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

What do you wear to work? If you’re working from home, odds are you’re wearing something on top that doesn’t at all match your comfortable pyjama bottoms. Even employees who work from home enjoy high-quality company jackets, hats and cosy socks to keep them warm 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 clothing and accessories.

How Branded Company Clothing and Accessories Help 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 clothing and accessories:

• Encourages team spirit: Just like a sports jacket or team uniforms, wearing your logo encourages team spirit among your employees. Wearing the same colours 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 with logos also help build a sense of company culture that sets 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 T-shirt: Branded promotional clothing and accessories can give benefits beyond the typical uniform. Branded T-shirts and other items that are comfortable and functional (and free!) boost morale and increase company loyalty. One of the benefits of having your company logo on T-shirts, for example, is that it creates positive associations that are reaffirmed every time your employees put that T-shirt on.
• 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 Clothing and Accessories Help Customers

Customers also benefit when employees are wearing 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 with logos help to convey that. Use branded company clothing and accessories to help build customer trust and start every customer encounter on the right foot.
• Helps them identify employees: Ever walk into a shop 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 shop 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 tops, 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 colours, your in-store decor, atmosphere, company values and more. Everything you show to customers becomes part of your corporate brand.

How to Plan Your Company Clothing and Accessories

When you’re choosing the clothes and accessories that will represent your brand, you don’t want to just buy the first thing you find. 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 a kitchen, you’ll want to offer more than just a T-shirt. Branded promotional clothing and accessories like 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, they also represent your brand to employees. You want them to have a good experience with your gifts and uniforms, so make sure to get clothing and accessories that are comfortable, functional and last.
• Gifts vs. uniforms: There’s a difference between giving employees company clothing 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 comfortable hoodies, colourful socks and high-quality sunglasses are great ways to help employees fall in love with the brand they work for.

Company Clothing and Accessory Essentials for Small Businesses

While much of your branded corporate clothing and accessory choices depend 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. They’re easy to layer, offer plenty of brand visibility and are a style that looks good on everyone. Aim for high-quality T-shirts that are made from soft but sturdy materials, are machine washable, keep your logo tastefully visible and come in colours that match your branding.

Branded Hats

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

Branded 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, cosy beanie like this one also makes for a great cold-weather gift, allowing your employees to display your brand on winter adventures as well as with family and friends.

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 allow employees to maintain their composure and look good while doing it.

Branded Jackets

If your employees are working in the rain or cold, don’t let them cover up your branded clothing with just any old thing. Keep your employees looking professional and comfortable at all times with branded outerwear. Ponchos, jackets 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 clothing and accessories do a lot for your employees, your customers and your business. Whether you’re choosing tops for your uniforms or accessories for gifts, remember to prioritise 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.