Categories
Corporate Uniform

HOW TO KEEP UP WITH STYLISH CORPORATE UNIFORMS

Corporate uniforms have evolved over the last few years. Gone are the plain, dull-looking clothes and are replaced with fashionable, timeless pieces. More and more companies are choosing to implement stylish uniforms as a way to playfully express their brand’s image. We’re not just talking about the big-name enterprises as even SMEs (small to medium enterprise) are keeping up with this trend.

It’s not just about how the uniforms look. It’s about how the employees feel when they wear modern, up-to-date clothing. Keep in mind that your staff is a representation of your brand so it makes sense to suit them up with workwear that looks and feels professional. They feel more confident wearing their uniforms and they can even transform as your brand ambassadors.

If your team interacts with customers on a daily basis, it’s important that you implement a dress code that best resembles your brand. But that doesn’t mean you should settle for boring pieces of clothing. You want to find a healthy balance between professionalism and stylishness to draw in more customers and establish a positive corporate identity.

Here are a couple of tips that you can follow to help you keep up with stylish corporate uniforms.

Choose the right colour palette for your uniforms

A brand can instantly be recognised not just by their logo, but by their colours as well. Most companies use their brand’s colour palette and apply it to their uniforms (which isn’t a bad idea), but this limits the creativity and style of your uniforms. The colour palette should not only come from your brand, but also from other ideas that blend in perfectly with your existing colours.

For example, if you use red and blue colours for your logo, that doesn’t mean your employees should wear red and blue exclusively. You can also throw in neutral colours to even things out or use a different shade to add in a bit of character. Colours communicate a variety of messages about your company’s culture so it’s important that you get it right.

The tones should be flattering and your whole colour palette should encompass your brand’s image. A good-looking uniform uses various shades of colours and matches it with neutrals so it doesn’t look plain and unappealing.

Offer the right uniforms for each of your staff

While it’s important to design a modern-looking uniform, functionality should always be your number one priority. It’s not practical that your staff looks great in their uniforms but cannot function well with their daily activities. For example, your hotel porter might require a different uniform than your front office staff. They need the right comfort pieces to assist guests and move around swiftly while carrying bags and luggage.
You should also factor in the work conditions of your employees. Do they work in a relatively hot environment? If so, you should choose breathable, moisture, wicking fabrics to keep them comfortable throughout the day. Conversely, you can opt to use thick, insulating fabrics to keep your staff warm from the freezing elements. All these factors should be taken into consideration when designing uniforms so as to retain their functionality even when style is emphasized.

Have plenty of choices

Wearing the same uniform for 5 days a week is a thing of the past. Many companies provide their employees with a wardrobe so their team can choose the type of uniform they want to wear. People love fashion and variety, and what better way to integrate that to your corporate uniforms by having plenty of choices. The goal is to create a variety of pieces that embody a sense of unity within the team, no matter which uniform they choose to wear.

For example, you employees can rock a polo shirt with your brand’s colours for a casual yet semi-professional look or, include some dressier pieces for Fridays. Women are very particular when it comes to style and by having plenty of choices, they can opt for stylish outfits while maintaining a sense of professionalism. A way of implementing this is through a shirt dress. This piece is practical, can be dressed up and down, and is suitable for active roles in your company.

Establish a dress code policy around your uniforms

There’s more to it than just a stylish uniform wardrobe. You have to establish a dress code policy to remind your employees that they still have to adhere to the company’s standards. Sometimes employees tend to forget dress codes when uniforms are in place and it’s one of the biggest drawbacks of corporate uniforms. Address things such as what to wear during casual Friday, what pieces can be worn with their uniforms, and what accessories they can wear like jewelry, earrings, etc.

It’s also important to remind them of how you want them to present themselves when attending important client meetings, discussions, and other significant events. While a relaxed dress code can be ideal, it’s crucial to maintain professionalism when in front of authoritative personnel.

Corporate uniforms need not be bland and uninspiring. They should motivate your team to work each day and wear your uniforms with pride. Implementing such a big change can go a long way towards improving the presentation of your brand and the perception of the people outside your company. These tips will help you keep with stylish corporate uniforms and enhance the visual aesthetics of your brand as a whole.

Categories
Corporate Uniform

HOW TO CREATE THE PERFECT CAPSULE WARDROBE FOR YOUR COMPANY’S UNIFORM

There was a time when company uniforms looked completely boring. The fits were shapeless, the colours were monotonous, and the fabrics were made of poor quality. Not exactly something an employee would want to wear on a day’s work. But fast forward to today, and you’ll see most companies modernizing their workwear with a more fashion-centric approach. The curves, the lines, and the angles are all there. Uniforms have changed so much for the better and we like how people are being creative with offering different flavours of their uniforms.

