Providing branded workwear to your employees is a great way to show them you care about their health and safety. It also allows staff to be easily identified in case of an emergency.
Patagonia has classic pieces like jeans and hoodies, but the brand also has fun new styles for the office. Club Monaco has sophisticated but not dowdy clothes for women, with good options for petite and tall sizes.
1. Safety
Safety measures are a key part of most industries and many workplaces, particularly in the industrial sector, have strict safety guidelines that must be adhered to. These measures include everything from risk assessments to providing the right PPE and safety workwear for an individual’s needs. A reputable supplier should have a thorough understanding of the requirements of a particular industry to provide a suitable range of garments that help ensure compliance.
In addition to ensuring that the correct clothing is available, they should also make sure that it fits well and feels comfortable to wear. If an employee is uncomfortable or can’t move freely in their workwear, they will be much more likely to remove it or not wear it as recommended. This could lead to injury and could potentially result in fines from health and safety organizations.
Another way that they can ensure safety is by supplying the correct fabric for each type of workwear. This is important as it will affect how well the garments are able to function. For example, a FR shirt might require a particular wash cycle to protect the worker against flames and heat, while other garments may need to be electrostatic dissipative to prevent static charge build-up.
2. Comfort
Whether you work outdoors or in an office, having comfortable clothing at work is vital for keeping you productive. This includes pants and shirts, but also jackets and hats. You can find a lot of options to help keep you comfortable, including FR fabrics that flex with movement and a variety of different styles.
Some workwear brands take comfort a step further and make pieces that you can wear outside of the workplace, too. For example, maternity workwear brand A Pea in the Pod has plenty of stylish choices for expecting mamas to get through nine months without compromising on fit or quality.
The brand’s puff sleeves and French terry fabric blends are reminiscent of J.Crew, but the brand offers petite sizing and regular sales to make its clothes more affordable. Other brands like & Other Stories offer more fashion-forward designs and styles that are versatile enough to wear for both work and the weekend. A brand like Banana Republic is also worth a look, as it has a more sophisticated and elegant approach to women’s workwear.
3. Brand Recognition
Having your company logo printed onto workwear clothing is a cost effective form of advertising. Embroidered or sealed onto clothing your team wears every day, it will be seen by all the people you work with, potential clients and anyone else who visits your business.
Providing your employees with branded workwear is also an excellent way to help them feel more connected to the organization they represent. This helps them to act as brand ambassadors and communicate the values of the brand to clients, customers and potential hires.
Companies often refresh their workwear uniforms in line with larger brand changes. This is sometimes known as a ‘Big Bang’ uniform rebrand, and involves rolling out new workwear all at once.
New DTC brands like Brunt Workwear and Truewerk are introducing fresh designs to the workwear category. While the industry may not be as’sexy’ as other DTC categories, it is a niche that has been long underserved. Brunt Workwear’s products thwart fashion trends and are designed to be worn all year round. The company hopes that will give it a competitive advantage.
4. Accountability
Purchasing workwear with care will have a lower impact on the environment. This is especially true when you buy from a company that is both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified, which demonstrates a commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices and measurable environmental performance. The right sizing and specification will also help reduce waste, as garments that are ill-fitting or not suitable for use will be discarded prematurely, which is bad for the environment as it increases energy consumption, water usage and creates microplastic fibres that end up in the ocean.
A number of bills aimed at improving sustainability in the fashion industry have been proposed this year. The FABRIC Act, for example, would encourage brands to bring their garment production back to the United States through a 30 percent reshoring tax credit.
Retailers can also nudge consumers toward in-store returns by creating and promoting third-party drop-off locations, executing home pickups in densely populated areas, or striking agreements with other retailers, like Nordstrom-owned Rent the Runway locations and Whole Foods stores. This will reduce shipping costs and return times, boosting the likelihood that a returned garment will be restocked in the store.
5. Marketing
The fashion industry is constantly changing, and with that comes new challenges. To survive, brands need to adopt the latest marketing measures and strategies. Here are some ways to implement them for your online clothing store:
Pop-ups are a great way to build brand awareness and get feedback on products. They can also help you reach higher MOQs, resulting in lower prices for your customers. You can advertise your upcoming events on social media, and invite your customers to attend. This will give them an incentive to buy your clothing.
In addition to social media, email is a key tool for online fashion brands. Email campaigns can be used to nurture new customers and drive conversions. Some examples of effective email campaigns include welcome, anniversary, and cart recovery emails.
Workwear Industry participants are developing innovative technologies in order to meet the growing demand for creative workwear. Carhartt Inc, for example, recently received a patent for its Full Swing technology. This technique improves the range of motion in outerwear garments by incorporating a stretchable back layer that is concealed.