The range of garments and PPE (personal protective equipment) worn in heavy industry is extremely diverse and manufactured from a variety of fabrics, requiring different decorating or embellishing processes. But many garment decorators will find they already have the embroidery, screen print and heat transfer technology for decorating industrial workwear fabrics, and therefore are equipped to exploit the potential for business growth that decorating industrial workwear can offer.

A change in conditions and clothing

The British climate is a major factor for considering supplying branded workwear to heavy industry. At the risk of stating the obvious, changes in the weather necessitates changes in clothing, which in turn affords the opportunity for garment decorators to provide a range of seasonal workwear. Workers in construction, for instance, will need a greater variety of clothing than workers from lighter industries where quite often a company's corporate clothing is made up entirely of the ubiquitous polo shirt

Jackets, bodywarmers, fleeces, foul weather clothing, coveralls and sweatshirts are widely worn by workers in heavy industry. And these garments generally carry corporate branding.

Then there is workwear that is required to meet with current Health and Safety legislation. This can take the form of high visibility garments conforming to the Safety at Street and Road Works Code of Practice. Once again there is a range of garments available to keep workers visible and safe whatever the time of year or weather conditions. But remember that high visibility clothing is designed for different situations and are classified accordingly. It is important that garment decorators are aware of this and stock garments with the correct classification for their target market.

EN471 Class 3 offers the highest level of protection and garments bearing this classification are suitable for wearing on all major roads that make up the Primary Route Network (PRN) and all other roads with a speed limit of 40mph or above.

EN471 Class 2 is the intermediate level of protection and is suitable for all other roads.

EN471 Class 1 provides the lowest level of protection and should be worn on off-road areas where vehicles only move slowly such as transport depots and construction sites. 

More specialist workwear in the form of flame retardant coveralls can also be supplied. Worn by welders and foundry workers this type of protective garment will conform to either EN531 or EN470.

• EN531 is the specification for workers exposed to heat.
• EN470 is the specification for welding and similar activities.

So workwear can offer the opportunity for diversification and growth. But what form of decorating process is best suited to the fabrics used in workwear manufacturing? 

Textile technology

Tough, durable and comfortable, nylon, polyester and cotton, along with a woven poly/cotton mix, are still the principal textiles used in workwear manufacturing. Coveralls, work trousers, body warmers, polo shirts, sweatshirts and many different styles of jacket are made from these robust fabrics. But to combat the harsher working and weather conditions associated with heavy industry, a protective finish is often applied.

The most commonly encountered are:

• Teflon - to facilitate the cleaning of excessively soiled garments
• Polyurethane coating - to provide water resistance
• Pyrovatex and Proban - flame retardant finishes
• PVC coating - to provide water resistance

Some fabric coatings or treatments preclude certain decorating processes, so it is worth taking a look at which processes are recommended for the treated fabrics most commonly used in workwear manufacturing.

Teflon coated garments are best embroidered, while it is recommended flame retardant workwear treated with pyrovatex or proban should only be embroidered using flame retardant thread. Embroidery is not recommended for Polyester or nylon garments with a polyurethane or a PVC waterproof coating, as puncturing the fabric reduces water resistance in the area of the decoration.

With workwear manufacturers now adopting breathable fabrics in the manufacture of workwear, it is worth noting that decoration of these garments should be kept to a minimum, as large designs across the chest or back may affect the breathability of the garment. A similar consideration must be taken into account when decorating high visibility garments, as any large design or logo applied in non-reflective material will diminish the garment's high visibility performance.

Workwear - moving with the times

A trend towards garments with contemporary styling is another reason why industrial workwear offers such excellent possibilities for business growth. The time when the average workwear range consisted of a pair of coveralls, waterproofs and a donkey jacket has long passed. Browse through a workwear catalogue today and you will see many products with designs that reflect modern clothing styles.

This has largely been a customer lead innovation, with younger workers wanting workwear to look good while still providing protection against the conditions of their working environment. This has resulted in the bomber jacket, cargo trousers, hooded sweatshirt, fleece jacket and bodywarmer all being successfully adapted for workwear performance.

But it is imperative to remember there are major differences between workwear garments and equivalent styles of casual wear. The key elements are choice of fabric and construction techniques.

Fabrics used in workwear manufacturing are carefully selected after rigorous testing to ensure their overall durability and resilience to frequent washing. And a number of manufacturing techniques are employed to increase the strength of the garment. These will include reinforced stress points and triple stitched seams. While stitched and taped seams produce far greater resistance to water penetration at the seam in garments designed for foul weather protection.

Recognising the need for these specifications will ensure that the workwear supplied will not only look good, it will be fit for purpose too. 

Marketing support

Naturally the workwear manufacturer has a vested interest in garment decorators succeeding with a workwear venture and will offer a comprehensive package of marketing support. For those operating from a retail outlet, industrial workwear can be promoted through dynamic, eye-catching posters, banners, flags and window vinyls.

Decorators looking for a workwear supplier will need to know the brand is being vigorously promoted to target markets. This will take the form of advertising in leading publications and on websites serving a broad spectrum of trades and industries. Additionally, in support of advertising, the workwear manufacturer should be running strategic PR campaigns throughout the year to secure editorial coverage on a range of workwear related topics, thus raising the profile of the brand and its products.

Furthermore, some manufacturers will produce leaflets specific to individual stockists carrying information on the actual products stocked. Finally, attractive introductory offers may well be available as an incentive to garment decorators to branch out into the workwear market.

Workwear is now available in traditional and modern designs. Seasonal variations in styles are essential for workers in heavy industry, along with workwear made specifically for hazardous conditions. Many garment decorators will already have the garment decorating technology to serve a workwear market; and they will receive excellent marketing support from their workwear supplier. These factors, combined with the large-scale adoption by industry of branded corporate clothing, makes moving into the branded industrial workwear market a very attractive proposition for garment decorators.