Let’s face it, not everyone loves to wear the same uniforms at work. We have different positions at work and we fulfil different responsibilities. It only makes sense that the uniforms fit the needs of each team member so they can wear it with confidence on a daily basis. If you’re looking to step up your company’s wardrobe capsule, here are a couple of tips that you should consider.

Offer more than one option

Rather than using just one standard shirt, consider building a custom shirt program that provides more than one shirt option. This can be achieved by adding a unique contrast inside the shirt’s cuffs and collar. For example, you can use four colours in your shirt range — namely white, lilac, black, and blue and add contrasting colours for each range. Now your team has multiple colour options to choose from and at the same time, gives off a sense of unity without them looking too identical.

Another way to achieve this is by offering sleeve options like long sleeves, short sleeves, and three-quarter sleeves. This adds a bit of variety to your uniform capsule wardrobe while keeping things fresh and interesting for your employees.

Think about other alternatives

Not everyone welcomes the idea of wearing a tight-fitting skirt or collared shirt at work. Not only will it make your employees feel uncomfortable, but it can also impact their productivity as well. To solve this problem, think about other clothing alternatives such as dress pants instead of a skirt and a detachable collar instead of a stitched one.

These alternative options should blend in perfectly with your chosen shirt range so that it complements your uniform capsule wardrobe.

Introduce a well-designed polo

Corporate uniforms have become more easygoing as of late. After all, wearing a suit and tie every day isn’t quite practical (and feasible). While it does have its place in the corporate capsule wardrobe, that’s not to say there isn’t room for a slightly relaxed dress code. This is where a well-designed polo comes in. It retains much of the corporate qualities of an office uniform but adds a casual to keep things relaxed. A custom polo made from mercerised cotton is a fine example of a perfect casual uniform. Add it to your capsule wardrobe by using contrast colours on the placket to highlight your brand’s colours.

Don’t schedule particular pieces

When creating the perfect capsule wardrobe for your team, it’s crucial that you provide wardrobe options where there are no scheduled pieces for a given day. Just because it’s Monday, that doesn’t mean all of your employees should be suited up. Allow for a bit of flexibility to keep things fresh inside the office.

Of course, this will depend on what their responsibilities are for the day. If they have a meeting to attend, a professional dress code should be emphasized. But if they’re just going to be at their desk all day, you can allow them to choose which uniform they feel wearing.

Consider adding cotton chinos

Aside from pyjamas, cotton chinos are arguably the most comfortable thing to wear. If you’ve worn one, you know exactly how comfortable it is, especially the ones with high-end fabrics. Chinos can look smart in a corporate environment when paired with a slick polo or collar shirt. Consider adding cotton chinos to further refine your existing uniform capsule wardrobe.

Style your pieces with accent colours and trims

One way to add uniqueness to your uniforms is to style them with accent colours and trims. You can definitely spice up a boring uniform and turn it into a voguish piece with just a small touch. For example, you can add striped accents to the cuffs of a white oxford or place a fabric trim around the neckline of a dress. The options are endless and the only limit is your creativity. Think outside the box and style your pieces in a way that speaks to your brand and think of ideas that your team will be proud of wearing.

Don’t skimp on quality

This is perhaps the most important part in creating the perfect capsule wardrobe. If you want your team to wear their uniforms 5 days a week, don’t skimp on quality. A good quality uniform can make a world’s difference in terms of how they look, feel, and function. After all, your employees are an extension of your brand and you want them to represent your company with the highest standards possible.

That doesn’t mean you should go out and buy the most expensive fabrics. Just choose good quality materials that are made to last. A high-quality uniform inspires confidence and motivates your team to go after it. The fit, feel, and finish should blend together to create a capsule wardrobe that looks both professional and functional. 

Categories
Corporate Apparel

5 IMPORTANT FEATURES OF A CORPORATE UNIFORM

Corporate uniforms come in all shapes of colours, fabrics, and textures. These variables can affect how workwear is perceived by your consumers and you want to achieve a level of coherence that’s synonymous with your brand. Your corporate clothing should match your company’s goals, values, and visions if you want to utilise it to its full advantage.

Regardless of whether you’re fresh out of the startup or in need of a redo on your organisation’s current look, it is crucial to nail the foundations of a great corporate uniform. Here are 5 important features to keep in mind when designing your company’s workwear.

  1. Colour selection

The first feature that you should consider when designing workwear is the colour of the clothing. The colours should be associated with your brand’s logo to help make it instantly recognizable to your customers. Having a staff that wears the colours of your brand conveys a message of unity and professionalism, both of which are essential to increasing customer engagement.

