Work Wear Gets Smart

Sharon Santino, Feb 4, 2011

Doctors' scrubs that repel blood. Banquet server tuxedos that can be cleaned at home. Uniforms are getting smarter says The Wall Street Journal, thanks to innovations in athletic wear.

According to the North American Association of Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors, about one in five workers wears a work uniform of some kind - almost double the level of 10 years ago - due to growth in service jobs and employers' eagerness to improve their corporate image and toughen security. This high demand for work wear has led manufacturers to generate new and attractive options for employers.

Some of these innovations include clothing that is:

Technologically Advanced: This uniform-improving technology began in the athletic-wear industry but has now extended over into healthcare, service and corporate sectors. Medical workers can now choose anti-microbial, water-resistant scrubs, banquet servers can put their durable, non-bleed suits into the washer and business professionals have the option of wearing shirts that whisk away perspiration and fight climate fluctuations in the office.

Durable: Manufacturers, like Superior Uniform Group in Florida, are using a variety of methods to ensure the durability of clothing, including abrasion machines, "laundrometers" that beat up the fabric and "crockmeters" that rubs fabric together to test the dependability of the dye.

Multi-purpose and Eco-Friendly: Clothing-makers are choosing materials that are both environmentally friendly and offer benefits to the wearer, such as recycled water bottles (these make extra resilient restaurant uniforms) and natural fibers like bamboo, (because it automatically eliminates body odor), to create this advanced work wear.

The improvements to work wear are far from complete. Goals for the future include uniforms that produce glowing promotional images with light-emitting diodes that and "smart fabrics" that monitor the health of the wearer.

However, you will not have long to wait for this technology comes to your promotional apparel. We already carry performance wear for the office and eco-friendly and absorbent bamboo promotional apparel, with more options to arrive in the upcoming year. Stay tuned to our blog or contact your account executive to hear about how you can get this technologically advanced work wear screen printed or embroidered with your logo for your clients or employees.