But tough isn’t always enough. Given that much manual work is done outside, fabrics and features that protect from rain, hail and snow, as well as giving visibility to workers in exposed or potentially dangerous areas, are also key to many workwear items. Not only that, there are certain safety regulations regarding both durability and visibility that need to be considered by clothing suppliers to this market.

Specifically, we’re talking about protective outerwear such as trousers, jackets and coveralls, and hi-vis (high-visibility) outerwear – the type of garb you hope someone will be wearing if they’re coming to rescue you from a motorway roadside or to fix the burst water main outside your house.

History

Manual workwear has a long history and has had a hefty influence on modern fashion, particularly in menswear. In the mid-1800s, a certain German merchant called Levi Strauss began supplying jeans to the mining community in California’s gold rush. He cleverly patented the idea of using rivets to reinforce certain seams, so that his trousers could withstand the rigours of his customers’ tough working conditions. Fast forward to today, of course, and jeans are not so much a fashion success as a worldwide phenomenon – it’s estimated that the average American wardrobe contains seven pairs. Today, while denim is still worn by manual workers, more technical fabrics are now being favoured that are flame retardant, high-visibility and weatherproof.

The crossover from workwear into fashion hasn’t ended with jeans, however.Workwear brands such as Dickies and Carhartt are as popular in retail as they are in their capacity as functioning workwear.

Uses as promotional wear

The appearance of manual workwear is often key to a company’s image. Many people look to workers in hi-vis garments as a figure of responsibility, or at least take comfort that someone responsible is nearby. That said, the construction of garments is also important, as workwear must be tough, durable and strong – a little like its wearers perhaps?

Key markets for workwear items include:

Emergency staff

Uniforms for those in the emergency services – ambulance drivers, fire brigade and police force, plus roadside recovery workers, all of whom require hardwearing clothing with hi-vis options.

Labour workers

Building site workers, road workers, farm labourers, etc. Heavy duty work requires heavy duty clothing. Hi-vis clothing is needed by those working near oncoming traffic.

Other staff

Mechanics, plumbers, electricians, warehouse workers, on-site engineers, bus and train drivers, refuse collectors and airport workers all require protective clothing to a greater or lesser extent. Some, particularly those working in the transport industry, will require hi-vis options.

Employers are required to consider whether clothes still meet hi-vis requirements (see below) after they have been decorated, so it’s worth ensuring you’re both clear on what can and what can’t be decorated before you supply branded clothing to a customer.

STYLES

Definitely a case of substance over style (although the workwear-inspired crossover fashions are definitely the other way round). These are the types of clothing you can expect to supply for manual labour:

T-shirts/shirts

Tees and polos (see previous features for technical details) of the heavyweight kind, of course.

Jackets

Technical jackets, fleece and lightweight jackets are all potential workwear items (again, see previous features for technical details).

Coveralls

Coveralls are highly practical items of clothing for anyone working with machinery. They can be worn over a worker’s normal clothing, thus allowing the worker to wear his/her most comfortable clothing and ensure that it is protected from dirt and abrasion. As it’s all in one, there is also less risk of loose clothing catching in machinery. They’re also likely to have many pockets to keep screwdrivers, pens, etc.

Hard hats

Essential to those working in potentially unsafe environments, such as building sites. Hard hats are governed by EN 397 safety standards. The front of the hard hat can only be decorated with transfer materials approved by the manufacturer.

Trousers

Usually made with a tough cotton/polycotton twilllike weave, trousers can have a number of features to aid workers, such as extra pockets, hammer loops (a feature which has transferred into fashion retail styles) and knee pads (or pockets in which to insert pads).

Work shoes/boots

Features specific to workwear shoes and boots include 200 joule steel toe caps, and materials resistant to petrol, oil, chemicals and heat (such as up to 200°C). The EN 345 safety standard governs footwear safety in high risk environments. Styles range from a sturdy leather lace-up variety to a onepiece wellington boot style.

Gloves

Gloves may be required for a number of reasons, and have different properties depending on where and how they’ll be used. To protect hands from chemicals such as acids, hot oil or tar, a fully waterproof heavy duty PVC coating may be required. More generally protective gloves may be reinforced with leather panels on the palms and knuckles. Extra padding both for warmth and protection will be needed for outdoor workers, with knitted wrists to keep drafts out. Lastly, many workplaces use disposable rubber gloves, which allow maximum dexterity while keeping hands free from potential dirt and bacteria.

Hi-visibility clothing

Hi-vis clothing can take any form, but most commonly takes the form of a jacket, waistcoat or tabard that can be worn over existing clothing.

Hi-vis clothing for roadside workers is governed by EN 471 – European Standards for Hi-Visibility Clothing. These garments must carry the CE mark. There are three classes of conspicuity required, which depends on where the work is being carried out. Class one is where a waistband or harness is reflective; Class two is moderate coverage such as waistcoat with reflective ‘braces’ and horizontal stripes. Class 3 is full coverage. More information on the specifics of each class can be found online at this address: www.streetworks.fsnet.co.uk/en471.htm

Accessories

Sundries such as eye protectors and ear muffs may also be required for workwear.

FABRICS

Hardwearing, breathable fabrics are key, not only to withstand the tough demands whilst being worn, but also to withstand hot washes in order to get the dirt and grime of the day out. Cottons made with a polycotton mix and with a Teflon coating to the exterior are common, as is a thick weave, such as twill.

Hi-vis fabrics are highly technical. Polyester and cotton are normally coloured bright orange or yellow and coated with reflective strips. Scotchlite™ is a material that is made of millions of glass beads affixed to the surface. Each glass bead is covered with a metallic reflective layer, which gives it reflective properties.

Safety issues

“Certainly loose cords and laces and all hi-vis garments must conform to the EN Regulations applicable to the particular style of garment,” says Nigel Roden of BTC activewear. As already explained, hi-vis clothing is governed by CE EN 471, with three classes of conspicuity.

Some items are marked with the EN 343 standard, which indicates that the product meets the high CE standards for tear resistance, thermal resistance, tensile strength, waterproofness and breathability.

The leaflet ‘A short guide to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992’ can be downloaded from here: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/leaflets.htm

And a very useful summary of EU safety standards can be found here: www.safety-clothes.co.uk/ce_european.php

Price points

As with other sectors of the clothing industry, factors that may affect price include:

• Style and special features: additional tailoring and extra features; safety features and clothes that meet specific safety standards.
• Fabric: coated fabrics and technical fabrics will add to cost, as will hi-vis features
• Size and quantity: as usual, larger sizes tend to cost more than smaller sizes and larger orders benefit from a lower unit price compared with smaller orders.

With clothing this functional, the trend can only be towards greater performing fabrics and styles. Obviously, fabrics that can offer high protection while being lightweight and breathable offer the ultimate combination. With regards hi-vis items, suppliers BTC activewear report a trend toward multi-colour hi-vis options.

Sizing

Tabards and some hi-vis items tend to be one size only. Other garments, including hi-vis, come in the usual S, M, L, XL or more combinations. Trousers tend to be sized by the waist measurement. Accessories such as hardhats tend to be size-adjustable to the wearer.

Brands

Many brands supply polo shirts, T-shirts, jackets and trousers, many of which can be supplied to the workear market. Still more can supply bespoke clothing applicable to this market. The following brands, however, offer manual workwear specifically: (this list is by no means comprehensive):

Blue Max
Dickies
Regatta
RTY
Russell
Workwear
Safewear
Supertouch
Yoko

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