INNOVATION
CONTENTS
BRAND VALUES SYSTEMS & MOBILE SOLUTIONS DESIGN & TEXTILE INNOVATION OUTSIDE OF THE BOX
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Delivering Innovation
INCORPORATEWEAR
CORPORATE SYNERGY
integrated:
BRAND APPROACH
innovative:
BRAND VALUES
BRAND VALUES
integrity:
Incorporatewear’s philosophy is to operate with its clients & suppliers as one team.
We strive to break the boundaries of innovation in both product and service solutions
We set ourselves the highest standards of ethical sourcing and manufacture.
individual: BRAND ATTRIBUTES
We believe each of our clients is different, we build tailor made solutions to meet our clients needs
inspired: INTERNAL VALUES
We aim to provide world-class garment design.
informed:
We aim to develop our employees to their optimum potential
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innovative INCORPORATEWEAR CONSTANTLY STRIVE TO BE AT THE FOREFRONT OF INNOVATIONS IN THE CORPORATE CLOTHING MARKET PLACE. Incorporatewear believe in pushing the boundaries of corporate uniform. Our design and technical teams invest their time heavily in fabric research and development, wearer focus groups and establishing extensive wearer trials offering continuous development opportunities. As a design–led business, ICW’s designers regularly attend fabric and clothing shows to keep ahead of the latest trends and fabric innovations, as do our procurement and sourcing team. Corporate clothing involves so much more than providing cutting edge design and wearable uniform, each department with in the company is tasked with developing and improving its performance through measurement, audit and improvement. ICW have a proven history of developing and improving ways of working through innovation and are at the forefront of systems corporatewear systems development. We continually adopt new technologies to provide clients with account specific enhancements such as improved IS capabilities, evolutionary wardrobes, same day delivery, body scanning and mobile applications.
SYSTEMS & MOBILE SOLUTIONS
Delivering Innovation
SYSTEMS & MOBILE
Main Image/Incorporatewear iPhone application
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IPHONE APPLICATION Incorporatewear constantly looks to the future and is an early adopter of technological innovation in the world of corporate clothing and its supporting systems. As a result Incorporatewear has launched its own iphone app and which has recently released updated v2.0 To provide even more accessibility through the addition of iPad support, retina display technology and push notifications. The app update brings the power of push notifications to Incorporatewear. Wearers can now be notified through-out the delivery process, providing up to the minute tracking information from despatch to delivery. Push notifications have also been put into service for the news section allowing users to stay up to date with all the latest corporate clothing related information. The development of an app reinforces our belief that technology will be at the forefront of customer service in the corporatewear sector of the future. We recognise that not everybody has an iPhone or even access at the moment but we are looking 3-5 years ahead and are pioneering the use of mobile functionality in the market. We have implemented our iphone app in the knowledge that other operating platforms are available and that the future market-leader may be quite different. The iphone currently offers a robust solution with a good interface and a strong following but it’s only a starting point and we intend to broaden our approach in due course. Incorporatewear’s app can be downloaded for free and will allow wearers to track deliveries and include a wearer guide and dedicated news feed from the company’s web-site, www.incorporatewear.co.uk. Longer term we would like staff to be able to order their uniform directly using this platform providing them with access wherever they may be. In the meantime, a secure, password protected, web ordering facility would be accessible via standard web access on any handheld product that can support it.
Delivering Innovation
SYSTEMS & MOBILE
Main Image/Wearer alert message
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IMPROVED CUSTOMER SERVICE FUNCTIONALITY THROUGH SMS TEXTS SMS texts are currently in testing within the web-ordering facility, and are likely to be introduced in the near future providing the wearer with up to the minute delivery notifications. A staff member could be updated by text to advise that their order has been picked and despatched from ICW. This would not only improve general communications, but also help prevent the wearer inadvertently forgetting to collect their uniform ultimately reducing the level of returns as well. Text messages could also be utilised to advise staff members that any item receiving an alteration was ready for collection.
DESIGN & TEXTILE INNOVATION
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Delivering Innovation
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N9 PURE SILVER ANTIMICROBIAL TECHNOLOGY Incorporatewear are in a unique position to be able to offer its clients the opportunity to benefit from the addition of N9 Pure Silver Technology in corporate clothing, a new generation of silver antimicrobial technology. This breakthrough technology delivers outstanding long lasting antimicrobial performance combined with impeccable environmental credentials. N9 pure silver ™ is ideal in workwear and uniforms where it helps to keep articles free of bacteria thus taking away one of the possible sources of infection. N9 pure silver has also been adopted for use in kitchen towels to keep them hygienic and germ free. N9 pure silver is also used by the spire health group in all their print material to give protection to the customers and has recently been added to easyjet’s inflight magazine. Please also see opposite an article illustrating an M&S N9 blouse in-store.
Delivering Innovation
DESIGN & TEXTILE
Main Image/Water on Nano Fabric Inset 1/Nano tech diagram
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NANO TECHNOLOGY Whilst nano technology applied to fabrics has been around for some years, Incorporatewear were one of the first in the corporate clothing sector to adopt its benefits and apply them to core tailoring for clients. This was undertaken through the utilisation of bionic-finishŽ fabrics, developed by the Rudolph group in Germany for Incorporatewear, extending the life of garments through their proven ability to repel water, oil and soiling. Cutting-edge use of nano-technology finishes enable clothing to retain its colour and finish for longer, but without compromising durability and wearer comfort. Garments are able to dry more quickly and, in an unpredictable commercial world, caring for corporatewear really does become child’s play.
