The Pros and Cons of a Bespoke Uniform

What is a bespoke uniform? It’s a good question because there are different ways of looking at it. Once you select a range of branded clothing or PPE items and add your unique company logo, any garment could be considered as a bespoke item. There are endless options with this approach. But more recently, and in increasing numbers, companies are looking to go one step further.

Instead of just adding a logo, companies are designing a branded uniform that is truly bespoke. It may be a fully customised design, or a standard product made exclusive using Pantone® colour-matched fabrics and fastenings.

There are advantages and disadvantages to choosing a truly bespoke staff uniform. It may look fantastic, but is it going to be practical, time efficient and cost-effective for your company to go bespoke? We've listed the pros and cons you’ll want to consider before you decide.

The Pros

1. Stand out from your competitors and enjoy the opportunity to create something that truly reflects your brand.
2. Access what you need when you need it – you’ll be able to hold stock at the supplier.
3. You’ll have workwear made to your exact specification, designed for the industry you’re in and for the roles your team undertakes. No more compromises with off-the-shelf options which don’t quite fit the bill.
4. Nail that dress code! Getting employee buy-in to the merits of corporate workwear can be tricky. With a bespoke uniform, there's less opportunity for misunderstandings about your dress code. What’s more, getting up and dressed in the morning is easier when the thinking’s been done for you!
5. Boost morale. There’s a sense of pride associated with wearing a unique bespoke uniform. It’s all part of the blend of brand ethos and functionality.

The Cons

1. Minimum order quantities. We won’t mince words here – this can be the single deciding factor. Manufacturers must make their production cost-effective, and if you only want a small number of branded bespoke items it can prove very expensive.
2. Lead times are always longer than standard. Most bespoke items are manufactured overseas, and shipping and customs clearance take time. Air freight will speed things up, but it can be costly.
3. Smaller top-up orders can be problematic. For example, a typical bespoke order might be X of Small, Y of Medium et cetera. But if you run out of Small, you can’t order a few extras in that size. Unless you have done a fantastic, accurate job of guessing the quantities and sizes, this can be a problem. You’ll have a few people wearing off-the-shelf garments that don’t quite match.
4. Prices can be high if your required volumes are low, or you can’t commit to larger quantities. Special design features, extra pockets, zips or different fabrics can also increase the price.
5. When thinking about the workwear budget remember that while suppliers will hold stock of the bespoke garments for you, there would be an upfront investment or underwriting of the stock required.
6. Stock can run out, especially if you’ve got a rapidly growing workforce. Unless you can afford to keep placing fresh orders you could find yourself having to use off-the-shelf items and lose the consistent brand image.
7. You could have leftover stock. Items you’ve paid for could sit unused on a warehouse shelf.

We could sum up all those pros and cons in a sentence: bespoke uniforms can have big benefits, but they come with a price tag