How to Order Custom Workwear for Your Business

Ordering custom workwear for your business starts with choosing suitable garments, deciding how they should be personalised and confirming the sizes and quantities your employees need. Whether you are ordering embroidered polo shirts for five people or coordinating printed and embroidered uniforms for a larger workforce, a little preparation can make the process much easier.

The most effective approach is to plan your workwear around your employees' daily responsibilities, the way your company wants to present itself and the practical requirements of each garment. You can then choose suitable clothing, prepare your artwork and organise the order before production begins.

This guide explains how to order custom workwear for your business, including company logo embroidery, workwear printing, sizing, staff names, artwork requirements, order quantities and the information you should confirm before purchasing.

Step 1: Decide What Your Business Needs from Its Workwear

Before browsing individual garments, establish what the clothing needs to achieve. Some businesses simply want employees to wear matching T-shirts featuring the company logo. Others need a complete uniform range with different garments for office staff, tradespeople, warehouse operatives, supervisors and customer-facing employees.

Consider where your team works, how physically demanding their jobs are and whether employees regularly interact with customers.

For example, a plumbing company may need comfortable polo shirts and sweatshirts for engineers visiting domestic properties, while a warehouse operator might require different clothing for drivers, loading teams and supervisors.

A hospitality business could need smart embroidered polo shirts for front-of-house staff alongside different garments for catering and support teams.

Making these decisions before ordering helps ensure that your custom clothing and personalised workwear suits the people who will actually be wearing it.

Step 2: Choose the Garments for Your Company Uniform

Once you understand your employees' requirements, you can begin selecting the garment types that will form your workwear range.

There is no need to restrict every employee to one clothing style. Different garments can carry the same company branding while providing the comfort and practicality required for each role.

Custom T-Shirts for Everyday Workwear

T-shirts are a practical starting point for businesses that want comfortable, informal staff clothing. They are particularly useful for active work, warmer environments, promotional teams, cleaning companies and many trade businesses.

A small company logo can be added to the chest, while larger printed designs can display the business name, telephone number, website or additional branding on the back.

Browse our custom T-shirts with printing and embroidery to explore garments suitable for personalised business clothing.

Embroidered Polo Shirts for a Smarter Appearance

Polo shirts are popular with businesses that want employees to look presentable without requiring formal shirts. They can be suitable for engineering companies, trades, hospitality businesses, retailers, office teams and customer-facing service providers.

An embroidered company logo on the chest creates a professional finish, while staff names or job titles can be added where useful.

Our custom polo shirts include different styles for business uniforms and personalised staff clothing.

Work Hoodies, Sweatshirts and Fleeces

Employees working in colder environments may need additional layers to complement their normal uniform.

Hoodies and sweatshirts can be practical for trades, workshops and warehouses where their design is appropriate for the work being performed. Fleeces offer another option for mobile workers, maintenance teams and employees who move between indoor and outdoor areas.

The same company logo can be applied to compatible garments to create a consistent appearance throughout the year.

Branded Jackets, Gilets and Hi-Vis Clothing

Outdoor workers, drivers, mobile engineers and employees who regularly visit external sites may require jackets or gilets as part of their uniform.

Where workplace conditions require high-visibility clothing, select garments that meet the applicable safety requirements. Any personalisation must be compatible with the garment and must not compromise its protective performance.

You can explore our hi-vis workwear for additional clothing options.

Step 3: Choose Between Workwear Embroidery and Printing

After choosing the garments, decide how you want your company branding applied.

The two main decoration options are embroidery and printing. Both can be used to personalise business clothing, but they produce different finishes and are suited to different types of artwork.

When Should You Order Embroidered Workwear?

Embroidery is often suitable for businesses that want company logos, employee names or job titles applied to polo shirts, fleeces, sweatshirts, gilets and jackets.

It can be particularly effective for smart staff uniforms and garments that need relatively compact branding.

Explore our custom embroidered clothing for garments suitable for professional logo embroidery.

When Should You Choose Printed Workwear?

Printing can be particularly useful for larger designs, detailed graphics, slogans and prominent company information.

For example, a building company may want a small chest logo and a larger printed business name on the back of its T-shirts or hoodies.

Our custom printed clothing provides options for larger artwork and other personalised designs.

Can You Order Workwear with Both Print and Embroidery?

Yes. Many businesses use different decoration methods within the same uniform range.

For example, you could choose embroidered logos on polo shirts and fleeces while using larger printed designs on T-shirts and hoodies. Both methods may also be combined on the same garment where its construction and fabric permit.

Step 4: Prepare Your Company Logo and Artwork

Preparing your artwork before placing an order can help avoid unnecessary delays and ensure the finished clothing reflects your business branding accurately.

