Dress Like a Team: Top Benefits of Company Apparel (Plus, Trending Styles!)

What do you wear to work? If you’re working from home, odds are you’re wearing a flashy top that doesn’t at all match your comfortable pajama bottoms. Even work from home employees enjoy high quality company jackets, hats, and cozy socks to keep them cozy through the workday, spreading brand awareness and boosting team morale. Let’s take a few minutes and dive into the benefits of upgrading your employee uniforms with fashionable and functional company apparel. 

How Branded Company Apparel Helps Employees

Did you know that good uniforms are good for your employees? Whether it’s improving productivity or boosting morale, all of these benefits back around to the company itself when you offer custom branded corporate apparel: 

• Encourages team spirit: Just like a sports jacket or team uniforms, wearing your logo encourages team spirit among your employees. Wearing the same colors and logo gives a sense of solidarity, belonging, and a visual confirmation that those around them are working together toward a common goal.
• Helps employees feel focused: Just like good exercise clothes get you in the mood to move, a quality company uniform is a constant physical reminder of where your employees should focus their attention. This is especially true when they are surrounded by others who are dressed the same.
• Encourages a professional atmosphere: Shared uniforms also help build a sense of company culture that set the tone for any workplace. Wearing your logo reminds employees who they are representing and keeps your company values in mind as they work.

• Everyone likes a free shirt: Branded apparel gives benefits beyond the typical uniform. Branded shirts and other apparel that are comfortable and functional (and free!) boost morale and increase company loyalty. If their favorite new shirt has your logo, that creates positive associations that are reaffirmed every time they put on their company shirt.
• Maintains a safe standard: When your employees are working around equipment, whether it’s a construction site, a kitchen, or a stockroom, safety is found in controlling the variables. When every employee is wearing the same uniform provided by you, you can be sure they won’t be wearing clothes that will be caught, burned, or otherwise act as a workplace hazard.

How Branded Company Apparel Helps Customers

Customers also benefit when employees are dressed with your logo, and a happy customer is good for business. Here are some of the ways you and your customers win when your employees are showing off your brand: 

• Displays professionalism: Customers expect a certain level of uniformity and professionalism from employees, and uniforms help to convey that. Use custom company apparel to help build customer trust and start every customer encounter on the right foot.
• Helps them identify employees: Ever walk into a store and wonder where all the employees are? If your employees look like customers, customers will struggle with finding help when they need it, reducing your sales. It also sends a bad impression when customers can’t see employees with your brand in the store when they walk in, as it conveys the idea that you’re understaffed.
• Gives visibility to your brand: The more customers see your brand, the more they’ll remember it. Make every customer interaction a chance to show off your brand and make memories when you display your logo on the employees they interact with.
• Creates positive associations with your logo: Customers often become attached to employees they have a good experience with, so why not make sure they remember who that nice employee works for? When your employees are acting as brand ambassadors with your logo on their shirts, every good experience is attributed to your company.

Business Tip: Corporate branding is an important part of any business to invest in. What is corporate branding? It’s the image you project to your customers through your logo, your colors, your in-store décor, atmosphere, company values, and more. Everything you show to customers becomes part of your corporate brand. 

How to Plan Your Company Apparel

When you’re choosing the clothes and accessories that will represent your brand, you don’t want to buy the first thing you find in a craft store. It’s important to take the time to find the best fit both for your company and for your employees. Here are a few things to consider when looking at options: 

• Plan around employee workloads: If your employees are often outside or working in the kitchen, you’ll want to offer more than just a T-shirt. Brimmed hats, sunglasses, branded windbreakers, aprons, and more can both benefit your brand and make your employees more comfortable as they work.
• Quality matters: Your uniforms don’t just represent your brand to your customers, it also represents your brand to employees. You want them to have a good experience with your gifts and uniforms, so make sure to get apparel that is comfortable, functional, and lasts.
• Gifts vs uniforms: There’s a difference between company apparel as a gift and as a uniform. Uniforms are mandatory and should be chosen with work in mind. Gifts, however, are meant to be fun for the employee, so things like fancy golf shirts, colorful socks, and high-quality sunglasses are great ways to help employees fall in love with the brand they work for.

Company Apparel Essentials for Small Businesses

While much of your branded corporate apparel depends on your industry, here are some branded essentials every company should consider: 

Custom Branded T-Shirts 

T-shirts are the go-to classic for most companies. Easy to layer, offers plenty of brand visibility, and a style that looks good on everyone. Aim for high quality t-shirts like these that rock soft but sturdy materials, are machine washable, keep your logo tastefully visible, and come in colors that match your branding. 

Custom Hats 

Great for looking sharp on the job and keeping the sun out of your face, custom branded hats like these are an excellent gift or uniform accessory for most businesses. Whether you’re selling hardware or enjoying a day outside, employees love a quality cap from their company.

Custom Beanies 

If your employees are spending time in the cold, keeping their ears warm is a surprisingly important productivity move. Cold ears lead to headaches, which drastically reduces how effective employees are at work. A good, cozy beanie like this one also makes for a great winter gift, allowing your employees to display your brand on holiday adventures as well as with family and friends.

Custom Socks 

In the professional world, colorful socks have become one of the few ways employees can truly express themselves. Get whimsical with your own custom sock creation like these to share with your employees as gifts. Soft, comfortable socks that add a touch of fun to your branding is a great morale booster and a tasteful gift for any occasion. 

Logo Sunglasses 

Another outdoor essential, any employee spending long hours in the sun is going to need something to protect their eyes. Employees that are squinting uncomfortably against the sun while talking to customers give the business a heartless appearance, whereas quality branded sunglasses like these allow employees to maintain composure and look good doing it. 

Custom Outerwear 

If your employees are working in the rain or cold, don’t let them cover up your custom shirts with any old discount hoodie. Keep your employees looking professional and comfortable at all times with custom outerwear. Ponchos, coats, and more are great for protecting your employees and showing off your brand at the same time. These also make great gifts or even rewards for employees that perform well. 

Quality company apparel does a lot for your employees, your customers, and your business. Whether you’re choosing shirts for your uniforms or accessories for gifts, remember to prioritize quality in everything that carries your brand. High quality gifts and uniforms mean loyal employees, which means better customer experiences, which means better business for your company.