available makes sense," says Mary Bostwick, VP of marketing for Delta Apparel.

Those decorators who do risk waiting until the summer season is over to start addressing their customers’ winter needs may find themselves in a tough spot. “Waiting until the last minute to source product may cause delays or worse, outages,” believes Bostwick. “Be smart, shop early." Other than making sure the conversations are happening with clients now, Bostwick also notes that decorators should make sure they partner with suppliers who do have solid customer service and strong inventory options. “At Delta, we have several industry-leading brands that can help with cold weather shopping," she says. "We have a super-detailed team of employees at six distribution locations across the U.S. prepared to ship your order same day."

For those decorators that might struggle with how to get ahead, Bostwick has a few pointers. "Do your research — don't be afraid to use a new vendor," she states. "Check out sale items and clearance sections online. Buy early when you can and be flexible and patient."

A Variety of Options

Now that the “why” of getting winter gear orders in early has been discussed, it’s time to look at the “what.” In general, the traditional hoodie, sweatshirt, and beanie are always on the top of the list. However, depending on who the client is and what the order is for, there are a lot of unique options when it comes to cool-weather gear.

Starting with the tried-and-true, ever-popular options, the classic hoodie is always a great go-to, whether it’s for school fundraisers, sports teams, or even employee gifts. For example, Bostwick notes that Delta offers a lightweight, perfect-for-fall, TRI-Blend full-zip hoodie style. “This 4.3-oz. super soft hoodie works for all day wear into the night,” she adds. But more importantly, Delta has plenty of colors and inventory to choose from.

Decorators can also take it up a notch with items like fleece tops for those clients looking to expand options. “Delta carries a full line of fleece products, crew neck, full-zip, and pullovers in three weights,” Bostwick says. Take it one step further by checking out the company’s color selection: “Look for our trendy resort colors,” she suggests.

The important key here is that decorators make sure to offer their customers options, and Delta is the perfect partner supplier for that. The company carries a variety of brands to keep options like joggers and beanies on-hand. “Burnside/Sierra Pacific have many warm fleece options including some trendy joggers,” Bostwick says. “Don’t forget your corporate apparel customers. Penguin, Perry Ellis, and Callaway have several new quality quarter-zips and full-zips plus light to heavier weight pullovers. Delta has inventory available in all of these products.”

And don’t forget to also stock up on headwear. As the seasons change, customers will want to swap out their summer caps for winter beanies. “Need to find warm headwear? Check out our Outdoor Cap line — we have many options and plenty of inventory,” says Bostwick.

Get Going

Any change in season means different apparel needs. Get on top of the upcoming fall and winter months now by partnering with suppliers like Delta to ensure smoother operations as the months roll on. "Customer service is available until 7 p.m. EST," says Bostwick. "Call 1-800-285-4456 or your local sales reps to get started."