Beginning this week, orders made at the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) online store will be fulfilled by new vendor, Land's End. The move comes after several months of concerns with DPH's previous vendor, which struggled to accept and fulfill orders due to "significant and lasting" inventory issues according to DPH Director of Communications Ryan Deal.

"We catalogued complaints ranging from product back-orders to difficulty in maneuverability of the vendor's website," Deal said. "The vendor fell far short of our expectations and last week we selected a new vendor which we believe can meet our demand for quality products."

DPH is now partnering with Lands' End to offer high quality, consumer-trusted merchandise including DPH-branded polos, hats and fleece jackets, among other items. The online store can be accessed at dph.ga.gov/store.

"A major factor influencing the high demand for DPH-branded apparel is the ability of DPH staff to wear the offered apparel at work," Deal said. "It's perfectly acceptable for everyday, business-casual attire."

"There's a lot of pride in what we do every day across the state of Georgia," said Ginny Jacobs, the department's senior graphics designer who digitally transformed the brand logo from a pencil sketch. "Like anyone, anywhere, our teams tell us they want a way to wear that pride."

A percentage of each sale with the previous vendor had been placed in a fund aimed at recognizing employee achievement in the future. While the department will no longer build this account through branded merchandise sales, Deal says his team will explore new ways to reward employees.

"Demand for DPH-branded clothing has been almost contagious," Deal said. "We're confident we can meet that demand now with our new vendor."

-Story by DPH Communications