When you are deciding on the best solution for your new workwear there are many things to consider. Read our 5 things to think about when selecting the best new uniform for your business:
1. Style
A lot of people come to us with some great ideas about how they want their workwear to look. Some want crazy colours, or different coloured stitching. Others want their logo in unconventional places – but this affects many things. Creating bespoke clothing is no problem and literally anything can be done but when you look at completely bespoke clothing there is usually a much longer lead time as these items are made completely from scratch and the costs are much higher due to this.
The other issue to think about is that if you suddenly decide you need a couple more items this may not be possible unless you order a large quantity again due to the bespoke customisations. Sometimes, less is more – think about items that are readily available and can be branded easily – this means if you wear through an item or take on new staff you can easily order more uniform in much lower quantities.
There’s a huge range of ‘off the shelf’ products in many styles and colours that you can use to create the right brand look without having to go bespoke.
2. Colour
Naturally you will want to choose your workwear in a colour that compliments your logo and brand. Most logos will have a standard version and a ‘reverse’ logo. Consider how this will look on your workwear. Is the colour available for each range of items? For example; if you want a purple polo shirt and also fleeces and jackets – make sure these also come in purple, or find a colour that will compliment these polos.When choosing the colour of your garments it is also important to think about the environment in which they will be worn/used. It’s no use deciding on all white t-shirts, polos and hoodies if you are working in a messy environment so perhaps opt for a darker colour.
Another thing to consider is heat – if you are working in heat or in a physical environment you don’t want sweat marks showing up easily. In this case avoid grey colours as these show up sweat the most!
3. Range Of Items
When selecting your new uniform think longer term. It could be the middle of Summer and you just want t-shirts and polos but think about the Winter; will you need something warmer like fleeces and hoodies? Will you need something waterproof if you are working outside? Or even hats etc?
Think about your staff. What environments are they working in? It is generally better to get a higher quality garment that feels nicer to wear and lasts longer. You know the saying ‘buy cheap, pay twice’ – when you wear your uniform you are showcasing your brand. You don’t want items that are a horrible cut/fit. If you like the idea of slim fit items, that is all well and good but also think about all the members in your team and whether they will feel comfortable or perhaps self-conscious when wearing them.
5. Artwork & Logo
Think about your branding – the style of your logo will sometimes depict the best way to decorate the garments, whether it is embroidery, vinyl, screen print etc. The garment will also determine which decoration method is to be used. For example, with fleeces the only way to really decorate is to embroider them. Vinyl or screen printing will not work due to the thick pile of the garment itself. Do you have a gradient or colour fade in your logo? This may not work with embroidery so perhaps consider another method or deciding on a solid colour for your uniform. Lots of businesses will modify their logo slightly for different applications of their brand – on a building they may have a different logo to their print/business cards. Likewise for their workwear and/or vehicle graphics.
Consider where the logo will go – is it just on the breast? Would you like a larger version on the back? Or a tagline? Or contact information? Sometimes the logo or a trade body logo will go on the sleeve, but this also depends on the garments.
