May 29, 2019   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Cintas Wins Four NAUMD Image of the Year Awards for Apparel Programs

For the 20th consecutive year, Cintas Corporation (NASDAQ: CTAS) has been recognized with Image of the Year (IOY) Awards from the North American Association of Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors (NAUMD). Design Collective by Cintas received four awards in the following categories: gaming, hotel single-unit, hotel multi-unit, and transportation-products. Presented by the Image Apparel Institute (IAI), a division of the NAUMD, the 2019 IOY Awards recognize fashion, function, creativity and innovation in apparel design.

“It’s an honor to be recognized for 20 straight years for apparel programs that our customers proudly wear every day,” said Kristin Sharp, Director of Design and Merchandising at Cintas. “Our award-winning in-house designers collaborate with our clients to create on-trend and functional apparel programs that employees want to wear.”

Design Collective by Cintas was honored in the gaming category for the apparel program designed for MGM Springfield. Cintas created a collection for the resort’s employees that reflect the city of Springfield, which is rich in history. This “Hipster Haberdashery” program puts a modern twist on nostalgic bespoke menswear and includes slim slacks and fitted jackets paired with patterns and textures, such as glen plaid and houndstooth. Original pieces are featured throughout the property, including the entire casino floor that wear different colored sublimated shirts in a one-of-a-kind ombre houndstooth design.

“Cintas did an incredible job of incorporating unique details into the custom garments that complement the design of our property,” said Mike Mathis, MGM Springfield President. “The cohesive collection includes functional and beautifully designed garments to enhance our image, from the front desk agents, through food and beverage, and on the casino floor.”

Winner in the hotel multi-unit category, the Design Collective by Cintas apparel program for Hyatt Regency was inspired by Hyatt signature brand colors. The collection includes three distinct collections – purple, black and teal – all with unique elements that can be cross-merchandised. Additionally, the importance of color and large-scale prints is prominent throughout the program with a lighter palette for suiting and the return of black as an urban fashion statement. Cintas incorporated innovative collections with an athleisure influence throughout the wardrobe program, including the Nouveau-Luxe™ suiting line with Elbow Flex® and cooling technology, and the Effortflex™ collection with moisture management keeping roles within housekeeping and back-of-the-house in mind.

Fourmy, the Cintas luxury brand, also won in the hotel single-unit category for the apparel program it developed for the Sea Island Resort, a luxury property on the southeastern coast of Georgia. The property’s natural environment and climate had a significant impact on the functional aspect of the design. Fourmy created designs to keep the wearers comfortable in the island’s semi-tropical climate, including a playful fish print for the hotel’s Southern Tide restaurant with retail-inspired plaid shirts and a sand-washed cotton apron to give a rustic look. Fourmy also incorporated indigenous flowers into the textile prints to make the garments reflect the natural surroundings.

“We wanted an apparel program that was retail inspired and reflected our unique sense of place, but it also needed to be functional and comfortable given the natural environment conditions,” said Vijay Singh, Managing Director of Sea Island. “Cintas was able to create a collection with professional, yet relaxed, friendly and approachable styles. They also developed designs that reflect the extensive historical element of our property along with the essence of southern charm.”

In the transportation-products category, Cintas was recognized for the apparel program it created for Republic Services, an industry leader in recycling and non-hazardous solid waste disposal. Cintas designed the company’s first ever head-to-toe apparel collection, which includes high-performance t-shirts, polos, slacks, socks, outerwear and belts. The hybrid apparel program includes both industrial launder and home launder products with enhanced.

“Safety is the number one priority at Republic Services,” said Jim Olson, senior vice president of safety at Republic Services. “Our team worked hand-in-hand with Cintas to modernize and unify our apparel program. Not only do our employees love the new look and feel of the apparel, they feel safe in the enhanced-visibility garments.”

To view the winning programs and past winners, visit cintas.com/imageawards.

For more information about NAUMD or the IOY Awards, visit www.naumd.com or call (402) 639-0498.

About Cintas Corporation:

Cintas Corporation helps more than one million businesses of all types and sizes get ready™ to open their doors with confidence every day by providing a wide range of products and services that enhance our customers’ image and help keep their facilities and employees clean, safe and looking their best. With products and services including uniforms, mats, mops, restroom supplies, first aid and safety products, fire extinguishers and testing, and training and compliance courses, Cintas helps customers get Ready for the Workday®. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Cintas is a publicly held Fortune 500 company traded over the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol CTAS and is a component of both the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index and Nasdaq-100 Index.

About The Image Apparel Institute

The Image Apparel Institute (IAI) is the producer of the Image of the Year Awards Program, the IAI Summit and is responsible for the development of the Image Apparel Institute Education Tracks presented during the NAUMD Convention & Exposition. The group is also responsible for the Best Practices Webinars and publications focused on the needs and issues facing the Image Apparel Business community. Award recipients have been recognized in such notable outlets as the Wall Street Journal, Fox News, MSNBC, CNBC and numerous websites and media outlets.

The Image Apparel Institute works to protect the interests of its members through a series of advocacy, education, and public relations campaigns intended to arm them with the tools needed to retain and capture business in a global economy. The institute has authored a number of position papers and has an extensive library of information from which members can further their understanding of the image apparel marketplace. The Image Apparel Institute also conducts a series of professional development seminars, and in conjunction with the North American Association of Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors, hosts an annual convention and exhibition where attendees can source products, learn about the latest trends, and gain practical, image apparel, fabric, sourcing and marketing knowledge to better run their business.