Things you need to keep in mind when choosing corporate workwear.
Corporate workwear is the clothing that employees or staff wear daily to work. It can be defined as the actual uniform specified by companies or brands. Corporate workwear is very diverse. It can have printed logos or embroidered logos. It can also have a message written on it. Uniforms can be designed in a variety of ways. They can be casual, and they can be strictly professional. The options and choices are endless.
We have curated a guide to help you navigate through the process of choosing workwear for your employees. Our guide will help you out no matter what you choose as your brand’s uniform. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when designing corporate workwear.
Practicality
You need to keep in mind whether your employees will be able to carry out their daily tasks when wearing the uniform. So, before you move on to the fun and exciting stuff, including the colour scheme, and logo design you need to consider the uniform’s practicality and whether they will be a hindrance for your employees?
It is your responsibility as the employer to make sure that your employees get all the essentials they need, and you are also responsible for PPE and management of safety wear. Any wrong decision can put your employees at risk of illness or injury.
Keep in mind that your workers need to be able to do their job without feeling uncomfortable. Research has proven that practical and comfortable uniforms have direct positive effects on mental health and make people prideful about the way they think about their workplace.
Logo Size & Location
If you want a specific logo on the workwear you need to decide how prominent you want it to be. Decide on the design of the logo and the garment and where do you want to place it. These options can be influenced by the type of garment. You can place the logo on the left side of the shirt or the right side, left arm, right arm, right leg, left leg, or the nape of the neck.
When making all the above-mentioned decisions you also need to bear in mind that different types of PPE and workwear have different branding areas with different sizes and levels of difficulty when it comes to printing and embroidery.
Logo Colour & Complexity
Once you know where you want your logo and what size should it be, you need to consider how easy or difficult is your logo going to be to work with, and whether it requires a single colour or a combination of colours.
Brainstorm ideas and decide what different elements do you want in your logo. Your logo will play a big role in your brand messaging. So, in the light of that, decide if you want any additional promotional messages to be on your employees’ workwear.
Product Sizes & Quantities
You also need to keep the size and quantity of the uniform in consideration and decide if you want to store some spare stock. It is better to organise a stock take before you place your order with any supplier. Make a list of every corporate uniform item you need and also include the stock levels you need.
It would be easier to do this if you keep a detailed inventory to help you break down the stock by size. This way you can have a clear estimate of what you already have and what you need and how many of each item you will need. You will also have to ask your employees what sizes they need and make a record of it to integrate it into your ordering procedure.
Fabric Choice
Fabric is a very crucial element in corporate workwear. When deciding to order a uniform, make sure that it looks professional and fits the job description. Depending on the type of work you do, keep the safety and health regulations in mind. If you specialise in heavy-duty work, then you will have to look at clothing options that can bear harsh conditions, such as reduced visibility, heat, rain, cold weather, and flames. You can even have the logo embroidered using fire-resistant thread.
If the above-mentioned conditions do not apply to your work, then you can just focus on the care, durability, and comfort of the fabric, so the corporate workwear you design does not negatively affect your staff’s productivity and morale.
For starters, if you want to design polo shirts and t-shirts, then cotton is a good choice. Choose moisture-wicking fabric if your employees are required to work in a hot environment. If presentation is vital for you, then go for polyester because it has wrinkle-resistant properties.
Budget
We can’t deny the fact that workwear has a key role in your company’s image and branding. Where it is crucial to invest in long-lasting and high-quality uniforms, it is also equally important to consider your budget and how much you can afford to invest.
Of course, you will have to make a substantial initial investment, but you also need to plan for the future. You will have to budget the probability of expanding and taking on new starters beforehand.
Select only the absolute necessary items you need, to design workwear, and if needed you can draw extra budget from other departments to cover the initial investment. Once you know how much you will have to spend you can make a budget accordingly.
Branding Service
You will also have to make a decision about the method you want to design the uniforms. What do you need? Embroidery, transfer printing, digital printing, or screen printing? The costs and the time will vary with each.
Embroidery
- You can embroider up to 14 different colours in your design.
- The freedom to choose from over 1000 threads.
- It works well with the majority of bags, shoes, and clothes.
Transfer Printing
- Transfer printing can work with full-colour CMYK on any size of the order.
- It is fit for medium and small-sized orders.
- It is perfect for individually named garments and print areas that are tough to access.
Digital Printing
- Choose this method if you want to order lower quantities.
- Works well on sweatshirts, t-shirts, and hoodies.
- It is ideal for colourful, detailed, and complex designs.
Screen Printing
- Screen printing does not fade with time.
- The minimum order that you can place varies from service to service.
- It delivers the most vibrant designs and colours.
Ask for Your Employees’ Opinion
Your employees are the ones who will eventually wear the uniform you design for them. So it is very important that you consider their opinion and ask them what they want. Let them tell you what kind of styles, colours, and other factors they would like in their workwear. This way they will not only feel included but will also be more satisfied with the final output.
Choose the Best
Instead of going for a cheap option that won’t last long, it is better to invest in something expensive that lasts long and feels comfortable. When considering corporate workwear, make good quality materials your first priority and pick materials that appear stylish but are also finely tailored. The workwear should give the impression of professionalism whenever someone sees your employees wearing their uniforms.
On a related note, do not compromise on the quality either. Do not make an appearance and style your only focus. Choose the best fabric. Choose cotton for comfort and softness, go for polyester for less wrinkling and shrinkage, chose canvas for durability and a rugged look, quilt for insulation and warmth, and twill for tradespeople.
Conclusion
So, pick the highest quality and select what quality corporate workwear that best represents your business. You can make the uniform as diverse as you want, or you can make the same workwear for everyone.
The best way to deal with this is to choose only the most necessary items you need and try to save as much as you can to, so you can spend and budget your money for future use. If it helps, you can make a list of the elements you need and all the factors that you need to consider. And then work accordingly. Best of luck!