  1. Proper fitting

Some business owners underestimate the importance of workwear that actually fits. You want your employees to feel comfortable while wearing their uniforms to help enhance productivity. If the clothes don’t fit well, your employees won’t like wearing them and this can lead to decreased morale. Consider the proper fit for each of your staff to reinforce their sense of pride when wearing company clothing.

  1. Fabric choices

The fabrics used for corporate uniforms are significantly different from those found in retail clothes. Corporate fabrics are purposely built to accommodate employees and perform to a much higher standard. As technical and manual work can be tough on clothes, corporate uniforms are made of hard-wearing fabrics that are robust and comfortable at the same time. These items are built to withstand everyday usage and will enjoy a longer usage life compared to store-bought clothing.

When selecting workwear fabrics, choose one that suits the work environment of your employees and the tasks that they’re performing. For example, cotton and linen blends are perfect for warm, summer environments while silk and polyester are more suited to a corporate setting.

  1. Functionality

It can be easy to get carried away and focus solely on the aesthetics of the uniform when designing it. But the goal here is to make the clothing practical and functional. The design should be intended to suit the various activities that your employee will be performing. This can include bespoke features that allow your employees to achieve their daily tasks without any issues.

  1. Style and fashion

Let’s face it, no one wants to wear boring, outdated clothes. While corporate uniforms are designed with professionalism in mind, that doesn’t mean its style should be compromised. You want your design to be fresh and up-to-date so that your employees will take pride in what they’re wearing. Take a look at current fashion trends and try to implement subtle design changes to make your workwear look sleek and presentable.

Categories
Corporate Apparel

THE IMPORTANCE OF A CORPORATE UNIFORM

No matter which industry you’re in, having a corporate uniform is an integral part of your marketing strategy. One way to implement this strategy is by providing your employees with workwear and apparel that features your brand’s logo. Branded uniforms have been shown to be a cost-effective way of boosting employee morale, customer engagement, and your brand identity.

Supplying your workforce is with a corporate uniform can be a time-consuming and costly expense. But how can you be assured that it’s worth your precious resources? Today we’ll be discussing the importance of a corporate uniform and how it can benefit you in 5 ways.

  1. It gives an air of professionalism.

Successful entrepreneurs know the power of a first impression. Your employees represent your brand’s image and you want them to appear professional in the eyes of your customers. Just like having a well-designed website and a good-looking business card, a uniformed staff greatly affects the perception of people outside your company.

Corporate uniforms give a signal to consumers that you mean business and you know what you’re doing. As they say, first impressions last and you want to make a statement the first time people interact with your business.

  1. Enhances customer service

When a customer enters your business, they will be able to identify your staff easily. This eliminates wasted time looking for someone to help assist them with their concerns, thus enhancing customer service. Wearing corporate uniforms reinforce trust and confidence, things that consumers are always looking for in a brand. You wouldn’t trust a sales agent to do business with you if he/she was wearing casual clothing, right?

  1. Walking form of advertising

Employees will have a greater sense of pride in wearing branded workwear and this can transform into a walking form of advertising. Everywhere they go, your employees will appear as brand ambassadors and people will start to notice your business. Corporate uniforms are a great way to spread brand awareness which in turn can lead to more sales and revenue.

  1. Promotes staff equality

Your employees come from different backgrounds and all of them are unique in their own right. That said, not all of them understand proper work attire. Corporate uniforms prevent your employee from showing up with inappropriate/distracting clothing at work. It also promotes a sense of equality among the staff. When everyone is wearing the same uniform, it doesn’t matter what your social status is. Everyone is on the same page towards achieving the goals that your company has set out to do.

  1. Builds team spirit

In the spirit of team building, cohesion is a crucial element. And what better way to form a tightly-knit group by having them wear company workwear. It establishes a team culture and every member of the workforce feels valued by the company. Let’s face it, we all want to be a part of a successful team and this can be achieved by embracing the feeling of inclusion in a group.

Categories
Corporate Apparel

WHY THE MATERIAL USED ON A POLO SHIRT IS VERY IMPORTANT

Take a look at your polo shirt. You’ll notice that their fabrics are a little bit different compared to your favourite t-shirt or button up. But why is that exactly? Turns out there’s a reason behind the materials used for this iconic garment. From sporting attire to leisurewear, the polo shirt has come a long way since it was first introduced. Today we’ll be discussing the significance of the fabrics that make up the polo shirt and find out why the choice of materials is very important.

