When it comes to colors, Pantone is said to be the global authority.  They have been bringing the consumers, and fashionistas, the season’s most important colors for the past 18 years.

For spring 2012, color experts Pantone has surveyed the designers and has come up with the most prominent hues for both men and women’s apparel. And the major must-have colors in your wardrobe for spring are in accordance with what spring is to many people.

Spring has become synonymous to renewal, revival, optimism, a promise of a new day, rebirth and thus everything is kind of bright and playful.  The Pantone’s colors for men and women are almost the same except for the colors Cabaret, Bellflower and Sweet Lilac for women while men’s palette has Granita, Dazzling Blue and Tradewinds instead.

Mens Colors

The colors may seem unknown to us but here are some samples from Uniform Point that shows how you can easily update your wardrobe with an addition of these hues. They even have polo shirts in all the spring colors fopr men. Take a look at the polo shirts from Port Authority and you will see Port Authority Men Pique Knit Sport Shirt or PA-K420 and see that they have in in similar colors but different names, in  this case, these are:Royal, Orange, Steel, Turquoise, Bark and Navy, respectively.

Yes, they also have it in yellow, sunset red, pistachio and other colors. The mens spring colors can be seen not only in these polo shirts but also other dress shirts, t-shirts and even accessories like caps.

Women Colors

Like what the Pantone has described, the different ladies polo shirts, plain t-shirts, and tank tops gives off what womens spring colors can bring. Here are some of slightly different name but of the same hues.

Sodalite Blue for Pantone is New Navy for DT-DT218H or District Threads Junior Womens Long Sleeve Thermal Henley Hoodie Jacket while Foliage Green is almost like Margarita.

On the other hand, District Threads® - Juniors Racerback Tank or DT-DT237 is available in New Navy, Aqua Ice, Light Pink and Neon Pink. Different names, same hues. So enjoy the spring with any of these cheap polo shirts, hoodies, cheap t-shirts and tank tops that is sure to make your days enjoyable, make your spirits soar, Accessories can certainly change by enhancing the look and making a statement this spring.

Even before the global crises, there have been moms who have opted to stay home. Their decision stemmed from the fact that one of the parents needed or wanted to be there for their children. Before the internet boom, they would have been busy with other household chores. The internet has changed a lot of things because those who wanted to stay home were given opportunities to still earn a living.

Aside from the fact that they are able to take care of their children, home based or stay-at-home moms were able to enjoy the fact that they need not ready themselves, wear their work uniforms, and struggle with a 30-minute commute to the office or brave the horrendous traffic. They can simply wake up, take care of the kids, finish their chores and do their work at home. And so several work came out in the market such as freelance writing, blogging, affiliate marketing and many more. And even those who were working fulltime in the office resigned from their work when they realized that they could earn work even when at home because of technology and the internet. Though some thought working home based is simply a hobby, worse, some thinks it is a job meant for those who do not have a successful career.

When the global crisis happened, some felt the big effect when they lost their jobs when their companies downsized. And so they turned to some work in the internet which they thought were simply hobbies for some. Usually, those who have worked all their lives for some company had a hard time adjusting and adapting. For some who are still struggling with the change and you feel that there is a need to look good or feel that you are in a working environment, then go ahead and wear a corporate polo shirt or any corporate apparel that makes you feel more professional.

Nowadays, you can also have a career when you stay-home for your children. Yes, it still needs a lot of balancing act but at least one has better options. It may not pay as big as your previous jobs or career but it is better than not having a job at all.  One has to be really careful about finding legitimate and profitable jobs online because there are also a lot of scams. There are now so may careers that can be had even when you are home based.

Home-based Call Center
While call centers is known to be outsourced to India and the Philippines, a growing trend is home-based call centers in the US itself, manned by stay-home moms. Call center workers can either be doing sales or customer service, or even technical support, for the company that hires them. For this kind of charge, they sometimes require that you set an office or a room where you can work in. Companies usually require that there are no audible distractions like a baby crying or a barking dog and they do interviews to test it. Also, they also require high-speed internet, and a good working computer, phone line, good quality headset and sometimes even cams.

Virtual Assistant
Wikipedia defines virtual assistant as an entrepreneur or independent contractors who provides professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance and support to clients from a remote location, either their home or office. The work can be customized depending on what the customer needs. They are independent contractors rather than employees so they will not be subject to the tax as well as benefits of a regular employee.     It is the perfect solution for when one needs a solution for an ongoing help but do not need a full-time employee. Virtual assistants function the same way as personal and executive assistants without the burden of a commute, high heels and corporate clothing.

