Omega Apparel Incorporated has announced a new brand called “Authentically American”
The official launch date is Veteran’s Day, Friday, November 11th.
“Launching on Veteran’s Day holds special significance,” Dean Wegner, President and CEO of Omega Apparel told WJLE. Wegner, a 1993 graduate of West Point and a 7-year Army helicopter pilot and Army Ranger veteran, acquired Omega Apparel in 2012.
“The Authentically American brand is grounded in 3 promises that encompass the essence of our brand: Authentically Made (stamped to certify 100% Made in USA), Authentically Patriotic (10% of each purchase will be donated to fund scholarships for children of military veterans), and Authentically You (each purchase supports job creation and rebuilding the US Apparel Industry).
“Phase I of our brand launch will include men, women, and items for children branded with a “stamp” logo and a vintage American flag logo. The lineup will consist of tees, hoodies, hats, and accessories, which our supporters can wear every day. Phase II of Authentically American will be a military inspired ready to wear collection. Every garment will have a unique story to tell. There will be subtle design elements integrated into each and every garment that will link back to a specific military uniform in US history,” said Wegner
“Our products are not just “designed” or “assembled” in the US, they are actually “made” in America. With our Authentically American Brand, the “stamp” logo is a visual representation that our items are genuinely Made in USA. Our parent company is headquartered in Nashville. In the spirit of transparency, we purposefully placed a large window in the reception area that looks directly onto the production floor. We desire for every visitor to experience first-hand that apparel production is actually taking place in the US and Authentically American is the real deal,” Wegner continued.
“In the same spirit of transparency, we emphasize that 10% of each purchase is donated to fund scholarships for the children of military veterans. We intentionally chose to tie our donation to sales and NOT profits. There are too many accounting games that can be played and profits can be manipulated. We want supporters of our Authentically American brand to be assured that 10% of every single purchase is going to support our American Heroes. Our parent company has a 22-year history of serving the US Military as a leading producer of dress uniforms. It is only fitting that we chose education and supporting the next generation of American Heroes as the cause we support at Authentically American. The scholarship program is administered by International Scholarship and Tuition Services, Inc. (ISTS), a leading scholarship administration firm that is also based in Nashville,” added Wegner.
“The history of the US Apparel Industry is astonishing. 30-years ago, roughly 75% of the apparel in the US was still made in the US. As recently as 20-years ago, roughly 50% of the apparel in the US was still made stateside. Today, would you believe that percentage is all the way down to 2.5%? It is astonishing to consider that over the last 20-30 years, an entire US industry and hundreds of thousands of American jobs were lost to cheap overseas labor. Today, there is a growing sentiment in America to change that trend. When you purchase Authentically American, you can proudly proclaim that your purchase is helping to create American jobs and rebuild the US Apparel Industry. Our vintage American flag logo is a visual representation of the growing sentiment in America that we aspire to rebuild a strong manufacturing base in the USA,” Wegner concluded.
You can take advantage of an 11% discount now in honor of Veteran’s Day by visiting http://www.authenticallyamerican.co/ and entering the code WJLE. The discount on the new line is available through Nov. 10.
Founded in 1994, Omega Apparel Incorporated is the #1 supplier of dress trousers, slacks, and skirts for the US Military. For twenty years the Smithville based manufacturing company had just one customer, the U.S. Military. Today, in addition to supplying dress trousers, slacks, and skirts for the nation’s men and women in uniform , Omega is doing business with dozens of other clients producing almost everything from oxford shirts and satin robes, to bullet proof vests. Recent clients include Nashville bridal designer Olia Zavozina and actress Reese Witherspoon, who has a clothing line, Draper James. Omega now operates a production and design facility in Nashville as well as Smithville.
Archived News & Obituaries