Giving to Kids to Inspire Our Community

Sometimes it isn’t about the name tags, but rather the act of giving! Coller Industries has long been giving back to our community. And those who follow us know that frequently giving donations is just something we love doing. Our most recent donation was to a fantastic company who gives everything back to their community.

Jane Elizabeth Macioci, Digital Media Volunteer for Clothes To Kids, explains how CTKF works.

giving back to our community through donations to our customers helps us to be better

Clothes To Kids is unique in how it provides clothing to those that are eligible for their services.

“Imagine shopping, with the assistance of a personal shopper, in a department store, trying on various articles of clothing, choosing those items that fit well and look good, checking out but not having to spend any money. Remarkable. Children who shop at CTKF leave with clothing of their choosing and their self-esteem intact. Families do not need to forgo the necessities of food, clothing and housing to purchase clothing that their children long to own to fit in with their peers.”

Clothing can change a life. Our mission is to provide new and quality used clothing to low-income or in-crisis school-age children in Fairfield County, Connecticut – free of charge. Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County envisions a community in which every school-age child has quality clothing so that he or she may attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success.

“We envision a community in which every school-age child has quality clothing so that they may attend school with the confidence and self-esteem needed to achieve academic success,” said Macioci.

Push creative boundaries by adding a multi-color logo to your name tags. Adding a logo to a name tag emphasizes the professional side of your business. Full-color printing brings logos to life in colorful detail. There are no limits to the number of colors, color blends and shading. Premium UV printing is the best way to highlight your logo. The logo is printed on a plastic tag, and the text is engraved into the two-ply plastic.

Clothes to Kids’ Core Values

COMPASSION: To provide a cheerful, friendly atmosphere where those we serve feel comfortable and welcome.
RESPECT: To be respectful and considerate of those we serve. And to not question or judge the circumstances that bring them to us.
SELF ESTEEM: To build self esteem by providing children with clothing that makes them feel good about themselves.
SERVICE: To work hard to give our very best to help those we serve.

We are grateful for Clothes To Kids of Fairfield County, Inc. and the work they accomplish. Each donation helps us not only stand out from our competition but helps us to be who we are.

Creative Kids and Custom Signs

Crafting and being creative at home is a treat when it comes to being a parent. But, sometimes it’s hard to let your child be themselves with their creativity. Here’s a project that will encourage each child to reach deep inside to discover their truly unique self.

Sometimes all you need is a creative mind, and you’ll have an instant piece of art.

Adding a door sign to a child’s room is the perfect touch to help them be themselves. Custom signs are perfect for bedrooms, playrooms, bathrooms and even a nursery.

Design custom signs with your text, logo and graphics. Use for your business, name a cabin or room, present an inspirational quote. Choose the size, color, font, text and an optional logo or graphic to create the perfect sign for your office, home, or to give as a gift for a friend, loved one or yourself.

This project takes these custom signs to a new level of creativity.

Two creative bedroom door custom engraved signs that were drawn by kids.

The boys drew both of these signs entirely by hand! Once the drawings were complete, a little bit of clean up was necessary. By tracing the lines with a permanent marker, the lines became clearer and sharper so that it was easier to engrave into an actual door sign.

As no other adjustments were made other than the tracing, these signs can be customized to meet any bit of creativity. Just sit down with a pencil and eraser and have at it! While these drawings are the musings of preteen boys, it isn’t a project limited to just a child. Make a sign for an adult’s room, the laundry room or even your garage door.

Each custom sign created this way must go through a particular process. We started with a plain, white piece of paper and trimmed it to the size of the sign we wanted. The children then drew away with a pencil and had an eraser handy for correcting. Once the child finished their artwork, a parent used a black permanent marker to trace the drawing onto a new, cut to size, blank, white paper (to turn the design into a digital format). If you would like to attempt such a project, please call for more information before submitting an order.

They hung these signs with a strong, double-sided tape. Other fastener options include magnetic tape and Velcro. But, no matter what adhesive is your choice, these fun and unique signs are sure to be a hit with your child. And remember that when making a custom sign, being creative is the name of this game!

Deluxe Magnetic Fastener Benefits

A magnetic fastener holds everything in place!

Not all fasteners are created equal. As our most popular fastener choice, the deluxe magnetic fastener is an excellent choice for almost every name tag!

This magnet fastener consists of two parts: a metal plate with indentations and a plastic bar that holds two strong magnets. The plate holds the magnet in place and adheres to the back of most name tags. And the bar holds everything together and in place through multiple layers of clothing.