Ideally, supply a clear version of your company logo, along with any colour references, wording or additional details that need to appear on the garments.

What Artwork Files Do You Need for Custom Workwear?

The preferred file format depends on the decoration process and the requirements of the supplier.

Vector artwork, such as a suitable AI, EPS, SVG or vector PDF file, is often useful because it can be resized without losing the quality of the original design.

High-resolution raster artwork, such as a PNG or JPEG, may also be suitable for certain printing methods, provided it has sufficient resolution at the intended print size.

For embroidery, standard logo artwork generally needs to be converted into a specialised stitch file before it can be used by embroidery equipment. This process is known as embroidery digitising.

What If You Only Have a Low-Resolution Logo?

If you do not have a high-quality version of your artwork, provide the clearest available image and confirm whether it is suitable for your chosen decoration method.

Some designs may need to be redrawn, simplified or adjusted before printing or embroidery. This is particularly relevant where a logo contains very small text, fine lines or complicated colour gradients.

Do not assume that an image suitable for a website or social media profile will automatically be suitable for professional garment decoration.

Step 5: Decide Where Your Logo Should Appear

Logo placement affects the appearance of your finished workwear, how easily your company branding can be seen and whether the chosen decoration method is technically suitable for the garment.

Common positions include:

• Left chest: A popular position for company logos on polo shirts, T-shirts, sweatshirts and jackets.
• Right chest: Often used for employee names, job titles or additional branding.
• Upper back: May be suitable for company names and selected larger logos on compatible garments.
• Full back: Useful for printed company branding, contact details and promotional artwork.
• Sleeve: Can accommodate smaller logos or supplementary details where the garment allows.

The final position will depend on the garment's design, seams, pockets, zips, fabric and available decoration area.

For example, a full back print may work well on a T-shirt, while a small embroidered chest logo may be more appropriate for a fleece or jacket.

Step 6: Choose Garment Colours That Complement Your Branding

The colour of your workwear can influence how clearly your company logo appears and how well different garments coordinate with each other.

Some businesses prefer uniforms in their main brand colour, while others choose neutral garments such as black, navy, grey or white and reproduce their logo in contrasting colours.

When choosing colours, consider whether the logo will remain legible, how appropriate the garment colour is for the work being performed and whether matching items are available for other seasons or departments.

For larger organisations, using consistent garment colours and logo positioning can help maintain a recognisable appearance across different teams.

Step 7: Collect Employee Sizes Before Ordering

One of the most important parts of ordering company workwear is making sure employees receive garments that fit correctly.

Sizing can differ between manufacturers and styles, so do not assume that an employee who wears a medium T-shirt will automatically require the same size in every polo shirt, hoodie or jacket.

Check the individual product size guides and collect the required sizes for each garment before finalising your order.

How Should You Organise Sizes for a Team?

For a larger order, a simple spreadsheet can help keep everything organised. Record each employee's name, required garment, size, colour and any individual personalisation.

For example:

This approach is especially useful when ordering uniforms that include individual names or different garment styles for separate departments.

Where available, sample garments can also help employees check the fit before a larger personalised order is placed.

Step 8: Work Out How Many Garments You Need

The quantity of workwear required depends on the number of employees, their working patterns, the type of work performed and how often their clothing needs to be washed.

For example, a company with ten employees may need considerably more than ten polo shirts if every person wears the uniform throughout the working week.

Employees may need spare garments, seasonal layers or additional items for specific duties.

Example Workwear Order for a Small Business

A business with five employees might decide that each person needs three polo shirts, two sweatshirts and one fleece.

This is only an illustrative example. The appropriate quantities will depend on your business's actual requirements, laundering arrangements and budget.

Step 9: Add Employee Names, Job Titles and Departments

Not every company requires individual personalisation, but adding staff details can be useful for businesses where employees regularly interact with customers or work in clearly defined roles.

Common options include employee names, departments and job titles such as Engineer, Manager, Supervisor, Maintenance or Customer Service.

For example, a hospitality business could order matching polo shirts featuring the same company logo while adding each employee's name to the opposite side of the chest.

A larger facilities company might use department details to distinguish engineers, cleaning teams and supervisors.

Before finalising an order containing individual personalisation, carefully check the spelling, capitalisation and wording supplied for every garment.

Step 10: Check the Artwork and Order Details Before Production

Once the garments, sizes, quantities and branding requirements have been selected, review the full order before confirming production.

Check that the garment colours are correct, the sizes match your employee requirements and the artwork has been supplied in a suitable format.

You should also confirm the intended logo placement, design dimensions, thread or print colours and any individual staff details.

What Should You Check on an Artwork Proof?