Web Design, SEO Specialist and Other Technical Jobs
If you are computer savvy and have the basic knowledge on the way a website is set-up and optimized then you can look for jobs that need this kind of expertise. Web design is a collection of online content, both documents and applications, which reside on a Web server. And with so many people needing specialized and technical work such as these, then they can use your services. You can start by bidding on Odesk or other marketplace of online jobs. If you do a good job, then you can expect more clients to choose you or even ask you to work permanently for them or give you more tasks.

Tutoring Service
If you have a specific skill or a teacher who wants to make take additional work, you can offer tutoring services. You can make a website to advertise your skills, whether it is tutor kids in various academic subjects or to teach adults how to use a computer or any specific skill. If you know several languages and you can also teach anyone interested to learn another language.

Set Up Your Own Business
Before there was eBay, people would scour thrift shops and flea markets for antique treasures. Now it’s easier to find these things with eBay. If you want to earn additional income, you can sell or auction on eBay and other marketplace. Just make sure that you follow through very well so that you do not get negative feedback from customers which can ultimately destroy your business.

The different works stated above are just few of several things you can do online. It would be best to look for something that you are very interested in, a hobby or a skill. Also, remember that just like any other career it is not easy but if you are patient then you will go a long way. A career at home is a way to build on your interest and skill while at the same time fulfilling your need to be available for your children, which takes precedence. There are a lot of pros and cons so it is a must that you make a thorough research, including tax obligations. And if you are married, this is something that you both should talk about before venturing into it. But for someone who has lost their job, there is simply a lot of ways to forge a new path in your life if you are ready for it.

Dress code is the unwritten rule of clothing. It is the standard that is set by society that they deem appropriate and thus may vary depending on what is accepted. The dress code signals certain indications which may include the wearer’s gender, income, occupation, social class and many other things. People usually follow the status quo and wear the dress code that is befitting their stature, gender and all other indications. On the other hand there are people who wants to be able to state their own personal stand on what to and what not to wear, defying the status quo for personal or political reasons, or sometimes to appreciate comfort and functionality rather than follow what the rule is.

Unfortunately for some, there are places where one is obliged to follow the existing dress code. It may be the case that the organizations or religious bodies insist on particular dress codes. Examples of these would be military with their military uniforms, schools with their specific school uniforms, or companies where employees are required to wear their corporate uniforms or whatever prevailing work uniforms there are.

Dress codes functions for certain occasions or for certain jobs. And so there are several Western dress codes being followed right now.

Western dress codes
Formal wear
          Formal - Formal wear or formal dress are the terms used for the clothing suitable for formal social events such as wedding, formal dinner, dance or cotillion where men wear white tie and women wear ball gowns. It is typified by black and white garments. In other countries, formal wear would mean the national costume.

          Semi-formal – Less formal than formal wear but often called a black tie where men either wear tuxedo or dinner jacket and women an evening dress.

Informal - Also called International business attire, the informal attire is characterized by a suit and necktie for men. Compared with other dress codes, informal attire is more formal than casual and led formal than semi-formal.  Take note that informal attire should not be confused with smart casual.

Smart casual – Often, said to be interchangeable with business casual with men wearing dress trousers and collared shirts. It is like a casual wear with additional blazer or jacket to make it smart casual.

Business casual - In the work place, there has been a major shift in the dress code from formal clothes such as shirt, necktie and suit. In the 1950s, business clothes for men and women were clearly differentiated with what was appropriate and acceptable for each gender. Nowadays, corporate uniform styles have merged such as that women can now wear suits as well as pants in addition to the usual dresses, skirts, and blouses that have been their accepted dress code.

With the advent of information technology companies in the Silicon Valley, informal clothes have now entered the work place which started what we now call the business casual which Monster.com defines as: In general, business casual means dressing professionally, looking relaxed, yet neat and pulled together. According to employment counseling experts, business casual is the middle ground between business formal wear and street wear. The acceptable business casual consists of:
•    for women: a skirt of reasonable length or trousers combined with dress shirt, polo or sweater set or an informal dress with appropriate length.
•    For men: A pair of collared shirt (dress shirt or polo shirt) and khakis or dress jeans with belt and dress shoes such as loafers. Blazers or business jackets are optional. Jeans are generally not accepted in workplaces but then some entrepreneurs in the Silicon Valley like Steve Jobs are often seen in jeans and dress shirt, but then again who can question a boss if he wears blue jeans?
•    It should be noted despite the relaxed look of the business casual, there are some unacceptable attire such as gym clothes, mini-skirts, revealing attire, flipflops, rumpled or ripped clothing.

Active attire – Clothing used for sports and physical exercises such as track suits, shorts, t-shirts and rubber shoes or trainers. Sportswear uniforms, teamwear and gym clothes are not acceptable in workplaces. Sportswear is also at times worn as casual fashion clothing or street wear.

