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Struggling US Postal Service to launch new apparel line

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The United States Postal Service on Tuesday announced plans to launch a new product line of apparel and accessories.

The USPS product line will be sold under the brand name “Rain Heat & Snow,” a homage to the service’s unofficial motto, “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

USPS signed on with the apparel company Wahconah Group, Inc. to launch the product line, which will start off with men’s apparel and add a women’s line in the future.

“This agreement will put the Postal Service on the cutting edge of functional fashion,” Postal Service corporate licensing manager Steven Mills said in a statement. “The main focus will be to produce Rain Heat & Snow apparel and accessories using technology to create ‘smart apparel’ — also known as wearable electronics.”

In the press release announcing the move, USPS described the Wahconah Group as a Cleveland-based, minority-owned company.

“The Wahconah Group is excited to be working with the U.S. Postal Service in launching this all-weather line of clothing,” CEO Isaac Crawford said in a statement. “The products will build on the rich American history of this iconic brand, creating specialized apparel for consumers, at affordable prices, delivering something new and exciting that retailers can offer their customers.”

According to a report from The Washington Post, agency spokesman Roy Betts said the new line will include apparel and gear that will complement technology products, like iPods. Beginning in 2014, Betts said, the products will be available in department stores and specialty shops — not post offices.

Betts also told The Post that the new line is a way to boost the USPS brand and generate revenue for the notably struggling service.

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