What 2 College Students Discovered About Polo Company Shirts
Corporate Polo Shirts (aka - Company Polo Shirts) are the foundation of many businesses staff uniform but how do you ensure you get it right for your company? Smarter than a T-shirt and much less formal than a shirt, the Corporate Polo can often provide just the correct balance between style and substance but like any item of corporate clothing it must be suitable for the working environment and be able to deliver wearer comfort & value-for-money.
It might sound obvious but a Polo Shirt is not an item of safety clothing, so it's vital that the company (or perhaps a suitably qualified person) execute a risk assessment. Anyone involved with hazardous work requires special consideration, which is why today's article is only intended to deal with Corporate and light industrial applications - for which the first option will be fabric.
Polo Shirts tend to be worn as a base layer (next to the skin), so it's vital to look at the temperature of the workplace - your staff certainly won't thank you whenever they are too hot (or too cold)!
In this regard, the choice between Cotton and Polyester (or a mix of the 2) is simply as relevant as the load of the fabric itself: Cotton is a natural fibre and is therefore kind to the skin as well as secure to wear BUT a synthetic fabric, such as Polyester, is more robust and easier to care for. This really is why many Corporate Polo Shirts are made of fabric with a blend of both Cotton & Polyester fibres.
The exact choice will depend on a number of factors, so it's best to speak to your supplier for specific advice but as a general guideline, Cotton Polo Shirts in 220 to 250gsm weight fabric will normally be reserved for office & clerical staff, whilst Cotton/Polyester in 180 to 220gsm weight are mainly utilized for Company polo uniforms Shirts in light industrial fabrication & engineering.
Polo Shirts are available in an assortment of styles; usually they come with two or three button opening (placket) at the neck, a rib knit collar and short sleeves but you will discover additional options and some of these can be useful, such as an extended back panel (to keep the wearers lower back warm) and side vents (for ease of movement).
Colours need to be considered in light of your corporate logo and if there is not only a similar colour available from stock then complement a complimentary colour or (if you require sufficient quantity) perhaps a bespoke Polo, manufactured to match your company colour/s.
For Corporate Polos there can really be just one choice and that's embroidery. An embroidered Polo Shirt looks so much smarter than one that is printed and conveys an air of quality that's tough to obtain with some other form of embellishment. The traditional placement for the company logo is on the left or right chest but an increasing number of businesses are adding additional embroidery to the chest, sleeves and back such as the company website, brand names and sometimes individual wearer names (even though this does limit the potential to reuse the garment, if a member of staff should leave).
It's important that your particular supplier digitises the image correctly for use on Polo Shirt fabric and uses the proper backing but a knowledgeable embroiderer shall do this as a matter of-course. Sometimes it may be essential to make minor adjustments to a business logo, for example raising the thickness of fine lines or the size of small text to be able to give a good result but again your supplier should discuss this with you and advise how it really is possible to show your logo to best effect.
Having the proper Polo Shirt can assist your company portray a professional image, to both visitors and also the wider business community. An attractive and comfortable Company Polo could also help unify your staff and motivate them to work with the company, rather than just for the company.
Unfortunately, Corporate Polo Shirts will often be seen as little more than a cost to the company and it may be tempting for buyers and business people to look towards the cheapest option but if that means presenting a poor image or replacing the garments sooner than expected, then what's the real cost?
Sometimes the main difference between a cheap garment and the right garment is measured in pennies. With the proper choices and the right supplier, your Corporate Polo Shirts should represent real value-for-money and that's a much more savvy way of protecting your bank balance for the long-term.
