How to choose branded workwear for a small team
· 6 min read · By the Net-workwear team, Harrogate
Kitting out a team for the first time is mostly a series of small decisions: which garment, what weight, what colour, how many. Get those right and the uniform pays for itself in the impression it makes on your customers.
Start with the job, not the garment
Office and showroom staff want polos and softshells. Trades want tees, hoodies and hard trousers. Anyone near vehicles or traffic needs certified hi-vis. Write down where people actually spend their day and the garment list writes itself.
Fabric weight matters more than brand
A cheap 140gsm tee goes baggy after a month. Aim for 180-200gsm on t-shirts, 200-220gsm on polos and 280gsm plus on hoodies. Polycotton resists creasing and holds colour; pure cotton feels nicer and prints better.
Colour and logo placement
Pick one core garment colour that suits your brand and stick with it — it makes reorders and new starters easy. Left chest logo at 8-10cm wide is the standard smart look; add the company name and phone number across the back if you want the kit doing marketing while your team works.
Budget and quantities
Our minimum is 6 garments and you can mix sizes, so you are not buying stock you do not need. Most small teams start with two tops per person and top up as they go. Trade accounts can order on invoice, and every order includes free UK delivery.
Frequently asked questions
What is a sensible starting uniform for a five-person team?
Two polos each for everyday wear plus one fleece or softshell for outdoors. That is fifteen garments, comfortably over our six-garment minimum, and covers most weeks without constant laundry.
What fabric weight should I look for?
180-200gsm for t-shirts, 200-220gsm for polos, and 280gsm plus for hoodies and fleeces. Lighter than that and the garment will look tired quickly.
Should I order in one colour?
One core colour keeps the team looking consistent and makes reorders simple. You can mix sizes freely within an order.
Brands, standards and suppliers we work with
We are open about where our garments and standards come from. These are the organisations behind the blanks we print and the certifications we hold ourselves to — worth a look if you want to check the detail for yourself.
- Gildan — dependable ringspun cotton tees — our default when budget matters and comfort still has to be there.
- Fruit of the Loom — polycotton piqué polos that hold their shape through constant washing.
- Stanley/Stella — organic, heavier-weight blanks for teams who want a premium, sustainable feel.
- Regatta Professional — fleeces, softshells and waterproofs for staff who work outside all year.
- Portwest — trousers, hi-vis and hard-wearing trade kit built for real site conditions.
- British Independent Retailers Association — useful reading if you run a shop and are pricing up a uniform for the first time.
Want a starter kit priced up?
Tell us your team size and what they do — we will put together a sensible uniform list with prices.