Delivering Innovation
DESIGN & TEXTILE
Main Image/ODEGON underarm patch Inset 1/ODEGON packaging
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ODEGON PATCHES Odegon Technologies Ltd, near Telford, has spent 18 months testing the fabric patches, which are based on declassified military technology. Incorporatewear partnered with Odegon in June 2011 securing exclusivity within the corporatewear market. We understand that retailers such as Marks & Spencer have recognised the benefit this technology could offer and they are to be incorporated into this season’s suits. The Odegon Carbon Technology is also sold to combat foot odour.
Delivering Innovation
DESIGN & TEXTILE
Main Image/Sustainable bamboo forest Inset 1/Fabric fiber made from milk Inset 2/Coffee ground fabric process
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NATURAL & RECYCLED FABRICS Paula Cannon, Incorporatewears Head of Design and Garment Technology, has discovered fabrics that are being made from milk and coffee bean grindings. Both of these offer exciting opportunities in corporate wear due to their naturally antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. The opportunity to bring innovation such as these to fruition could become a reality due to the volume benefits although cost comparisons and full testing would obviously also have to be undertaken. Incorporatewear are proud to have been one of the first suppliers in the corporatewear market in supply a fully recycled fleece made from recycled PET, plastic bottles. Additionally we have worked projects that include, bamboo charcoal fabrics, Tagua nut buttons and organic and fair trade cottons. Further in the future Incorporatewear are monitoring the progress of grown fabrics such as the kombucha-based material that can be used like fabric or vegetable leather to make clothing.
OUTSIDE THE BOX INNOVATION
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Delivering Innovation
OUTSIDE THE BOX
Main Image/Puma T-shirt with reduced packaging
Inset 1/House of Fraser reduced packaging
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PACKAGING REVIEWED TO MINIMISE WASTE AND IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS Packaging options can be reviewed and dependent on demand, allocations and average order size, Incorporatewear would want to work on initiatives such as a review of the benefits of single item packs versus moving items to multi packs. We believe there is an opportunity for clients to reduce packaging, improve efficiencies in shipping and gain savings through this. Retailers are also adapting clothing orders to become more efficient in distribution as more and more orders are now placed online. The image opposite shows how Puma have simply reduced its packaging by 50% on T-shirts through an extra fold. The inset image shows garments received from House of Fraser, which again reduce packaging through making the physical garment smaller through folding/rolling. Obviously further work needs to be done to substantiate the quality and appearance of the garment upon receipt, savings to made in distribution through greater parcel efficiencies, which products would suit this type of packaging etc, however the volume of plastic used in the size of the bag is halved compared to standard shirt bags.
Delivering Innovation
OUTSIDE THE BOX
Main Image/Meality measuring booth Inset 1/Online garment selection
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PACKAGING REVIEWED TO MINIMISE WASTE AND IMPROVE ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS ELECTRONIC MEASURING WITH SCANNERS – 10 MINS VERSUS 45 MINS Getting staff the correct size of clothing right first time is always difficult as it not only depends on the cut of the garment but the way a person chooses to wear their clothes. Development is being seen in this area to find an electronic measuring solution and the current market leader would have to Me-ality. Incorporatewear are already in discussions with Me-ality to provide a global solution for its clients and would be able to offer a high level of knowledge in this matter. HOW THE SCANNER WORKS The “vertical wand” in the Me-ality size matching station contains 196 small antennas that send and receive low power radio signals. Our radio signals are similar to, but 1000 times weaker than, a typical cell phone emits. In the 10 to 15 seconds it takes for the wand to rotate around a fully clothed individual the signals reflect off the water in their skin. When the wand’s rotation is complete, Me-ality has recorded over 200,000 points of reference from which precise measurements are extracted.
Delivering Innovation
OUTSIDE THE BOX
Main Image/Shirt vending machine Inset 1/Shirt vending machine
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VENDING MACHINE DISTRIBUTION Vending machines already exist for the purchase and issue of men’s shirts, t-shirts, etc. There is no reason why this could not be advanced to incorporate the issue of clothing to an individual staff member Incorporatewear are currently working on this process for other clients where travel is a key element of their role such as in the airlines. In essence, the machine would be filled daily and using an electronic alphanumeric recognition pad, the staff member could input their unique identifier, such as their employee number and their items would be presented to them. Alternatively, there is also the opportunity for emergency stock garments to be held in vending machines globally, from which a staff member could purchase from a selection of essential items.
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Delivering Innovation
OUTSIDE THE BOX
Easy collection & returns process
Main Image/ByBox lockers institute Inset 1/ByBox process
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ORDERED ONLINE. COLLECT OR RETURN IT BY BOX. In the same principle as retail online ordering, locker solutions offer the opportunity to the wearers in a corporatewear environment to collect their uniform from various places around the UK rather than being restricted to attending a set company location. This also overcomes the issue of security that is attached to uniforms being sent to home addresses and the recipient not being home to receive it. Incorporatewear have partnered with a market leader in the provision of self-service locker solutions that can offer collections or returns instead of asking the wearer to wait at home for the driver or attend an office location that isn’t conveniently located near them. There are over 400 parcel delivery lockers around the UK located at supermarkets, train stations, petrol stations, Big Yellow Self Storage, shopping centres and sports clubs. Close to home, work, or on the daily commute, there may be a solution for Thomas Cook to consider, whether for roll out or general replenishment.