The Top 3 Most Asked Questions About Polo Uniforms

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 right balance between style and substance but like any item of corporate clothing it must be suited to the working environment and be able to deliver wearer comfort & value-for-money.

It might sound obvious but a Polo Shirt isn't an item of safety clothing, so it's vital that the company (or perhaps a suitably qualified person) execute a risk assessment. Anyone linked to hazardous work requires special consideration, which is why today's article is only intended to handle Corporate and light industrial applications - for which the first option will be fabric.

Polo Shirts are usually worn as a base layer (next to the skin), so it is important to look at the temperature of the workplace - your staff certainly will not thank you should they are too hot (or too cold)!

Inside this regard, the choice between Cotton and Polyester (or a mix of the 2) is just as relevant as the burden of the fabric itself: Cotton is a natural fibre and is therefore kind to the skin and comfortable to wear BUT a synthetic fabric, for example Polyester, might be more robust and easier to care for. This is why nearly all Corporate Polo Shirts are made of fabric with a mixture of both Cotton & Polyester fibres.

The exact choice is determined by a number of factors, so it's best to talk to your supplier for specific advice but as a rule of thumb, 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 used for Company Polo Shirts in light industrial fabrication & engineering.

Polo Shirts are accessible in various styles; usually they come with two or three button opening (placket) at the neck, a rib knit collar and short sleeves but there are actually additional options and several of these may be useful, for example a very long 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's not only a similar colour available from stock then go along with 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 only one choice and that is embroidery. An embroidered Polo Shirt looks so much smarter than one which is printed and conveys an air of quality that is hard to obtain with every other form of embellishment. The traditional placement for the company logo is on the left or right chest but more and more companies are adding additional embroidery to the chest, sleeves and back for example the company website, brand names and sometimes individual wearer names (although this does limit the possibility to reuse the garment, if a member of staff should leave).

It is important that your supplier digitises the image correctly for use on Polo Shirt fabric and uses the right backing but a knowledgeable embroiderer will do this as a matter of course. Sometimes it may be necessary to make minor adjustments to a company logo, for example raising the thickness of fine lines or the size of small text as a way to give an excellent 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 correct Polo Shirt can certainly help your company portray a professional image, to both visitors and also the wider business community. An attractive as well as secure Company Polo may also help unify your staff and motivate them to work with the company, rather than just for the company.

Unfortunately, Corporate Polo Shirts tend to be seen as little more than a cost to the company and it may be tempting for buyers and company owners to look towards the cheapest option but if that suggests presenting a poor image or replacing the garments sooner than expected, then what's the real cost?

Sometimes the real difference between a cheap garment and the right garment is measured in pennies. With the right choices and the right supplier, your Corporate Polo Shirts should represent real value-for-money and that is a far more savvy way of protecting your bank balance for the long-term.