For starters, you need to find a reliable supplier with expertise in uniforms. Next, consider fabric minimums, fit, colors and finalizing hundreds of details, including embroidery placement and pocket design. It’s no wonder more than one supplier describes the uniform business as one tremendous headache. But it doesn’t have to be.
These days, companies are refining their uniform programs to work more efficiently and effectively. They often will crunch numbers, generate designs, oversee materials and handle production, allowing the area to simply order. Thanks to email, changes can be made on the spot and communication is faster and clearer, leaving less room for error.
Interestingly, however, uniform programs are anything but uniform. Finding one tailored to your needs is the critical first step. There are companies that just do uniforms. Others are more diverse and allow you to choose from their consumer line for small orders. Some vendors have factory know-how, some specialize in design. One thing is certain, you need to work with a company that uses durable fabrics that are waterproof and breathable. For resorts out west, ultraviolet-resistant fabrics are important. Colorfastness and tear resistance are additional fundamental features for uniform design. Garments that are good-looking are great, but remember: function before fashion. Everyone on the hill, from patrollers to lift operators, needs to be warm and protected from the wind, snow and freezing temps.
Keep in mind that the business has a three-year buying cycle and the trend is to work with fabric rather than finished garments. Buying material in advance and warehousing the extra for seasons ahead is advantageous, according to an increasing number of vendors who explain that this method keeps costs down and eliminates the need to match materials in the future. If all this seems like a lot to organize, you’re right. So take time to define your needs and establish a good relationship with a supplier who will work with you on fit, fabric and future ordering, because you don’t want to start from scratch again next season.
Ascent
Ascent Ventures is a brand new company that offers stock items targeted for patrollers. Just a year in business, Ascent now has about 10 to 15 key pieces—jackets, bibs and vests—with a new fleece line in development. Pieces are built to be patrol rugged, but with styles that can crossover for mountain operations use. Ascent plans to add new patrol gear designs at aggressive prices, fleshing out the line over the next three years. The company will rely heavily on input from patrollers to evaluate the current designs and offer suggestions and refinements, and solicit input. Ascent keeps a huge database of product ideas and suggestions. Information: (800) 435-5506; www.ascentventures.com.
Beyond-X Sports
Beyond-X is a European technical outerwear manufacturer for professional skiers and racers distributed by Hurricane Racing in the U.S. The company emphasizes providing a wide variety of designs, colors and fabrics and offers jackets, pants, bibs and vests in a variety of styles and lengths. They also have matching uniforms in kid sizes starting at junior size 8. Styles are available in fabrics ranging from Tactel nylon, featuring a laminated waterproof membrane and untaped seams, to 1000 denier Cordura, which is laminated to a higher-performance waterproof laminate and fully taped seams. Some styles can be ordered with extra long or extra short pants. The company will embroider logos on uniforms and has no minimum order size.
April, July and September orders will net uniforms in time for autumn of 2000 and include guaranteed reorder service for three years. Information: (800) 639-3166; www.hurricaneracing.com.
Couloir
Couloir USA’s uniform program has been around for about six years and specializes in fabrics, fit and functional features. The skiwear company has a direct link to an off-shore factory and constantly monitors production. It can help clients manage fabric purchasing, minimums and warehousing situations. Styles are taken directly from the Couloir retail line. Color combinations can be tailored to fit the needs of individual resorts. Orders placed in March and April can be completed for fall delivery. Information: (800) 545-4922; www.couloir.com.
Hard Corps
Hard Corps Sports has been developing uniform programs for ski areas for 14 years and has created a separate catalog just for its professional lines. Called Mountain Corps, the products in the new catalog have been designed using the ideas and suggestions of ski instructors, patrollers, racers and resort operations staff.
The garments are highly technical in both fabrics and construction. Jackets and parkas feature anatomically shaped detachable hoods for convenience, abrasion-resistant shoulder fabric for extra durability, multiple venting systems and pocket systems, and a double overlapping front placket for extra protection from the weather. Widely used silhouettes are the bomber jacket, short parka and the mountain parka. Bibs, pants and vests are also offered.
Larger resorts can customize their uniforms in a program that requires a minimum production run of between 400 and 600 units per design. Resorts can use a variation of an existing design or create a totally unique style. Hard Corps offers a printed “Guidelines for Mountain Uniform Programs” that customers will find extremely helpful.
Placement of production orders should be completed by March for a late November delivery. April orders can expect delivery in early December. Information: (303) 926-6750; www.hard-corps.com.
Marker
Marker Ltd.’s business includes an extensive retail line as well as the uniforms for staff working at the upcoming Salt Lake City Olympics. Marker products are defined by durable technical fabrics, classic designs and bold colors.
