Tough Uniforms for Tough Workplaces
When designing uniforms for a specialised and physically demanding work environment – as in the case of warehousing, distribution, construction or manufacturing – you must consider both the needs of your company and the needs of your employees.
A well-dressed team will be comfortable, efficient and positive representatives of your brand, and their uniform needs to be as tough and hardworking as they are – but that’s not as straightforward to achieve as you might think. Here is a short check list of considerations if you are embarking on your industrial uniforms design journey.
In Industrial Uniforms, Comfort is Key
No employee is performing at peak when they are uncomfortable. Clothing that is too tight, loose, itchy or ill-fitting is a huge hindrance in physically demanding jobs such as in warehousing. How temperate is their workplace?
Providing both cold and warm weather options mean your employees stay happy year-round. Check out our range of breathable workwear polos and our cold-weather Hi Vis outerwear.
Furthermore, comfort is more than just fabric choice and temperatures. A diverse team can contain people from a variety of cultural & religious backgrounds, and include a multiplicity of gender identities. It is important that your uniform policy reflects this diversity.
You can offer options such as long sleeves and long pants, as well as men’s, women’s, and unisex garments. Providing your staff with the right garments means understanding their needs, and so you should consult with them on their preferences.
Safety First
The safety of your staff is of the highest priority. This means you need to make sure your uniform meets the proper safety specifications for your industry. Including branded hi-vis garments ensure that your employees are always site-ready and safe, whilst remaining professional.
Taking into consideration on-the-job hazards means avoiding any potential accidents. For example, a long tie-belt or unnecessary loops or embellishments in industrial uniforms have the potential to get caught on machinery. Check out our range of Hi Vis Polos, shirts, and jackets here.
Industrial Uniforms Still Require Branding & Professionalism
At work, your employees become your brand ambassadors. They should always look presentable and on brand, to boost morale and maintain professionalism in front of customers or visitors. In other words, their uniform should look good, which all comes down to design choices. The colours you choose should be complementary to your brand colour palette, and your logo will be more easily recognized if it is in high contrast to the garment colour.
For instance, Lion Co. offered their industrial team a range of hi vis options that fulfilled the necessary safety requirements, whilst also ensuring a cohesive and professional look. They swapped out the Golden Lion logo for a navy version that stood out against the orange, keeping their branding clear and prominent. Read more about the Lion Co. uniform design journey here.
Another consideration is fabric: looking sharp and presentable can come down to how fresh a particular garment looks. Specific fabric choices can improve breathability, reduce fading and decrease the need for ironing or dry cleaning, maintaining your team’s image and brand integrity with minimal effort on their part.
Uniform Durability
Speaking of fabric choice, this also has a huge impact on the durability of industrial uniforms. We mentioned fading before, but also consider general wear and tear – how long will a fabric last? No one is dressing tradies in fine silks, but consider what their specific job might need to prioritize. Durability? Breathability? Stain resistance? How many multiples of each garment will you be offering your employees?
Quality fabrics will keep your teams’ uniforms in good shape for a long time, without needing constant replacements.
What Next?
Designing a uniform might seem like a straightforward process; a matter of simply putting a logo on a shirt and calling it a day. The above list of detailed considerations demonstrates otherwise. Creating your uniform can be a deceptively tricky process – Total Image Group is here to uncomplicate it.
We’re the uniform experts, and we can guide you through every step of your uniform design journey.
Book in a consultation call
Do you need help working out the best uniform range for you and your business? We can help! To ensure we direct you to the best person in our team to discuss your requirements – whether your uniform and promotional needs are now or in the future – let’s learn a bit more about you. We look forward to speaking soon!
