Men's Uniform Shirts - Make Function & Design Work Together

A multitude of factors come into play with men's uniform wear and especially shirts. Considering that you want to keep your business attire to a professional level, making the first step towards it, may not be as hard to do but it's not as simple as you'd think. Bringing together practicality and style should be your main focus here but other things like material, size and so on, need to be considered. In order to match your brands look but still make the best out of them, we've compiled a list of tips to help you along the way.

Material

A popular material used in uniforms is cotton as it is a very breathable, natural material but it is also one that doesn't dry quickly and tends to shrink and get very wrinkly. An alternative to men's uniform shirts made out of 100% cotton, is the cotton polyester blend that provides the breathability of the cotton but yet it stays in shape and it doesn't wrinkle as easily. If you are interested in having polo shirts, a knit fabric called Pique is a perfect choice as it is a recognizable style that comes with raised ribs and cords in a diamond, honeycomb or waffle pattern. Rayon is an alternative to the synthetic polyester fabric that has a very good drape to it and it is extremely soft and very absorbent but it tends to wrinkle and shrink.

Size

Getting men's uniform shirts that will match the size of every employee is going to take some measuring on three different occasions: the neck, chest and sleeve. The neck is the easiest part as you will only need to measure around its base, while with sleeve length you will have to start again with the neck but this time from the centre of its back. You will then proceed to the shoulder and go all the way to the elbow and down to the wrist. The chest will have to be measured, with arms by the side across, on the fullest part of the chest, shoulder blades and under the arms. Remember to keep the tape straight across the back.

Style

With style, you don't want to go and grab the first plain shirt you see as it may not be for the type of business you have. The likes of embroidered aprons, twill and golf shirts will serve best as retail uniforms and bar uniforms will consist of a referee or fitted dress shirts. Restaurant uniforms are with the likes of golf and camp shirts, a coloured shirt, coloured aprons, or a vest in combination with a coloured shirt.

Branding

Here's where function and design will have to work at their best in order to show your brand for what it is without compromising the functionality of the shirt. Adding your logo or slogan is optional and in case you do, try to keep it at a minimal level but yet distinguishable enough so it gives the uniform a touch of uniqueness.