Small-quantity uniform orders can be chosen directly from the retail line that includes several collections, sized for men and women, with a range of jackets, pants, bibs and vests. The fabrics used are coated or laminated with Rotofil’s Aqua Guard or Marker’s MicroTech for protection against the elements. The company also has an extensive Technical Fleece offering as well as a Fashion Fleece line.
Larger orders can be customized by the resort. Clients can build a jacket from scratch choosing their own colors, styles and detailing. Orders should be placed in March for October delivery. Information: (800) 462-7537; www.marker.com.
Mountain Uniforms
This company provides an interactive program to develop custom styles, color and fabric combinations. Clients work from a workbook, which has color sketches and 3D pictures to help clients coordinate color combinations. The company also provides blank sketches so customers can fill in their own color and styling choices.
The company offers three categories of outerwear, differentiated primarily by the outer shell fabric. For example, the Tallac high-end collection is completely waterproof-breathable using Toray Industries’ Entrant GII triple layer construction with all seams double stitched and taped. It is a uniform line targeted for harsh environments. The Pacific Crest line is made for milder climates for use by those who spend a great deal of time indoors. And the Chameleon Fleece line is custom made to match any jacket for a completed uniform look. Information: (775) 831-7670; www.mountainuniforms.com.
Ridgeline
Flexibility is key to Ridgeline’s business. With domestic factories in San Jose, Calif., and Seattle, Wash., Ridgeline can service orders as small as two dozen jackets or as large as 200. This four-year-old company encourages customers to order with a six-month lead time, but will accept orders as late as November for winter delivery.
Ridgeline has a custom design program for shell, jacket and fleece collections. Burlington’s Ultrex and Sympatex waterproof-breathable products are used in outerwear lines and top-of-the-line fleece from Malden Mills is used in insulating pieces. Fleece pieces include a vest, jacket and pullover. Customers can complete an order for finished goods or warehouse fabric stock for future orders. Information: (530) 582-8235; www.backcountre.com.
Ski Area Supplies
A full-service manufacturer, Ski Area Supplies designs and manufacturers a broad selection of products using components made in the U.S. The company has been servicing resorts for the past decade, modernized its equipment and recently took steps to stay current with its market’s demands. Smaller groups requiring special colors, custom identification (patches or embroidery) can be accommodated.
The company offers a range of accessories as well as apparel. There are a handful of different jacket styles and a bib overall, in addition to patrol-specific gear. Vests are also part of the line. Lift maintenance packs, phone cases, patrol belts and specialty backpacks are also offered. Special attention is paid to construction details such as reinforced seams and heavyweight webs and zippers. (This company also provides lift and tower supplies and general area supplies to ski area clients.)
Customers who place orders by June 30 can specify any early fall delivery date and qualify for pre-season discounts. Orders placed once the season starts can usually be delivered within one month. Information: (800) 727-1980; www.skiareasupplies.com.
Spyder
This established skiwear brand offers Pro Gear, a custom uniform program designed specifically for ski schools and ski teams. Low minimums and flexible re-orders make it easy to add pieces during the season. Uniforms now account for about 15 percent of company sales.
Pro Gear offers a wide assortment of colors that can be combined in a variety of patterns. Performance fabrics and coatings are featured for water, wind and snow resistance on jackets and pants using Thinsulate for insulation. Options include fully taped seams. Resorts can add fleece pieces from the retail line.
Order deadlines, for first to fourth orders, are as follows: May 1 for November 15 delivery; July 1 for December 15 delivery; September 1 for January 30 delivery and November 1 for February 28 delivery. Information: (303) 449-0611; www.spyder.com.
Teton Outfitters
This young company started in Salt Lake City just seven years ago with a single jacket design. Recently the company set up shop in Idaho and expanded the line to include 19 different styles. With on-site production, employees can literally walk from their offices to the factory floor in minutes to check on an order.
The company manufactures jackets, pants, bibs and a fleece collection all in unisex sizing. Teton Outfitters offers these pieces as is, but also works with customers to modify designs or add features. X-Alt and Sympatex brand waterproof-breathable materials are generally used on their uniforms.
Teton guarantees its garments for the life of the contract and during the warranty period, the company will repair damaged apparel for a small charge. The company also offers outerwear for Guide Services. Ideally orders should be placed by the end of March to take advantage of guaranteed October 1 delivery. Information: (208) 745-1200; www.tetonoutfitters.com.
Emily Walzer is a Connecticut-based freelancer who writes often about performance sports apparel and fabric technology.
