PHILADELPHIA — Chestnut Hill, the newest and one of the most innovative collections of men's and women's sportswear, is poised to change the wholesale apparel industry forever, say officials of leading industry supplier Broder Bros. Nothing less than revolutionary, they add, this collection introduces a “Best in Business” category that sets a whole new standard of excellence by offering products that embody quality, innovation and great prices to rival and surpass such retail brands as Lands' End, Brooks Brothers and Ralph Lauren.

Created as a true lifestyle product, Chestnut Hill is the first brand of its type to enter the corporate apparel market. It features three bests in corporate clothing — cotton polos, spillproof wovens and luxury outerwear — with an uncompromising attention to even the smallest of details, leading the way.

The collection features a line of revolutionary cotton polos that won't shrink, fade, curl or pill. The Performance Plus Pique Polo from Chestnut Hill feels fantastic on day one and still looks new after 20 washes, all from a unique “dip and heat” process. While it takes 12 minutes to make the typical polo, Chestnut Hill spends 16 hours building its Performance Plus Polo. Each is constructed from 100% fine-gauge combed cotton knit with a smooth jersey inside and a soft pique outside, and the style is offered in 22 colors in sizes S-4XL in men's and S-2XL in women's.

For wovens, Chestnut Hill is offering a breakthrough — spillproof, wrinkle-free oxfords and twills that look as great as they function. Each combed cotton yarn is treated with Teflon before the shirt is woven, so the wrinkle and stain resistance is built in, not sprayed on, to make each one soft, breathable and inviting.

The outerwear offerings from Chestnut Hill feature a low-nap microfleece crafted from ultra-lightweight, high-density premium microfiber and sheared short to create a velvety garment that's just as warm as standard fleece — without the bulk, weight, or pilling of the average product. Plus, these microfiber jackets feel suede-soft, repel wind, water and are completely washable.

“Chestnut Hill was created out of our desire to offer the end user something they can't get anywhere else in the industry,” said Scott Lenz, VP of Marketing for Broder and the Chestnut Hill brand. “It's about garment reliability, value and exceptional fit. We've created an innovative take on contemporary styling, and that means we can better help our customers give their customers exactly what they want.”

Broder is one of the nation's largest wholesalers of imprintable apparel. Founded in 1919 it currently has 10 distribution centers across the U.S. and has the capability to deliver to approximately 80% of the U.S. population in one day. Broder also distributes leading brands such as Nike Golf, Great Republic, Perry Ellis, Weatherproof and Desert Wash.

New in the line for 2005 is Great Republic, a hot collection the company says is “for independent thinkers.” The line is being billed as a truly unique lifestyle brand that delivers part prep school and rebellious spirit, and truly embodies life without boundaries.