NAUMD Announces Image of the Year Awards
The Image Apparel Institute (IAI) recently recognized winners of its 2015 Image of the Year (IOY) Awards.
Textile services industry winners this year included Aramark, Cintas, and HPI Direct (a division of Superior Uniform), which demonstrated outstanding design in image apparel and corporate uniforms. "Apparel designs have a significant impact on how a customer views a business, and can make a substantial difference in customer retention" said Margaret Ramsdale, chair of the IAI Committee. "The IOY awards recognize the businesses that have made employee appearance and guest satisfaction a priority to create a competitive edge in their markets."
Cintas Corp. won in both the Gaming and Hotels-Single Unit category. The Cromwell by Cintas® program designed a fitted uniform collection that complemented each job function, from hotel to casino to F&B, with fitted blazers, shirts and vests that employees also could wear outside of work. The Streamsong® Resort by Cintas uniform program blended a comfortable and flexible lightweight suiting with property elements: modern, simple, structural and natural colors.
The winner in the Service and Industry category, Aramark’s Iron Mountain® uniform program, promoted the brand, while offering a consistent and professional appearance, and improved safety characteristics. Aramark increased employee visibility in high-traffic areas or automated environments. The collection includes a versatile System 365® Insulated Parka for the cold and waterproof/breathable rain gear for wet weather.
Superior Uniform Group received six nominations, the largest number of any single company, according to a news release. The company’s HPI Direct division won two awards: the Restaurant Single Unit category for U.S. Taco Co. and Transportation-People for JetBlue Airways. They used U.S. Taco’s bold, stylized skull logo and the hoodie in unique, colorful uniform pieces, the release said.With designer Stan Herman, HPI created a new uniform program for JetBlue’s flight operations, inflight and airport operations and ground operations employees,expanding its style with a functional and comfortable uniform.
Since 1978, the IOY Awards have honored the image apparel programs and the organizations, manufacturers and distributors that have created them. An independent panel of judges, representing a cross section of the fashion industry's top designers, journalists and fashion authorities, reviewed hundreds of commercial apparel designs in key industries, before voting on this year’s winners. Winners were honored on April 14 at the IAI Annual Banquet and Awards Dinner, jointly sponsored by the North American Association of Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors (NAUMD) and IAI. The event took place at the Renaissance Orlando at Sea World in Orlando, FL. Click here for the full list of winners.