TYPES OF CORPORATECLOTHING

1. GARMENT CATEGORIES2. CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION3. WORKWEAR4. CAREERWEAR5. CORPORATE CASUALWEAR6. PROTECTIVEWEAR7. UNIFORMS8. CONTACT US

CONTENTS

• Workwear• Careerwear• Corporate Casualwear• Protectivewear• Uniforms

GARMENT CATEGORIES

The five recognised types of corporatewear include:

Distribution Channel Definition

Contracts Suppliers directly negotiate and compete for a contract.

Garment Rental The supplier charges on a weekly basis for use and cleaning services.

Mail Order A direct response to a catalogue offer – usually provides ex stock.

Tender Suppliers respond to invitations for a quote.

Wholesale Provides ex-stock to smaller companies.

There is no one size fits all distribution channel. All of the channels differ in their sourcing methods, design focus, method of production and price level for each type of corporate clothing, which is why understanding how each channel operates is key.

CHANNELS OF DISTRIBUTION

WORKWEARWhat is Workwear?Simply put, workwear is clothing that is required to perform a specific role (e.g. overalls and aprons), but whilst functionality and durability are the primary focus, there are many ways to make workwear stylish and on-brand. This type of corporate clothing is prominent in the wholesale and distribution, health and catering industries.

Catering Staff WorkwearEmployees in the catering industry (such as waiters and chefs) require workwear as specific clothing helps them to do their job to the best standards, the example featured here is from The Haulfryn Group.

• An apron provides staff with deep pockets and protects clothing.

• A branded shirt or apron, that uses brand colours or logos makes staff easily identifiable to customers.

• Flame retardant or heat proof materials give peace of mind to staff working in the kitchen.

FunctionalityIt helps to analyse the needs of the staff uniforms and gather opinions from staff in the form of surveys and focus groups throughout the design process to ensure workwear is fit for purpose.

High-Tech FabricsHigh-tech fabrics are becoming increasingly popular as they provide innovative solutions to common issues with workwear. Some of the most sought after fabrics are stretch, anti-microbial and anti allergy.

Influences Contracts GarmentRental

Mail Order Tender Wholesale

Design Image Driven

Utilitarian Utilitarian ImageDriven

Utilitarian

Method of Production

Specific Designs

StandardManner

Standard Manner

SpecificDesigns

StandardManner

Price Level AveragePrices

AveragePrices

Average Prices

Lower Prices

LowerPrices

Sourced Low Cost Countries

Low Cost Countries

Regionally/ Low Cost Countries

Regionally Low Cost Countries

The chart below is a guide to how each distribution channel generally operates specifically for workwear.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: WORKWEAR

What is Careerwear?Careerwear usually takes the form of classic business attire with brand focused colours and logos incorporated in the design. This allows staff to appear professional whilst subtly representing the brand. This type of corporate clothing is popular in the banking, hospitality and travel industries.

Travel Staff CareerwearTravel brands are well known for iconic careerwear as the nature of the industry requires a professional look, the examples here are from Eurostar.

• Smart accessories such as scarves and hats are used to make staff identifiable by customers.

• Careerwear is used rather than corporate casualwear to emulate the level of service the brands offer.

CAREERWEAR

BrandingEnsuring that a strong brand image is achieved can be a challenge with careerwear. Modern styles steer clear of bright, brand colour suit jackets and instead opt or more subtle details such as scarves or ties that match with the brand colour scheme.

The Work EnvironmentIf the work environment can not be controlled businesses may need to consider a separate summer and winter line of corporatewear - adaptable careerwear keeps staff comfortable and looking great.

The chart below is a guide to how each distribution channel generally operates specifically for careerwear.

Influences Contracts GarmentRental

Mail Order Tender Wholesale

Design Image Driven

N/A Utilitarian/image driven

Image Driven

Utilitarian

Method of Production

Specific Designs

N/A Standard Manner

Specific Designs

Specific Designs

Price Level Average Prices

N/A HigherPrices

AveragePrices

AveragePrices

Sourced Regionally N/A Low Cost Countries

Low Cost Countries /Regionally

Regionally

THINGS TO CONSIDER: CAREERWEAR

What is Corporate Casualwear?Corporate casualwear is a modern alternative to workwear and careerwear, and often features branded clothing that is more relaxed than careerwear, such as polo shirts and knitwear. This type of corporate clothing is popular in the retail, leisure and tourism industries.

Museum Staff UniformsMuseums have an educational focus and therefore require smart yet friendly corporatewear, the example here is from The Imperial War Museum.

