Has anyone managed to source a supplier for polo shirts in Dark Blue (Pantone® 295) who can also embroider.
I thought RCs still had to approve before we could use them?
Region has to approve the wearing of 3A. Nothing says you can’t get polos that meet their criteria ahead of time.
1 Like
I am looking for a supplier with a good price point so that I can get one made up as a test which can then be sent for approval before we get them made. These can then be used a squadron polo shirts normally and can then be used for approved events.
Its a good idea, mind sharing the design(s) once you’ve found somewhere?
Whilst they have gone to the trouble of quoting the Pantone reference numbers from the Branding Style Guide I can’t for a moment imagine that any of them would be able to spot the exact Pantone shade - Take it from someone who is a DI and thus has a vested interest in uniform regs and also has also spent many years in graphics… My advice would be that “dark blue” will be basically fine.
Greenfrog.
They have all the HQAC specs and can embroider.
1 x polo is approx £12.00.
Over 50 and approx £10.00
Over 100 and cost drops right off.
1 Like
Krowmark have a HUGE catalogue and once you’ve got the set up costs out of the way the prices are pretty reasonable. Good discounts if you order in bulk too.
Second shout for greenfrog!
it is no mistake that a photo taken at RIAT is used on their website
https://greenfrogpromotions.co.uk/
As i understand it all the RAFAC embroidered merchandise (wicking tops, wicking polos, cotton polos) hoodies etc) has come from GF
I also understand that is the supplier in use for the PTS badges, certainly the one who had the Sqn identifier (Number) contract.
its a small business which offers personal service.
1 Like
Whats this about? Who are you planning to send it to for approval, and why?
They are thinking that they may want to wear 3A at some point and rather than doing what most of us are planning (just doing it) they are looking to do it properly and get Region Approval. (In which case their are strange rules on corporate branding) so they are looking to get it cleared with Region that theirs would meet the 3A criteria before buying the shirts.
1 Like
read this topic as it will serve as useful background on the topic of 3A uniform, what is required (ie what it must look like) and the approval system
The only criteria is the pantone colours and the RAFAC logo on the breast and sleeves/back. . .
0230 - Shirt Design.
The shirt design for use in No 3A dress is normally to be a ‘polo’ type with collar and is to only contain the following colour ranges and design motifs:a. RAFAC Brand Rules specification (Dark Blue (Pantone® 295), Light Blue (Pantone® 549), Maroon (Pantone® 195) and White (Pantone® White) (only dark or light blue can form the main body colour with maroon and white only used for seam piping, cuffing and small contrast panels).
b. RAFAC Logos previously approved through the RAFAC Brand Rules on the left breast, sleeves and/or back panel (combinations are allowed but there must be a minimum of an RAFAC logo on the left breast or sleeve).
c. Sqn or Formation insignia can be added to the sleeve or right breast but an RAFAC Logo is to be included on the left breast.
d. A PT shirt can be worn when personnel are directly involved in appropriate sporting activities (e.g. tug of war, field gun completions, etc.) – the use of the PT shirt is to cease once the sports activity has completed. PT shirts are not scaled for issue at public expense
The region approval is for wearing it at the event (although i personally think it’s stupid to require region approval)
There is no approval required for the tshirt
1 Like
I know that, I believe that the OP is intending to get Region to approve the shirt anyway to preempt Region saying no at a later date because the stitching isn’t quite close enough together.
Personally if I never feel the need to use 3 I don’t intend to ask Region nor do I intend to abide by the Pantone as it doesn’t match our Squadron branding.
1 Like
I will give Green Frog a shout regarding the polo shirts. I would rather cross the t’s and dot the i’s and make sure that what we have is fully approved.
We do a lot of public events in MTP during the summer when it can be warm and people end up in just a t-shirt any ways. By being in 3a dress it keeps us all smart.
1 Like
Well that’s not the spirit is it!? 
I wouldn’t be fussed about the exact Pantone match - unless anyone plans to get their own fabric dyed/woven in a specific colour then none of us are going to be able to do that. I would however stick with the general colours because we’re not supposed to have “Squadron branding”. We are, and always have been, units of a parent organization; not 966 individual brands.
One thing I would say about Green Frog is that they did send a load (hundreds?) of soft shell jackets and polos for CIs to RIAT one year that had been embroidered with the old French Air Force roundel/cockade rather than the RAF one…
In fairness they turned them round and got them sorted within a few days but still a bit of a blunder!
I would say that most Squadron Branding predates the RAFAC realising it needed a Branding, certainly before they did anything about it.
At the end of the day local recruitment and fundraising is more important than the RAFAC non-uniform branding which matters not one bit.
2 Likes