NetWorks Issue 17: The Design Issue

What about Workwear?

Director of Image On, Neill Boatman, knows how to design the best workwear for your business needs.

Workwear makes an immediate statement about your business, it is part of your brand identity, it’s your business DNA.

Designing and choosing uniform can be an overwhelming task but by taking some simple elements into consideration, you can ensure your team have what they need, feel comfortable in and most importantly how your workwear influences the perception of your brand.

Industry Regulations

If you work in a specific industry, are there rules and regulations for uniforms in that industry? This is the first thing you should take into consideration when choosing a uniform. Your top priority for workwear should be safety and that your business is compliant.

Comfort

Comfort is key, employees should feel comfortable when they are working, they aren’t going to want to wear their uniforms if it doesn’t fit properly. Consider the climate and working conditions your employees will be in and choose an appropriate fabric. For example, if your employees work in a hot, humid environment, breathable, durable moisture-wicking fabrics, such as cotton or polyester, would be ideal.

Keep it Simple and look Professional

Uniforms should be kept simple to ensure your team look professional, with a clean, modern design. Avoid loud colours and designs on branded workwear, these can be distracting and unprofessional.

Colours

The colours of workwear should reflect your brand. choose a colour from your brand logo. However, make sure you consider how the workwear looks after a day at work. If your employees are working with messy substances, is a lighter colour really the best option?

Style

In addition to colours, the style of your workwear can also say a lot about your brand. Workwear style will also impact the way your customers perceive your employees, your business and your ultimately your brand. It may also be a consideration to have different employees in different workwear according to the do in the business Do you want your employees to look super professional (managers and office staff for example)? Or maybe a bit more casual and relaxed (hands on staff, trades, engineers etc?

Durability

You don’t want to be purchasing new uniforms more than is necessary, so durability of workwear is important to ensure they last as long as possible. Again, consider the roles your employees are carrying out and choose garments that durable. The quality and brand of the garments you choose will play a big part in durability, buying the cheapest you can get is usually a false economy as you will end up replacing your workwear more often than you need.

Adding a Company Logo or Emblem Workwear

Design is not complete without an embroidered or printed logo. Adding your logo to workwear will create a cohesive, professional image for your business. The design should be simple, easy to read and in a prominent position on your workwear. Using the ‘KISS’ principle (Keep it simple, stupid) will ensure maximum impact for you and your brand.

Embroidery or Print?

There can be a misconception over the best type of decoration in regard to quality and that embroidery is superior to print etc. That may have been the case in the past, however processes and technology have changed enormously, and the consideration now is what is more appropriate for the job you are doing and the fabric of the garments.

For example, with the quality and durability of print being far superior than in the past, using print onto lighter garments such as T shirts may be more suitable. Embroidery onto a heavier material such as Sweats, Softshell etc. is much more appropriate.

In addition you may want to vary the decoration according to the role employees play in your business, A combination of Embroidered logo to left breast with larger logos, website and telephone numbers printed to back for staff out in the field and embroidered logo to breast, sleeve and back yoke (neck area) for customer facing staff, management.

Get it right first time!

Designing your workwear requires careful consideration of the work you do, the fabric and fit of the uniforms, and the overall professional appearance. Follow these simple guidelines and you will create workwear that your employees will be proud to wear and that will reflect positively on your business.