• Jumpers and shirts without suit jackets achieve the desired casual look. These garments often incorporate the brand colours or embossed logos to keep staff easily identifiable.

• Museums are usually grand buildings, where staff may work indoors or outside, the layers they wear need to protect from changes in temperature as they work. Gilets and knitwear resolve this by providing warmth without restriction

CORPORATE CASUALWEAR

FormalityCorporate casualwear covers all levels of formality below business attire. When deciding on how formal to go, evaluating what customers will be wearing, the environment of the workplace along with the purpose and values of the business is a good place to start.

Brand ImageHow easily identifiable do staff need to be in the workplace? Brand colours with small logos create a more subtle look, whilst larger logos or accessories (e.g. caps) can be used for businesses that need instantly recognisable staff who can be spotted in a crowd.

Influences Contracts GarmentRental

Mail Order Tender Wholesale

Design Image Driven

Utilitarian Utilitarian ImageDriven

Utilitarian

Method of Production

Specific Designs

StandardManner

Standard Manner

Standard Manner

StandardManner

Price Level AveragePrices

AveragePrices

Average Prices

Lower Prices

Lower Prices

Sourced Domestically Low Cost Countries

Low Cost Countries

Domestically Low Cost Countries

The chart below is a guide to how each distribution channel generally operates specifically for corporate casualwear.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: CORPORATE CASUALWEAR

What is Protectivewear?As its name suggests, protectivewear safeguards staff from potential damage or injury. Anything that is worn as a safety precaution is deemed protectivewear. This type of corporate clothing is prominent in the food, logistics, manufacturing and construction industries.

Construction Staff ProtectivewearSafety is the most important element to construction staff protectivewear, due to their unpredictable and hazardous work environment.

• Gloves provide extra grip and protect hands

• Hi-Vis material is required for visibility.

• Steel capped shoes are needed in case of falling debris.

PROTECTIVEWEAR

FashionProtectivewear needn’t be unattractive. Modern suppliers of protectivewear are becoming increasingly conscious of the fashion aspect of the clothing they produce, if the protectivewear looks good staff may be more inclined to wear it.

FunctionalityIt is essential that each piece of protectivewear works in unison with the others and workwear should be adapted to allow for this.

LegislationProtectivewear is also known as Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and businesses are required to ensure that any PPE used by staff is in keeping with the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002.

Influences Contracts GarmentRental

Mail Order Tender Wholesale

Image Driven

Utilitarian Utilitarian ImageDriven

Utilitarian

Method of Production

Specific Designs

StandardManner

Standard Manner

SpecificDesigns

StandardManner

Price Level HigherPrices

AveragePrices

Higher Prices

Average Prices

AveragePrices

Sourced Regionally Regionally Regionally Regionally Low Cost Countries

Design

The chart below is a guide to how each distribution channel generally operates specifically for protectivewear.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: PROTECTIVEWEAR

What are Uniforms?Uniforms are unique tailored outfits that majorly represent a brand. This type of corporate clothing is popular in the retail industry and is particularly prominent in the beauty industry, where many brands work in a competitive store environment.

Beauty Staff UniformsImage is everything in the beauty industry and staff require unique clothing that strongly emulates the brand, the example featured here is from Lancôme.

• Simple, tailored outfits with emphasis on style, fit and colour are used to make staff easily identifiable.

• High quality fabrics and rich colours are used to emulate luxury.

• Many staff members will work with their hands for demonstrations so a shorter sleeve length is often used for functionality.

UNIFORMS

IndustryThere are industries that are famous for their iconic uniforms and these uniforms can contribute to the customer experience. These uniforms are redesigned and change more regularly than other categories to refresh the style and keep up with trends within the industry.

FashionUniforms have a significant influence on where people decide to work, so a stylish uniform is a great way to attract new talent.

Influences Contracts GarmentRental

Mail Order Tender Wholesale

Design Image Driven

N/A Utilitarian ImageDriven

N/A

Method of Production

Specific Designs

N/A Standard Manner

SpecificDesigns

N/A

Price Level HigherPrices

N/A Average Prices

Average Prices

N/A

Sourced Domestically N/A Low Cost Countries

Domestically N/A

The chart below shows the drivers behind each distribution channel specifically for uniforms.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: UNIFORMS

Contact Us020 8563 5000sales@jsd.co.uk

Jermyn Street DesignClothes that work34 Galena RoadHammersmith

LondonW6 0LT