Tips on choosing the best workwear for you and your team

Helly Hanse Merino Base Layers ReviewWhether you’re responsible for ensuring your team has the right uniform, you’re searching for the most suitable PPE workwear, or you’re simply looking for workwear for yourself, the ranges now available can make the entire process daunting.  

Corporate uniforms, however, are areas that are growing increasingly in popularity. Seen to help provide consistency of brand, with a company being able to protect and promote their image and reputation further. 

However, there are pros and cons to bespoke corporate clothing, and, in this post, we look at these in further detail and give more information on how best to choose the most suitable workwear for your teams. 

Bespoke Uniforms 

Bespoke uniforms are simply another way of saying custom-made or made to order clothing. 

Ultimately clothing that is unique to you. 

Designed to your specifications, bespoke uniforms are manufactured specifically to meet your requirements. 

Typically, workwear is selected from Active Workwear, and then depending on the item you are ordering, you can then add personalised extras such as company logos, embellishments, etc. 

Offering you the ideal opportunity to boost your business branding. And because of the full range of workwear available (in particular our most popular Helly Hansen Workwear ranges), you have a choice of colours, flexible branding, personalisation option, and more, making the possibilities endless. 

But, how do you know if the custom made uniform is right for you? 

Benefits of bespoke uniforms: 

First and foremost, a bespoke uniform helps to set you apart and stand out from the crowd. You have the opportunity to be more creative, creating a strong visual impact of your business. 

Standardised uniforms can also be designed to meet your requirements/specifications, and in this sense, you have control. You can consider functionality, staff preference, varying job roles, etc. where sometimes off the shelf clothing won’t do. 

Another benefit of bespoke uniforms is the stock is always yours. Workwear suppliers often stock extra items of your workwear, which can be called off when and as you need them, meaning you’re not hanging around or starting from scratch with long lead times. 

It also removes the chances of your competitors opting for the same workwear! 

Bespoke uniforms can also boost staff morale, as everyone is the same. 

It also shows that as an employer, you care, and this, in turn, helps to simplify your uniform policy, helping you to specify precisely what is required uniform wise from your employees. 

However, there are some downsides to bespoke uniform, including: 

• You may be subject to minimum production quantities by your workwear supplier 
• You may experience longer manufacturing lead times 
• Bespoke costs more 
• Requires an investment from the whole company 
• Run the risk of stock running out 
• Risk of stock being wasted 

Guide to buying bespoke uniforms and avoiding the pitfalls 

• Understand why you want to create bespoke uniforms. What is it that you want to achieve? Brand awareness, improving your professional image, to stand out from your competitors, etc. 
• Know your requirements. Do you require different workwear for different job roles, for example? What functionality does the uniform have to offer, i.e., durability, protection levels, comfort, etc.? You’ll also need to consider indoor and outdoor wear, hot and cold weather, and manual vs. office work. 
• Work out your quantities. You need to know how many uniforms you’ll require. Considering staff allowances, new starters, leavers, garment life span, etc. (Be aware that workwear distributors will also require minimum quantities with bespoke uniforms. 
• Budget plays a significant role in decision making, and you need to know from the outset your level of investment. 
• Think about your design carefully. Make sure to work with your brand team or design agency, so your bespoke uniform perfectly represents your company. You will also need to work with your supplier to see what is feasible, as well as practical and cost-effective. 
• Create your full uniform checklist from the standard pieces that aren’t to be customised to those that are bespoke and unique. 
• From here, you can then go into production, knowing your quantities, sizes required, how many to order in your initial batch, what happens for future batches, lead times, expected delivery, etc.  (You must consider where excess stock will be held and how you will manage stock levels and more.) 
• Finally, it’s not just stock delivery that you need to consider. You also need to have a plan of action when it comes to how the uniform will be distributed to your teams and how you’ll manage returns/exchanges. 

Corporate workwear doesn’t have to be daunting; it just needs to be carefully thought through and planned to precision. 

Choosing a good workwear supplier 

When looking for the perfect workwear supplier, you need to make sure you carry out a few checks before jumping straight on board. Make sure to ask them an array of questions, check out their physical stock, what are their customer reviews like online, etc.? 

Some of the most important things to check when working with a new supplier include: 

• Their location. UK suppliers do tend to be easier to deal with as they can be on your doorstep if you have any problems or concerns. Make sure to check their address is real; however, and they can offer you a landline that works! 
• Do they supply the goods, or do they outsource the personalisation – it’s always worth checking. 
• Can they offer you a wide range of workwear suitable for a variety of different requirements? 
• Can they offer flexible terms and quantity orders, etc.? 
• Check out online reviews as well as their warranties, guarantees, and returns policies. 
• Do they offer a printing or embroidery service, and does this match with your requirements/expectations? 

Bespoke workwear has the power to boost brands, attract customers, motivate employees, and make your life easier. 

However, the budget and the size of your workforce can play a big role in your decision making. 

At Active workwear, we are the workwear supplier of choice for hundreds, if not thousands of companies. With a wide range of workwear options available, including the popular Helly Hansen, check out our catalogue online to see how you can get everything you need for your workforce, all under one online roof! 

Call 0113 256 7021 

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