From customer service personnel to public servants and even medical professionals, staff uniforms are a commonplace in the working UK. All businesses, in one area or another, have at least one employee who is required to wear something that resembles a staff uniform – even if that person is a caretaker or a cafeteria server.
Customised staff uniforms and work outfits are a great way for businesses to promote their brand and foster a team environment. However, for those new to the idea of custom tailored work uniforms, the process may be challenging given all of the options available.
If you understand the value of uniforms that are unique to your company and have made the decision to represent your company with custom uniforms, here are a few tips to guide you along the way.
The ABC’s of custom staff uniforms
A) What type of fabric works best for you?
Depending on the amount of physical activity that your staff will perform in their day-to-day routines, fabric selection plays a crucial role. This means having to decide whether or not you want to go with cotton, polyester, nylon or some other fabric. It will also be important to factor in the temperature and environment that your staff most commonly works in. For example, people working outside may prefer cotton during warmer months. Although fabrics like polyester and nylon may look more presentable, they are often better suited for indoor, air conditioned environments. Even more important is the ability to easily clean the fabric – no one wants to be running to and from the dry cleaners on their off hours.
B) What is your company colour scheme?
This part of the process is typically the easiest and most enjoyable. However, you will want to resist the urge to get carried away and make sure that your chosen colours closely mimic that company branding. When choosing your logo or embroidery selecting a high contrast between the logo and clothing is wise. Some of the most popular colours include black, navy and white. White embroidery shows up the best on darker clothing. Regardless of what you select, make sure that the finished product is easily readable – especially from far away.
C) Do you prefer embroidery or screen print?
Embroidery is best reserved for smaller logos on the front a company shirt. However, if you want a larger or whole shirt design, screen printing is the way to go. It is commonplace for t-shirts to have the employees name embroidered on the front and to have a large, all-over, logo screen printed on the back. Golf or polo shirts, on the other hand, often have embroidered logos on the front. It really depends on the overall look that you are trying to achieve and, of course, your budget.
D) Don’t be afraid to get creative!
Companies regularly use their uniforms as another way to advertise big events or promotions. Do you have a special event or big sale coming up soon? Try screen printing advertisements about the event on the pack of specially made uniform shirts. You can also consider changing your team’s uniforms based on the seasons. For example, have darker colours for winter and lighter one for summer. Changing uniforms seasonally not only keeps customers engaged, it also provides opportunity for staff to have a wider selection of uniform instead of being restricted to wearing the same thing every day. Choosing custom uniforms doesn’t have to be challenging.