Our deluxe magnetic fastener is the highest quality fastener available.

The strong magnets attach easily, even through thick clothing, while preventing holes and clothing damage. Among the many fastener types offered, the deluxe magnets are best for wearing with professional clothing as they do not leave holes. Something to consider when ordering name tags for your company is that these fasteners work great on loose clothing or expensive fabrics. Unlike pins, they do not leave holes or snag on softer pieces.

Magnets also give employees the opportunity to wear a single name tag with different uniforms or clothing choices. Wear one on a shirt collar or pocket. Try one on a jacket or suit coat. Wherever is most convenient to wear it, a magnetic fastener will make sure that a name tag is instantly visible.

We offer two choices for magnets. We have them available with or without our logo to match your needs and style.

And, there will never be another worry about losing a name tag. These magnets are strong enough to ensure all day wear without any damage to your clothing.

Remember, your fastener choice will impact the name tag’s appearance, so choose carefully. Don’t make this decision too quickly. Make sure to weigh all possibilities before adding a fastener to your order. (Including to remember never to use magnets with a pacemaker.)

Donations, Tattoos and Hope

We know that our customers are fantastic!

Coller Industries feels confident in our mission to be your go-to specialist for all personal identification needs. But do you know how much we care about our customers? Part of caring means giving back, not only to our local community but all of our customers. We do this by giving donations of our goods to those in need. And we are happy to announce that we’re at it again!

This week’s donations go to:

Atlanta Redemption Ink, Inc. is a non-profit organization. Their mission is to restore dignity to survivors who have scars/tattoos from exploitation, trauma & abuse. Our heart is to change marks of hurt & turn them into depictions of hope and recovery.

Jessica Lamb, Founder and Director at Atlanta Redemption Ink, said, “Our heart is to see hope prevail through the survivor. Being a survivor myself, I have seen God change my life. It’s an honor to be on the front lines daily helping pull others out of the places I have been.”

“We aim to help minors and women who have brandings from trafficking and gangs have them removed by a board certified removal specialist or re worked into something beautiful that depicts freedom from being marked as property,” stated Lamb.

Atlanta Redemption Ink is a company that is, “compassionate, strong and brave,” says Lamb.

We are not a tattoo shop. However, we partner with reputable, board certified removal doctors and tattoo artists to restore dignity to trauma survivors from abuse.

Atlanta Redemption Ink received a UV logo name tag.

A UV color logo is a full-color printing process which allows for quality, high-resolution images with bright colors and gradients. UV color is one of our most popular printing methods used for name tags. And, adding a logo to a name tag emphasizes the professional side of your business.

“This name tag helps when we go to speaking engagements. And, it helps at awareness rallies to identify who we are, etc.,” said Lamb.

We are grateful for Atlanta Redemption Ink, Inc. and other such organizations. All of our donations are sincerely something that helps us stand out from our competition.

Personal Identification Reinvented

Name tags and other identification products are in our lives to stay, no matter what we think of them.

Most professions these days make you wear or use a personal identification product. From name tags to name plates and even lanyards and ribbons, these items are becoming more and more popular in the workplace. And with that popularity comes the opposition of using these standard tools.

So, how can you, as an employer, make them a bit more bearable for those that you require to use them? Let’s take a moment and reinvent this usage.

First and foremost, a definition needs to be provided for why you are using personal identification products.

What is your primary purpose for using these tools? Are you looking to provide company branding or making your employees more visible to your customers? There are several different ways to use identification. Office security, quick acknowledgment of employees, and office/desk labels are among the top reasons.

A couple lesser known, albeit not lower in value, reasons are for identifying an individual for a job well done or to make it easier to remember someone’s name and their face simultaneously. But, no matter what the goal of this personal identification, there is always a way to make it better.

The second step in reinventing this tool is to make it appeal to those who have to wear it.

Make it flashy, but not so flashy that it’s an embarrassment to put on a name tag. Add a logo and some fun colors to make a name tag pop. Or add a title to a name plate to make someone feel a bit more important in your office.

Remembering the primary reason for personal identification will aid in making this second step easier. Once you put the required information onto a name tag, don’t forget the flair. Make it unique to your company or exclusive to the person wearing it. But keep them in mind when considering your design techniques.

The final step is involvement.

Keep your employees in the loop as to why they are being required to wear or use personal identification. While “it is part of your uniform” is a good reason, it isn’t the only reason. Make sure to communicate the importance of what that name tag means. Keep them informed, and they will be happier to continue to wear their name tags!

So, name tags, they are here to stay, and it’s your job to help others to see why they are so important!