It was in the days of the industrial revolution that workwear clothing first appeared and it was first seen amongst railroad workers. Wearing a uniform made them easily recognisable and also provided workers with proper clothes for their job. The first mass produced workwear clothes were waist overalls and denim jeans back in the 1870s.
By the middle of the 19th century, workers in Britain were routinely standardised with workwear consisting of corduroy pants, flat caps and heavy boots. This continued throughout the years across different industries as fishermen, sailors and dock workers were also starting to be seen in oilskin coats and hats.
The first half of the 20th century brought new materials and new technological advancements which transcended into the workwear industry. Providing workers with clothes that would not only help identify them more easily but also to keep them safe was in focus.
Coming out of World War II, this became an even more important feature alongside comfort and fit. Two other trends such as female oriented workwear and workwear fashion emerged too with more and more brands getting into the workwear world. One of the more popular ones was Ritemate which has stayed relevant and present in the workwear world to this day.
Types of Workwear
Food Processing
Whilst workwear clothing is usually found in workplaces that require easy identification or safety precautions, the food processing industry is different. Ritemate clothing made for food processing plants is extremely durable. This is because these uniforms need to undergo a special cleaning process.
Restaurant
Restaurant uniforms can be unique too since there are a lot of options to choose from. Your chef can wear a butcher wrap, chef coat or a plain button up while servers have the option for smock wrap shirts or plain button-ups too.
Automotive
Durability is something that workwear clothing for automotive technicians provides since there are a lot of caustic fluid stains that will come in contact with the clothing. These are mostly available in a polo or button-up style with both long and short sleeves. Automotive technicians can also have jackets and coveralls too.
Industrial
These types of uniforms usually consist of short and long sleeve work shirts and long pants. A tightly woven material is at the core of industrial workwear shorts which makes them durable but also comfortable to wear.
Career
Office workers have the largest number of options out of any of the above-mentioned industries. You can find Ritemate clothing that’s both casual and professional looking at the same time, without skimping on comfort.
Specialty
Specialty Ritemate workwear clothing pieces are made for a specific use in mind. These include hi-vis garments, fire-retardant clothes and rip-stop garments too. There isn’t much to choose form here when it comes to style as safety and comfort are the main focus of this type of workwear clothing.
Fabrics & Materials
Cotton
When it comes to making a piece of workwear clothing comfortable and breathable cotton is usually the material of choice. Cotton makes for a soft garment that is extremely flexible and non-irritating which is ideal for those with sensitive skin. While cotton tends to winkle easily its lighweightness makes it ideal for warm weather wear.
Polyester
This type of material has become popular in recent years due to its moisture-wicking properties and lightweightness. While polyester fibres aren’t as soft as cotton, it is used often in combination with it to make up for the lack of comfort in a garment.
Polyamide
Polyamide fibres are basically nylon. Nylon is known for its strength and durability. Unlike polyester though, polyamide fibres hold moisture for quite some time, meaning they dry really slow. This is why nylon is often blended together with polyester.
High Performance
High-performance fabrics are a blend of different materials which include carbon fibre, ceramic fibres, aluminium and stainless steel too. These blends are used in specialty workwear clothes which require the best of performance and high performance blends are the only fabrics that can provide that.
What is The Best Workwear?
Strength
The strength of any fabric is essential for durable workwear especially when it comes to specialty clothing. As long as you wash the garment according to the washing instructions – one made of strong fabrics such as nylon should last a long time.
Shrinkage
One thing you have to account for is shrinkage. Since workwear is frequently washed using harsh, industrial methods garment shrinkage is inevitable. Quality fabrics will be pre-shrunk extensively so they don’t do so when you first run them through the washer.
Comfort
While the material a piece of workwear clothing is made of is the determining factor when it comes to comfort, it is not the only one. A combination of the gauge stitching, moisture level and location of seams all play a big role in the comfort of the garments themselves.
Colour Fastness
A quality dying process will make for a high level of colour fastness meaning your garments will not lose their colour as easily. This is especially important for hi-vis items.
