The decision last month by lifestyle footwear supplier Skechers to enter the uniform market with a line of branded medical apparel is yet the latest announcement by a string of companies who view the uniform industry as ripe for profit. Scoffing at the notion of retrenchment, these newcomers are tapping niche markets, breaking boundaries, racking up sales and making a name for themselves during one of the toughest economies in recent memory. They, and others like them, are the upside of a down economy, and they are making big plans to better position themselves once economic recovery takes hold.

Who are they? Too numerous to name in one article, we've profiled a couple below:

Reviving a Dying Trade: Cape Clogs

"This is the best time to start a company," Cape Clogs founder Pamela Irving emphatically says. "If you can run a business in tough times, you can excel in good ones."

Started in 2006, Cape Clogs is a leading privately held designer, distributor and marketer of fashion forward Swedish clogs that exudes personality and youthful energy with vivid signature prints. Based on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the company offers a wide range of clogs for men, women and children in the work and lifestyles categories. It has established sales distribution in traditional footwear channels, including independent boutiques, sporting good stores and as of February, 2009, the medical apparel industry.

Optimism notwithstanding, expanding a business in the middle of a meltdown presents a unique set of challenges. "Being in a niche market helps," notes Irving when pressed about the timing.

Selling to a market where jobs are still plentiful is also a plus, as is being in a segment where distinctiveness trumps conformity. Eschewing the traditions of the blue goods industry and its penchant for sameness, the medical apparel market puts the emphasis on the tastes of the wearer, a trait perfectly suited to the vibrant designs found in the Cape Clogs' product line. "Our clogs are very colorful, and that makes people happy," says Irving. "If you want to express yourself while at work, we have a pattern for any personality out there."