A uniform does something very specific. It tells a customer, before anybody speaks, that the person in front of them belongs there and knows what they are doing.
That is worth a great deal, and it is surprisingly easy to get wrong.
START WITH WHO IS WEARING IT AND WHERE
The single most common mistake is buying one garment for everybody. A receptionist, a sales rep and a technician in a workshop have completely different needs.
- Office and reception: smart shirts or blouses, comfortable all day indoors
- Client facing and sales: golf shirts or branded jackets, smart but not stiff
- Workshop and on site: hard wearing cotton or poly cotton that survives heat and washing
- Outdoor teams: breathable fabrics and something warm for early mornings
Our workwear and uniforms page covers each of these in more detail.
BUILD A RANGE, NOT A SINGLE ITEM
The most successful uniform programmes have three or four pieces that work together. A golf shirt, a long sleeve shirt, a fleece or softshell, and a cap.
Staff pick what suits the day and the weather, everyone still matches, and nobody ends up wearing their own jacket over the branded shirt in winter, which quietly undoes the whole thing.
CHOOSE THE BRANDING METHOD FOR THE LIFE OF THE GARMENT
Uniforms get washed constantly, and that is where cheap branding fails.
Embroidery is the standard for corporate wear because it survives everything and looks considered. Screen printing works well for larger designs on bulk items. Avoid vinyl on anything that will be washed several times a week at high temperature.
GET THE SIZING RIGHT
This is where uniform rollouts go wrong in practice. Order a sizing set and let people try garments on before you place the main order.
Different brands fit very differently, a ladies cut is not a smaller men’s cut, and a staff member in an uncomfortable shirt will stop wearing it within a month.
PLAN FOR THE SECOND ORDER ON DAY ONE
You will hire people. Garments will get damaged. Someone will change size.
Choose a garment range that will still be available in a year, write down the exact style codes, colours and branding positions, and keep a few spares in common sizes. It sounds obvious and almost nobody does it.
WRITE DOWN THE RULES
Which shirt on which day, what is acceptable underneath, who pays for replacements, and what happens when someone leaves. A one page document prevents most uniform arguments.
WHAT IT ACTUALLY BUYS YOU
Customers identify your staff immediately. Your team looks like a team. Your brand is visible every time someone goes to a client site, a supplier or the shops at lunchtime.
For a business with ten staff, that is a lot of brand exposure for a one off cost. Talk to us about putting a range together for your team.