[PA-L496] - Port Authority Ladies 100% Organic Cotton Sport Shirt

[DT-DT104ORG] - District Threads 100% Organic Cotton Perfect Weight Tee

[DT-DT200ORG] - District Threads Junior Ladies 100% Organic Cotton Perfect Weight Tee

[PA-K497] - Port Authority Men Bamboo Blend Pique Sport Shirt

[PA-L497] - Port Authority Ladies Bamboo Blend Pique Sport Shirt

These are but some of the apparel we have at UniformPoint.com that are ecologically friendly. You get to wear cool, comfortable and oh so trendy corporate polo shirts as part of your corporate uniforms or in this case business casuals while at the same time helping our environment with our choices, Pretty cool, isnt it?

Uniform Point offers both embroidery and screen printing services. You may wonder what the difference is in the manner, process and budget of the 2 most popular methods of customizing apparel, corporate uniforms and promotional materials. Or which one of the 2 is better. First of all let us differentiate the two.

Embroidery
Embroidery is the art or process of decorating materials or a fabric with designs that are stitched with thread, by hand or machine. With technology, the old handicraft of embroidery has become computerized with machines able to read designs that have been digitized. Embroidery digitizing is the process of converting the artwork or design into stitches which can then be read by the embroidery machine. Embroidery is often used for company logos or designs for corporate uniforms, business shirts, corporate  polo shirts, lab coats, medical uniforms, jackets, promotional materials such as caps, towels, bags and much, much more.

Pricing for the embroidery is usually based on the stitch count. Pricing based on stitch count is usually broken down into per thousand stitches and priced accordingly. The first step would be to upload your design or logo so that a quote will be given to you. Usually you have to pay for the logo set up fee which is better known as the logo digitizing. This is where the design or logo is converted into stitches and put in a file which can then be used for the embroidery machine. The file will be read by the embroidery machine and sewn out on the material chosen. Digitizing is a very crucial process because if the design or logo is not digitized properly and inaccurately then you might get a logo of different color or it might not be 100% exact to your design. Different companies have different pricing options.

In the case of Uniform Point, we do not have a logo set-up fee and embroidery pricing would depend on the intricacy of designs and colors to be used on the logo but the expert digitizers will certainly make sure that the exact image you envision will be 100% transferred to your uniforms or apparel.

Advantages of Embroidery:
•    Classic, formal and more professional looking especially when embroidered on business and polo shirts.
•    Embroidery lasts longer than screen printing even with repeated washing. Does not crack or peel off.
•    Even casual apparel that's custom-embroidered with your logo builds identity and becomes more professional looking.
•    Embroidery sets you apart from your rival companies while at the same time establishing the image of your company and gets your business noticed.
•    It enhances your garments.
•    Embroidery is affordable as compared to other means of having your logo in your corporate uniforms.

Disadvantages of Embroidery:
•    Sometimes a problem on the color of logo is encountered because the exact color of the thread is not available.
•    Small intricate details and texts are difficult to read and embroider.
•    More expensive than screen printing but can be remedied by simplifying your logo.

Screen Printing
Screen printing is the process of transferring a design to a material with the use of a woven mesh and stencil and by forcing the ink thru the mesh onto the printing surface. Screen printing is most commonly used on imprintable shirts, t-shirts, promotional items such as mugs, bags, clocks, decals and many more.

The pricing for the screen printing is usually based on the numbers and amounts of colors used in the design. Each screen that is used will have its particular charge as well as a charge for ink per screen. Dark colored items would need a white underbase and thus would have an additional charge for that.

In the case of Uniform Point, though we do not have a minimum purchase, customers would get huge savings on bulk orders. As the number of items ordered increases, the price per piece significantly lowers.

Advantages of Screen Printing:
•    Screen printing is less expensive than embroidery especially for wholesale and bulk orders.
•    The size of the designs does not affect the screen printing charge.
•    Bigger designs can be done by screen printing.
•    Screen printing can recreate very detailed logos and designs which are not possible for embroidery where small details are difficult to read.
•    With shading and gradients, high end products can be created.

Disadvantages of Screen Printing:
•    Screen printed logo could eventually crack or peel off, especially with repeated washing.
•    There are some materials not suited for screen printing and discoloration may occur.
•    Fading may occur after repeated washings.
•    Some companies require a minimum order.

Both embroidery and screen printing processes each have their own unique look, applications, advantages and disadvantages as well as pricing options. Choosing the process that you want would also depend greatly on your budget and it is important that you and your team talk it out before you choose. It is also important that you talkwith the one offering the customizing services to ensure you get the full benefit of both processes before you choose. If you want to know more about the embroidery and screen printing services of Uniform Point, all you have to do is give us a call or chat with our customer care support as they will be able to help you out. We could identify which method is better for what occasion or the material you want.