Where an artwork proof is supplied, check the following details carefully:

• Company logo and overall design.
• Spelling of all text, names and job titles.
• Logo dimensions and intended positioning.
• Thread colours or print colours, where specified.
• Whether the correct artwork has been assigned to each garment.
• Any differences between designs for separate departments or employee groups.

A digital proof can help confirm the proposed layout, but on-screen colours and design appearance may not reproduce exactly as they will on fabric.

If the finished appearance of a particular design is especially important, ask whether a physical sample is available and what additional costs or production time may apply.

Step 11: Allow Enough Time for Your Custom Workwear Order

Personalised clothing requires additional production stages beyond simply selecting and dispatching an undecorated garment.

Depending on the order, these may include checking artwork, preparing embroidery files, organising garments, applying decoration and completing quality checks.

If your clothing is required for a particular event, new business opening, employee induction or uniform changeover, establish the required delivery date before placing the order.

Production and delivery times can vary according to garment availability, order quantity, artwork requirements and the decoration method being used.

Allow additional time where your order involves multiple garment styles, individual employee names, specialist clothing or designs that require further artwork preparation.

Step 12: Plan for Future Workwear Orders

Once your initial company clothing order has been completed, it can be useful to maintain a record of the garments and branding used.

This can make it easier to organise replacement clothing, supply uniforms for new employees and maintain a consistent company appearance as the business grows.

Keep a record of the garment styles, colours, sizes, logo dimensions, decoration methods and individual personalisation requirements used in the original order.

If you operate several departments or business locations, a standardised clothing specification can also help prevent different teams ordering noticeably different versions of the same uniform.

Bear in mind that manufacturer stock, colour ranges and garment specifications can change over time, so confirm availability when placing repeat orders.

Custom Workwear Ordering Checklist

Before submitting your business workwear order, use the following checklist to make sure you have considered the essential details.

Frequently Asked Questions About Ordering Custom Workwear

Can I Order Different Garment Sizes in the Same Workwear Order?

Yes. A business workwear order can contain different garment sizes to suit individual employees. Check the size guide for each product before finalising quantities, particularly when ordering several garment styles from different manufacturers.

Can I Have the Same Company Logo on T-Shirts, Polos and Jackets?

Yes. The same logo can be adapted for suitable T-shirts, polo shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, fleeces, gilets and jackets. The decoration method, logo size or production settings may need adjusting according to the garment and fabric.

Do I Need a Different Embroidery File for Every Garment?

Not necessarily. An existing digitised logo may be suitable for several garment types, but adjustments can sometimes be required for different fabrics, logo sizes or embroidery positions. The embroidery provider should confirm whether the design needs additional preparation.

Can I Order Workwear with Individual Employee Names?

Yes. Suitable garments can be personalised with individual names, job titles and department details using an appropriate decoration method. Make sure you supply accurate spelling and clearly identify which personalisation belongs on each garment.

How Much Custom Workwear Should I Order?

The quantity depends on the number of employees, their working patterns and how frequently their clothing needs to be washed. Consider everyday garments, spare items, seasonal layers and any specialist clothing required for individual roles.

Is Printing or Embroidery Better for Company Workwear?

Embroidery is often suitable for compact logos, staff names and professional branding on polos, fleeces and jackets. Printing can be more appropriate for larger designs, detailed artwork and prominent company details on T-shirts and hoodies. The most suitable choice depends on the garment and your intended design.

Can I Reorder the Same Custom Workwear Later?

Repeat orders are often possible, subject to garment availability and the supplier retaining the necessary artwork or decoration specifications. Keeping a record of your original garment styles, colours, branding and sizes can help maintain consistency when ordering additional clothing.

How Long Does a Custom Workwear Order Take?

Production times depend on the garments selected, stock availability, decoration requirements, artwork preparation and order quantity. If you need workwear for a specific date, confirm the expected production and delivery arrangements before placing your order.

Order Custom Workwear with The Clothing Company

A well-planned workwear order starts with the practical requirements of your employees and finishes with clothing that represents your company consistently. By selecting suitable garments, preparing your artwork, checking the sizes and confirming the decoration details before production, you can create a uniform range that works for your business.

At The Clothing Company, we provide personalised clothing for businesses of different sizes, including small local companies, tradespeople, engineering firms, hospitality businesses, retailers, cleaning companies and organisations ordering uniforms for larger teams.

Explore our custom clothing range to choose garments for your employees, browse our embroidered clothing for professional logo embroidery, or view our custom printed clothing for larger designs and business branding.

Whether you need personalised polo shirts for a small team, printed work T-shirts for tradespeople or a coordinated range of branded uniforms, choosing the right garments and preparing your order carefully will help you create practical clothing that represents your business professionally.