A couple of local golf-wear companies get the thumb’s up in Golf For Women’s July/August issue.
Cathy Blair of Sport Haley and Nancy Haley of Tehama are lauded as being among four of the top designers in the industry. We checked in with the companies to see what’s driving the women’s business right now. Blair, vice president merchandising and design at Sport Haley, says women want it all in their golf apparel. Performance is always a key element, but customers also “want something that is fun, good quality and offers value,” Blair says. In addition, “they’re buying pieces that are special, that might have metallic trims, crystal details or a faux-fur collar.”
Haley, CEO and co-founder of Tehama, agrees that women are looking for a variety of things in sport clothing. Some just want high-performance styles that they can wear “from the golf course to the grocery store,” while other women place a premium on high-tech fabrics that are moisture-wicking and antimicrobial. A third and growing part of Tehama’s business is in eco-friendly designs made from organic cotton, bamboo and cocona. “We’re mixing our technical fabrics and things like organic cotton to come up with fibers that are better in wicking moisture and that trap odors,” Haley says. The so-called green fabrics are something of a novelty now, but will “become the norm in the future. It’s just the way we’ll do business,” she says.