The history of the polo shirt

Before we get started, let’s talk about the brief history of the polo shirt. In today’s world where athleisure is an ongoing trend, the polo shirt was actually conceived by a French tennis champion who wanted to design a garment that’s made specifically for sports. That man was none other than Jean René Lacoste himself, founder of the famous clothing company Lacoste.  Nicknamed “The Crocodile” for his demeanour on the court, Jean René Lacoste embraced it and began his journey on creating tennis shirts with the crocodile logo embroidered on the garment.

The new tennis shirt had shorter sleeves to allow better movement during tennis games and a performance-oriented fabric was used (more on that later.) The simplified collar provided a look of formality while still feeling comfortable enough whilst playing. From there the classic tennis shirt transitioned into the polo shirt that we all love and wear today.

From tennis shirt to polo shirt

Renowned American designer Ralph Lauren burst onto the fashion scene and started producing leisurewear for rich individuals where the clothes would feel comfortable enough but still resemble their wealthy status. Lauren’s clothing line was called Polo because according to him, the garment looked the most elegant out of any sportswear at the time. By the late 70’s and early 80’s, the battle between Lacoste and Polo ensued when Lauren introduced his own version of the tennis shirt called “Polo”.

While most people associated Lacoste with higher quality, the name “polo shirt” ultimately surpassed the words “tennis shirt”.

How the fabrics are made

Because of the polo shirt’s sporty heritage, the fabrics used are mostly piqué or jersey. But before explaining the difference between the two fabrics, it’s important to know how these fabrics are made. For centuries, humans have used two methods for producing fabrics and those are weaving and knitting.

 

  • Weaving is the process of interlacing long threads with each other to produce a fabric. The threads are placed in a horizontal and vertical manner (similar to a checkerboard) which holds them together. Some examples are denim and cotton which are woven to create the fabric. Weaving can either be simple or complex depending on the pattern of choice.
  • Knitting, on the other hand, is a process where long needles are used to produce a fabric by creating stitches of a single yarn. The easiest way to identify if a garment is knitted is by looking at the material very closely. If you see a braided pattern right next to each other, chances are that garment is knitted.

 

What does this mean for polo shirts?

Polo shirts are usually made of knitted fabrics, but nowadays the garment can be made out of different fabrics such as silk and linen, with piqué and jersey being the most popular. The pique knit became the fabric of choice for Lacoste because of its breathability, flexibility, and durability (which helped greatly when playing sports). Upon close inspection, you’ll see a honeycomb or waffle-like pattern. Some polo shirts are double piquéd where two types of threads are combined. This is done to strengthen the fabric or to reduce costs by fusing together a lower quality material with a higher quality one.

Double piquéd polo shirts are also sometimes a design choice as combining textiles of varying colours can create a singular effect, enhancing its aesthetic appeal. Meanwhile, jersey polo shirts tend to be more performance-oriented and have a much softer texture than its piqué counterpart. Coco Chanel popularized the jersey fabric with their t-shirts and today the fabric has been used not just on polos, but other garments that are geared towards comfortability.

Which one is better? Jersey or piqué 

At the end of the day, it’s all about personal preference. Go with what you think works best for you. For some people, polo shirts made of piqué look more high-end because of the stronger fabric and the sturdier collar. For others, jersey polos are a perfect choice because it’s more comfortable to wear. You can tell what material a polo is made just by touching it. For reference:

Jersey

  • Feel soft and smooth to the touch
  • Much cheaper than piqué
  • Similar to a t-shirt

Piqué

  • Feels thicker and heavier
  • Texturised
  • More breathable than jersey
  • Honeycomb-like pattern upon close inspection

The polo shirt is a wardrobe staple and it’s crucial to select the right fabric to make the garment work for you. If you want to rock the athleisure trend, go with a polo shirt that provides increased comfort. If you want a polo shirt that looks sleek and elegant, go with one that has a strong collar and thicker fabric. 

Bladon WA provides quality embroidered polo shirts in Perth, with a range of different styles available.

Categories
Branding Corporate Apparel

THE BEST COLOURS TO USE FOR A CORPORATE UNIFORM

Few things are more noticeable in a uniform than its colour. It’s the first thing that people notice and the colour of your uniform can send a subliminal message about your brand in general. While colour perception can be somewhat subjective, psychologists have documented its effects on human behaviour. For example, cool colours like blue and green evoke a feeling of calmness while brighter colours like red and yellow stimulate the body and mind. Colours can affect people in subconscious ways and this makes it an effective tool for establishing a solid corporate identity.

The colour of your company’s workwear can affect how people perceive your brand. In a world where the business landscape is becoming more competitive, striking a good first impression is crucial. You have to get your customer’s attention before someone else does or you lose out on potential sales. One way to achieve this is by using the right colour scheme to present your brand image. This can be reflected not just in your design, but your corporate uniform as well. Given that your employees interact with your clients on a daily basis, it’s important that you use colours that are well-thought out.

