Printing Planet UK
Branded workwear does two things at once: it tells your customers who your staff are, and it tells the world what kind of business you run. A well-presented uniform signals professionalism before anyone has spoken a word. At Printing Planet UK in Putney, we help businesses across South West London kit out their teams with embroidered and printed workwear, from single polo shirts to full-staff uniform orders.
Why Branded Workwear Matters
The case for investing in staff uniforms goes beyond aesthetics:
- Instant recognition: Customers can identify staff in busy environments without guessing.
- Walking advertisement: Your logo travels with your team to every client site, delivery address, and trade event.
- Team cohesion: Uniforms reduce the “what should I wear?” friction and create a shared identity.
- Trust signals: In trades, retail, and hospitality, a branded uniform increases the perception of reliability.
For customer-facing businesses – restaurants, cafes, salons, cleaning companies, plumbers, electricians – workwear is effectively part of your marketing budget.
Types of Corporate Workwear
The right garment depends on your industry and the conditions your staff work in:
Polo Shirts The most popular corporate garment. Smart enough for customer-facing roles, practical for trade work. Available in pique cotton and moisture-wicking polyester blends.
Hoodies and Sweatshirts Good for outdoor teams and trades. A branded hoodie worn on a client visit reads as professional. See our dedicated guide to custom hoodies for teams for weight and garment specs.
Hi-Vis Vests and Jackets Mandatory on many construction and logistics sites. We print or embroider company logos onto compliant EN ISO 20471 hi-vis garments.
Aprons Popular with cafes, bakeries, and trades. Bib and waist styles available in cotton, polyester, and waxed canvas. Embroidery works exceptionally well on aprons.
Fleeces and Softshells For outdoor teams in autumn and winter. Embroidery holds up better than print on fleece fabric.
T-Shirts Lower cost per unit, good for large teams, summer events, and promotional use.
Logo Placement Options
Where you position the logo affects how the garment reads:
| Placement | Size | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Left chest | 8-10cm wide | Standard professional look |
| Back upper | 20-25cm wide | High-visibility trades, delivery, catering |
| Right sleeve | 5-8cm wide | Secondary branding, sponsor logos |
| Back lower | 10-15cm wide | Company phone number or web address |
| Centre chest | 15-20cm wide | Casual uniforms, café staff |
Most corporate clients use left chest as primary and back as secondary. If your team works with their backs to customers (chefs, drivers), consider reversing this priority.
Embroidery vs Print for Workwear
For workwear specifically, embroidery is usually the better long-term choice for logos. Here is why:
- Embroidered logos survive repeated industrial washing at 60-90°C without fading
- Thread stitching resists snagging, abrasion, and bleaching better than ink
- It looks more premium on polo shirts, fleeces, and aprons
- One-time digitising cost (typically £25) is offset after 10+ garments
Print (DTF or DTG) makes sense when you need full-colour artwork, large back prints, photo-realistic graphics, or when you are printing onto garments that do not embroider well (stretchy fabrics, very thin materials).
For a detailed side-by-side comparison, read our embroidery vs print guide.
Tip: For a consistent staff uniform, embroider the chest logo and add a printed back graphic. You get the durability of embroidery where it matters most and the visual impact of a full-colour print where design flexibility is needed.
Planning an Order Across Multiple Staff Sizes
The most common mistake businesses make with workwear orders is under-ordering. Here is how to plan properly:
- Collect staff measurements before ordering. Do not assume sizes from previous uniforms – garment sizing varies by brand.
- Order a buffer. Add 10-15% extra units to cover new starters, size exchanges, and replacements.
- Standardise garment choices. Mixing brands across a uniform order creates colour inconsistencies even in the same shade.
- Document your spec. Record the garment brand, colour code, print position, and artwork file version for future reorders.
For guidance on minimum quantities, see our minimum order quantities guide.
Reordering and Consistency
Colour matching across reorders is the biggest challenge with long-running uniform programmes. We keep your artwork file and print specifications on record so that additional garments match your original order. If the garment colourway changes with a supplier, we will flag this before printing.
VAT on Workwear
In the UK, children’s workwear is zero-rated for VAT. Adult workwear is standard-rated at 20%. However, some businesses can reclaim the VAT on staff uniform purchases as an allowable business expense. Check with your accountant, especially if you are VAT-registered.
Order Your Corporate Workwear
Printing Planet UK is based in Putney, London SW15 3BD, and works with businesses across Wandsworth, Fulham, Richmond, Kingston, and the wider South West London area. We offer no minimum orders, free artwork checks, and digital proofs before every order.
Call us on 020 3669 9854 or visit printingplanetuk.com to get a quote for your team.
For a cost breakdown before you call, read our custom printing cost guide.