A cyclic trend in and out of mainstream fashion since the 1980s has returned to consumers’ closets this season. Whether in the form of a vintage t-shirt, outerwear, or denim, the practice of acid washing dates back to the ’60s, with roots in the laid-back California culture. As surfers grew tired of laying their clothes in the sun for hours to achieve the “worn in” look, they switched their customization methods to using stones and bleach instead.
By 1987, however, New York garment makers found an easier way to continue to capitalize on the trend to suit their growing markets. During the washing process, industrial machines stripped fabrics of the resin finish that textile companies would apply to apparel pieces. Therefore, allowing the clothes to wear away easier once exposed to chlorine and pumice stones. Depending on how pigmented the manufacturers desired the garments, they experimented with solution ratios to achieve a specific look.
Jack Taylor, merchandise manager of the former department store Gottschalk’s Inc, recalls, ”acid-washed clothing is the most important thing that has come along in the men’s and women’s garment industry in years.”
Today, acid wash pullover hoodies are some of the most popular items in the trends category. But, aside from the casual aesthetic that most brands love, the appeal of the hoodie is derivative of wanting one’s neurological needs met. According to Forbes, many young consumers purchase and wear hoodies year-round because it offers them emotional support, like a weighted blanket.
Brands find the most commercial success with hoodies in the athleisure industry. Reports from Linchpin SEO expect the market to increase to $69.2 billion by next year, nearly a fifteen billion dollar rise since 2015. While the market also primarily caters to women, BELLA+CANVAS’ Sponge Fleece Pullover is suitable for any consumer with its practical design that is versatile enough for life outside of the gym.
This hoodie is amongst some of the company’s most popular items because of its eco-friendly production processes. Research shows that brands have seen a sales spike of 388% for women and 642% for men since they have become more intentional about highlighting their products’ materials. Another facet of various brands’ interest in BELLA+CANVAS is their commitment to safety and human resource management through their WRAP Certification.
As a brand, optimizing products like acid-washed pullover hoodies in the right season is imperative. These few tips will ensure that your brand remains as lucrative as possible when marketing these pieces.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing will be your greatest asset as a company, especially if it is new. Becoming a part of your audience’s everyday life through advertisements, showcasing popular merchandise, or curating seasonal posts, bolsters brand loyalty by an average of 53%. In these cases, it also never hurts to reinforce your brand’s values.
Since its inception in 2004, Facebook has remained the leading platform for marketing your brand. In the United States, reportedly, 69% of adults use the platform; keeping this in mind, learning how to use the site’s algorithm to interact with consumers easily would be beneficial. On the contrary, as your brand appeals to younger consumers, newer applications like Instagram and Snapchat would yield better results.
Marketing through Emails
Email marketing is one of the most direct investments to produce copious swift results. Research shows that email is nearly forty times more effective for growing your target market than social media platforms. Therefore, it serves as a singular outlet to inform consumers, gain their feedback, and notify them instantly.
Leading retail brands use emails as a way to sell acid-washed pullover hoodies. Given that consumers are consistently on their phones or other devices, having instant access to finalize a purchase makes things that much easier.
SEO Marketing
Search engine optimization involves creating content that ranks your website highly on result pages. Using text and graphics that relate to specific topics ultimately increases those chances. If you invest strategically and heavily enough, this type of marketing sets your brand ahead of competitors.
Maintaining a conversational tone that addresses consumers’ questions while offering insightful information will place the brand in local searches. In addition, SEO allows the business’ website activity, potential changes in rank, and monitoring of customer concerns.
Implement Marketing Strategies
Creating content marketing strategies and calendars will help to track posts’ interactions across various platforms. In addition, marketing plans allow your business to establish a foundation to build on as the brand grows. Setting specific goals, listening to the brand’s ideal customer(s) to guide that creation, and ensuring that the content is always valuable will pay off as long as the work is consistent.
