What is Corporate Clothing?

So what is corporate clothing you may ask. There are in fact many types of Corporate Clothing, but generally, this refers to clothing or apparel for use in businesses and organisations.

It broadly refers to the clothing worn by various staff or team members which identifies them as from the same entity.

 

When realising that you do in fact require Clothing or Apparel for your business or team, you may feel overwhelmed by the variety on offer. You will have the choice of several corporate clothing brands and a number of suppliers to purchase from.

Under the umbrella of corporate apparel and headwear, there are various product groupings which can help you narrow the search. Sometimes you may only require Golfers, whereas other times you could be looking to create a uniform for your team.

In this case you would need an experienced supplier to manage the various items you might want to combine into a stylish set which your staff can wear daily or to specific events.

Let’s look at these various categories of products and further unpack which clothing items fall into each subset:

What is Office Wear?

Corporate clothing for the office can vary substantially, depending on the office environment in which you work.

Generally the options will include shirts which can either be long sleeve shirts or short sleeve shirts for men and matching or complimentary ladies blouses. There are a variety of sleeve lengths for ladies blouses, these could either be shorts sleeve blouses, 3⁄4 sleeve or long sleeve ladies blouses.

Sometimes staff or team members are given the opportunity to wear their own choice of bottom which could be denim or plain black pants, trousers or skirts. Although, if you want to maintain uniformity, then we recommend you offer your staff or team a prescribed bottom also supplied from one source.

Then of course there is the ever popular golf shirt or economical T-shirt. These are appropriate for a more casual working environment. As they are usually more cost effective than a quality shirt or blouse, allowing you the opportunity to select a range of styles and colours to create variation in your office wear.

For the cooler days, you could add a jacket which gives your team a sharp edge. Jackets are usually split into Mens Jackets and Ladies Jackets, allowing a more tailored fit to accommodate all sizes.

You could wear a blazer style jacket, however this can be viewed as very formal. So nowadays the soft shell jacket has become an increasingly popular item, as it bridges the gap between smart and casual.

You can also choose to offer a fleece jacket in the colder months, or for staff working in warehouses or outdoors. Fleece provides warmth as it can be zipped up high into the neck.

For some, a sweater or hoodie will be suitable for a younger working environment as it has a more relaxed fit and pairs well with jeans.

What is Work Wear?

Workwear is what you can expect to see in a factory, on a farm, in a warehouse or on a construction site.

In a factory or construction environment you may use overalls to protect clothing underneath. These can include dust coats as well as conti suits or two piece overalls.

Sometimes the job requires high visibility workwear which has reflective strips. These high visibility garments have a tape applied in reflective colours and are usually bright such as safety orange and safety yellow.

If you are in the food industry, then chef wear and hospitality clothing is what you need. These forms of corporate clothing include chef jackets, chef baggy pants, aprons and chef hats. Usually in classic colours such as white or black, but sometimes you can find a small check in black/white or blue/white combinations.

For those in the medical field, a doctors or lab coat will be more appropriate.  Scrubs would be suitable for nurses and more trendy tops are available for medical secretaries and related occupations.

The security industry has its on style of corporate clothing which includes combat shirts and combat pants. Finish off with a puffer jacket for night workers along with accessories such as a security cap or collared shirt and you have your staff sorted.

Safety shoes are also an essential part of workwear and come in a wide variety of styles. You may need safety boots or safety shoes, or maybe something more specific like a sneaker for your waiters, or clogs for your kitchen staff. Safety shoes and boots sometimes have steel toe caps which provide extra protection. Gumboots are also really useful for gardeners and factory workers.

What is Headwear?

Hats and caps are also part of corporate clothing in South Africa. Headwear is an important way to complete an outfit.

This can range from hard hats that are used in the construction industry to a range of caps which offer some protection from the elements. Headwear also includes beanies which are great to keep you warm in winter.

If you are putting together a sports uniform then a cap or sunvisor is crucial to give shade and protect from sunlight. It is also a easy and cheap way to create uniformity among a group or team.

But why would you need Corporate Clothing?

Corporate Clothing is a great way to keep your team or workforce looking smart and professional no matter the day of the week.

Whether spending the day with clients, on the road or simply working on or offsite – when your team are dressed in an identifiable way, they look like they belong. 

Wearing corporate clothing gives your team pride, ensures they are neat and allows them to keep their personal and work wardrobes separate.

As corporate uniforms, workwear and sports gear can be branded with your logo or team emblem – it ensures you team look professional and represent you in the best way possible.

Corporate clothing and branding go hand in hand to promote your brand. Embroidered or printed corporate clothing allow you to have your company logo visible which is great for promoting your brand and creating a team culture among your employees. 

Corporate clothing branding is essential to appear professional. There are various branding techniques which can be used to imprint your logo onto your chosen clothing. These include screen printing, embroidery or transfers. Each branding method has it’s advantages and disadvantages and work best in certain instances.

You will need to work with a reputable corporate clothing supplier to ensure they have the knowledge and expertise to advise the most appropriate method for your logo.

If you are ready to take the plunge and ensure your team appear to work or their next meeting looking uber smart, then chat to us. We have over 20 year experience in supplying corporate clothing, workwear and sportswear to businesses and organisation in South Africa and it’s borders.