Best practices for choosing colours for new work clothes and uniforms

25th Apr 2024

Since many company owners and marketing managers choose to launch new campaigns, update their work clothing, update their logos and branding, hire more employees, and generally give their businesses and brands an overhaul in January, it's usually a busy month for us.

When it comes to embroidered workwear and teamwear, our clients typically know roughly what clothes and colours they are looking for, but we are frequently asked for assistance in deciding not only which things would best suit their business needs but also which colour combinations would work. Here are some of our best recommendations for selecting the appropriate colour clothing for your branded workwear.

Selecting a "stock" colour seems like the obvious choice if you're looking for ways to cut costs. This entails selecting a shade that is easily accessible and that the producers offer "off the shelf." Though it's a fantastic idea to have work polo shirts or branded shirts in your company's exact Pantone colour, the pricing and minimum order numbers are prohibitive. It would be necessary to dye a white t-shirt to the appropriate shade in order to match an exact pantone colour. This entails numerous needless expenses. Due to the intricate nature of the procedure, providers of this service typically demand a minimum quantity of 500 pieces or more for each garment (and occasionally for each size)! Thus, you might receive 500 pieces of Small work t-shirts, 500 pieces of Medium t-shirts, 500 pieces of Small polos, and so forth.

Instead of going through this enormous ordeal, we would advise you to choose a manufacturer who provides the closest colour clothing needed.

Certain manufacturers restrict the sizes that are offered in specific colour ranges. For instance, you can choose from an enormous variety of colours for the Hi Vis Hoodie, but some of the less common (or less recognised) colours only come in a limited number of size selections.

The Burgundy/Gold colour combination is limited to sizes XS through XXL, whereas the Heather Grey/French Navy colour combination is available in sizes XS through 5XL.

Verify the sizes in which the colours are available to make sure you can accommodate all of your staff's needs.

Similar to the previous discussion about sizing, unisex models typically have a far wider range of colour possibilities than any of the more fitting types, such lady fit, slim fit, or kids.

Make sure the colour you choose is offered in every style if you're searching for a branded uniform that fits all of the trends. Many businesses choose to remain with unisex styles to make sure there are no problems, but if you would like to help select which colours and clothes are available in all styles for staff members who are searching for more tailored styles, we can assist.

Though it should go without saying, you'd be shocked! It is generally advisable to choose clothing that complements the colour and quality of the business you work in. For example, if you work as a landscape gardener or are looking for clothes for builders, a white t-shirt is not going to last more than a day before appearing shabby and reflecting poorly on your business. On the other hand, wearing darker clothing—black, navy, grey, etc.—will almost certainly help you look more put together while you work and interact with clients throughout the day.

In the same way, if your workplace demands that you stand out, a darker outfit might not be the ideal choice. Instead, go for something eye-catching and vivid, such royal blue or crimson.

Examining clothing colours before deciding on your colours is a smart option if you are undergoing a rebrand. This enables you to locate the appropriate clothing in the appropriate colour selections that complement your branding and logo.

Most businesses, if their logo was created by a graphic designer, will have two versions of it: the regular version and a "inverse" version that is utilised against darker backgrounds. The Work Wear Club logos are located on the right; notice how the colour has changed to make the logo stand out against darker backgrounds.

We wear both light and dark clothes here at Work Wear Club, and we can easily switch up the colours of our symbol to match the shade of the clothing we are wearing.

Since our symbol is orange, it goes without saying that a orange shirt would not look well. Similarly, the orange in our symbol would clash with red or yellow clothing, making it appear bad.

We can offer advice on colours that work well with your logo. Additionally, we can "invert" specific colours in your logo so they appear lighter or darker on clothing.


We can offer guidance on all of the above listed topics, regardless of what your goals are for your upcoming project, campaign, or apparel order. Contact Work Wear Club by email at info@workwearclub.co.uk or by phone at 0203 887 0364 to discuss your upcoming apparel project.