Construction workwear

A real TWW customer order — Seed to Tree, branded site crew kit.

What a construction site actually needs

Construction workwear has three jobs at once: keep someone visible near moving plant, survive concrete dust, scaffold poles and repeated washing, and still carry a logo clearly enough to matter. Site managers who buy on looks alone usually end up replacing kit within a season — the fabric goes first, then the print cracks, then nobody wears it.

The environment dictates the spec more than any other trade on this site: outdoor, all-weather, moving vehicles and machinery, and a lot of physical wear that indoor trades never see. That's why hi-vis class and fabric weight matter more here than the logo itself.

The core kit

This is what we build most often for construction teams — real TWW products, priced individually below (also live in the sidebar calculator). It's a starting point: crews working nights or in exposed locations usually add a heavier jacket.

£118.94per head, garments only — logo priced separately

Hi-vis and branding — what not to get wrong

The single most common mistake on construction hi-vis: a logo placed or sized in a way that covers too much of the reflective banding, which can void the garment's EN ISO 20471 class rating. A supplier who decorates hi-vis regularly will know where the safe zones are on a given garment; one who doesn't will just print wherever looks best. We cover the class system properly in the hi-vis standards guide — worth reading before you order if this is your first hi-vis order.

Embroidery holds up better than print on hi-vis fabric specifically, because the mesh and coated finish on a lot of hi-vis garments doesn't always take DTF or screen print evenly. See embroidery vs printing for the general comparison.

Common mistakes

• Buying one softshell for all seasons. A softshell bodywarmer earns its keep April to October. Night shifts and winter groundwork need a proper insulated jacket on top, not instead.
• No bump cap in the kit. Cheap to add, genuinely useful on sites with low clearances — often forgotten until someone asks for one.
• Skipping the sample on a first order. Hi-vis colour and class vary between suppliers even at the same price point. One sample garment catches this before fifty are ordered.

Real scenarios

Solo contractor or small firm (1–4 people): the core kit above, ordered as-is. No minimum order applies — one set for one person is a normal order.

Site crew (5–15 people): volume pricing starts at 5 people — try the calculator alongside this text. Worth adding a branded softshell jacket (not just the bodywarmer) if the crew works through winter.

Subcontractor teams: if you're branding subcontractors rather than direct employees, keep the spec identical across both so the site reads as one team — mixed branding looks like mixed standards.

Questions construction buyers actually ask

What class of hi-vis do I need for construction?

Most construction site work qualifies for Class 2 or Class 3 under EN ISO 20471, depending on proximity to traffic and the site's own risk assessment — site management will usually specify which. Full breakdown in the hi-vis standards guide.

Can I put my logo on a hi-vis vest without breaking certification?

Yes, if it's placed correctly. The certification is about how much reflective and fluorescent material is visible, not whether a logo exists at all — a competently placed chest logo on the right vest style won't touch the class rating.

How many sets of workwear does a construction worker need?

Two to three sets per person is standard, so there's always a clean set while one is being washed. Sites with heavy ground conditions often go to three or four.

Is embroidery or printing better for site workwear?

Embroidery for hi-vis and heavier fabrics — it survives site washing and abrasion better. Printing works fine on cotton polos and tees for less exposed roles. See embroidery vs printing.