Plain workwear.
Shelf prices.

Not with us. We will embroider a single polo for one new starter. Most suppliers set a minimum of 10 to 25 pieces because setup costs money, but once your logo is digitised that cost is already paid, so small reorders are straightforward.

For a typical trade team, budget £45 to £90 a head for a working set: two or three polos, a fleece or softshell and trousers, with a chest logo included. Hi-vis and PPE push it higher. Buying as a bundle is usually cheaper than piece by piece.

Most personalised orders ship in 7 to 10 working days from artwork approval. Plain stock can go out next day. Large runs, unusual colours or garments we have to bring in take longer, and we will tell you the real date before you commit.

Yes. One jacket for a new starter is a normal order. This is exactly why we keep your artwork and garment spec on file: the single item a year later matches the batch you bought originally.

Yes, UK-wide. Multi-site businesses can have orders split and sent to each site rather than landing in one place for someone to redistribute.

Converting your logo into a stitch file the embroidery machine can read. It is a manual job, not a file conversion: someone decides stitch direction, order and density. It is a one-off cost and the file is then yours to reuse.

Typically £15 to £30 for a standard chest logo, charged once. Some suppliers include it free on a first order. Complex or very large designs cost more because they take longer to set up.

Better than print. Stitching is thread through fabric, so it does not crack or peel, and a decent embroidered polo will outlast the garment it sits on. Wash inside out at 40 degrees to keep the fabric looking fresh.

Around 8 to 10cm wide for a left chest. Smaller than 6cm and fine detail disappears; wider than 12cm and it starts to look like a print rather than a badge.

Left chest is the default and reads as professional. Right chest is used when the left is taken by another badge. A larger back logo with a phone number is common for trades who want the van-side effect.

Direct to film. The design is printed onto a film, powdered with adhesive and heat-pressed onto the garment. It handles full colour and fine detail, works on cotton and polyester alike, and has no screen setup cost.

Large runs of the same design. Each colour needs its own screen, so setup is significant, but once running the per-garment cost is very low. Above about a hundred pieces it usually beats every other method.

A good DTF or screen print survives dozens of washes. It will eventually soften and can crack if the garment is tumble dried hot repeatedly. Wash inside out and skip the tumble dryer and it lasts far longer.

Yes. A white underbase is laid down first so the colours stay true rather than sinking into the fabric. It is standard practice and does not usually change the price.

For big designs and big runs, yes. For a small chest logo on twenty polos, embroidery is usually similar or cheaper and looks more premium. The crossover is roughly where the design gets bigger than a hand.

The European standard for high visibility clothing intended for professional use. It sets how much fluorescent and reflective material a garment must carry, and how it must be arranged, so the wearer is seen in daylight and headlights.

It is the amount of visible material. Class 1 is the least and suits low-risk off-road work. Class 2, typically a waistcoat, suits most sites and roadside work. Class 3, a long-sleeved jacket or coverall, is required near high-speed traffic.

Yes, if it is done properly. The logo must not sit on the reflective tape and must not reduce the certified fluorescent area below the minimum. Keep it to a chest logo and a modest back logo and the garment stays compliant.

Yes. Fluorescent dye fades and reflective tape degrades, which is why garments carry a maximum wash count on the label. A faded hi-vis vest is no longer providing the protection it was certified for.

When it fails the label's wash count, or sooner if the colour has visibly dulled, the tape is cracked or lifting, or it is heavily soiled. Grime alone can take a garment out of compliance.

Generally yes, provided the policy is reasonable, applied consistently and written into the contract or staff handbook. Problems arise when a rule affects one group more than another without good reason.

Usually yes as a business expense, and permanently branded workwear is the clearest case. HMRC treats clothing that could pass as everyday wear less favourably, which is one practical argument for putting a logo on it.

Not normally, where it is protective clothing or a genuine uniform that is not suitable for everyday wear. Plain clothing with no branding is more likely to be treated as a benefit. Check with your accountant on borderline cases.

Whoever paid for it, and normally that is the employer. Say so in writing when kit is issued, along with what happens when someone leaves, or you will end up arguing about a fleece.

Not for PPE, which must be free. For general uniform, deductions are possible only with a written agreement, and they must not take pay below the minimum wage. It is a common and expensive mistake.

Grams per square metre, the fabric weight. A 180gsm polo is light and summery; 220gsm is the workwear standard; 260gsm and above is heavy and hard-wearing. Higher is not automatically better if the team overheats.

A mix of polyester and cotton, commonly 65/35. Cotton gives comfort and breathability, polyester gives durability, colour retention and less creasing. It is the default for workwear for good reason.

Comfortable, but it fades, creases and shrinks more, and takes longer to dry. For daily workwear a blend usually holds up better. Pure cotton makes more sense for lighter-duty or promotional wear.

The textured, slightly waffled knit used on most polo shirts. It hides creases and light marks better than a smooth jersey, which is why it dominates workwear polos.

A bonded fabric jacket, usually fleece-backed with a wind and shower resistant face. It is the most useful single layer in UK workwear: warm enough most of the year, smart enough to wear to a client.

It answers the customer's first unspoken question: who are you and should I let you in. A team in matching branded kit reads as an established business rather than a collection of individuals, before anyone speaks.

It rarely wins a job on its own, but it removes doubt at the moment of judgement — a homeowner opening the door, a client walking a site. Trades who brand consistently report fewer questions about legitimacy.

Treat it as marketing. A branded polo worn five days a week is seen by more people than most local advertising, and it costs less per impression than almost anything else you can buy.

Recognisability. If the person who turns up matches the van and the quote, the customer relaxes. This matters most for anyone entering a home, where the alternative is a stranger in unmarked clothes.

On the back, yes, if you take work from passers-by. It turns every job into a small billboard. Keep the front to the logo alone so it still looks smart in a client meeting.

Polos and a softshell for the smart-but-practical look domestic customers expect, multi-pocket trousers for tools and testers, and hi-vis for site work. Anyone working live needs arc-rated garments, which are a specialist category.

Something presentable enough for a customer's hallway and tough enough for under a sink. Dark polos, a fleece or softshell, and knee-pad trousers. Dark colours are practical given the work.

Hi-vis to the site's specified class, hard-wearing trousers with reinforced knees, and layered tops for working outdoors year-round. Durability outranks appearance in this sector.

Class 2 or 3 hi-vis, heavy-duty trousers, and garments without loose parts that could snag. Harness compatibility matters, so check that jackets do not interfere with attachment points.

Branded polos or tunics that wash hot and dry fast, plus tabards for wet work. Recognisability is the priority because staff are often in client buildings unsupervised.