Here we’ll be taking a look at the best colours to use for a corporate uniform and help you decide which one is right for you.

Black

The colour black represents mystery, discipline, elegance, and power. In the corporate world, a black suit brings forth a more authoritative message. If you want your employees to assert their position as an authoritative force, then a black-coloured suit is the ideal choice. Black is also perfect for a conservative work environment, but be careful when using too much black because it can contribute to a laid-back vibe and affect one’s productivity.

When overused, the colour black can appear rather cold and unapproachable. Consider using it as an accent colour on corporate workwear such as a necktie or scarf for that hint of dominance without being too overpowering.

Blue

The colour blue represents trust, loyalty, dependability, and communication. Colours like navy blue appear professional and trustworthy, which is why most CEOs and high-ranking officials wear suits with this colour. The great thing about wearing a blue uniform is that it works with every skin complexion and makes for a great base colour. You can throw in different accent colours and it’ll match with the colour blue quite perfectly. Cool colours like blue are known for having calming properties. It’s soothing to the eye and communicates feelings of confidence in a subtle manner.

If you want to exude mental acuity and respect, consider wearing a blue uniform. You’ll also notice that some brands have a hint of blue on their logos and designs to attract a sense of loyalty from their target audience. As with the colour black, using too much blue can come across as cold or uncaring. This can be remedied by adding accent colours to balance its properties. Another thing worth noting is that if you spend plenty of time working outdoors, wearing a blue uniform can attract plenty of mosquitoes.

Gray

The colour gray represents practicality, caution, success, and solidity. When you wear a charcoal suit, it sends a message that you are both wise and reliable. Gray colours are the perfect choice for professionals who want to look sleek and sharp. It gives of a strong, commanding vibe like a navy blue suit without looking too authoritative and controlling like a black suit does.

A charcoal gray suit is a versatile workwear that can match almost all corporate environments. Depending on the industry you’re in, you can play around with different accent colours, textures, and patterns to match the gray colour. It allows you to be more adventurous with the shirts and ties you pair it with, giving you an opportunity to display your creative side. The colour gray also makes for a great base colour that compliments warmer tones quite well.

Beige

The colour beige represents warmth, softness, simplicity, and calmness. It’s similar to a charcoal gray suit, but with a slightly more relaxing vibe to it. This tame colour option can make you look classy and professional in almost any corporate setting. If you want to come across as approachable and welcoming, a beige suit is a great choice.

When it comes to neutral colours, nothing gives off more sophistication than a beige suit. Since beige looks great with most hues, adding accent colours will help you create an empowering outfit. The key here is to compliment beige with other neutral colours for that elegant look. Just like the colour gray, you can mix different textures and patterns and pair it with a beige suit if the office environment allows it.

Colour selection tips

Selecting the colours for your corporate uniform is as much science as it is an art. You can flaunt the most fashionable workwear in the entire world, but if the colours  don’t match your brand image, then it’s a lost cause. Understanding how colours affect people can work to your advantage when dealing with clients. These colours are examples of how your workwear can influence you and those around you.

Play around with different colours and see which ones fit your personality and your work environment best. Marry the colours in your outfit well, and you’ll notice a huge difference on how people interact with you on a daily basis.

Categories
Uncategorised

HOW TO ADD CREATIVE MESSAGING ON PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS

For some people, promotional products mean slapping their company logo onto an item and calling it a day. For others, they use both design and creative messaging to better promote their brand. While both strategies are an effective way to spread brand awareness, the latter can help take your marketing and sales to the next level. If you’re looking to build a strong corporate identity, you have to be creative with how you promote your company.

Brand awareness is crucial to a company’s overall growth. It’s what drives sales and attracts loyal customers. In today’s world, most marketers use automation technology to get their products/services in front of their customers. But that doesn’t mean you should completely neglect the effectiveness of promotional products.

Promotional products are a reflection of your company’s culture and it goes beyond just a name and a logo. You have to make your brand stand out from the rest of the competition and spark plenty of interest from your target market. Today we’ll be discussing how to add creative messaging on promotional products to build a stronger brand image.

Use slogans and taglines

Slogans and taglines are an essential part of any company. These help make your brand more recognisable and leaves a lasting impression on your target market, especially if the phrase is fun or catchy. A good slogan can instantly create brand recognition which is why you should include it in your promotional items. Consider creating slogans and taglines that reinforce key aspects of your brand image.

Try to keep things short and sweet. No one is likely to remember a tagline that’s outrageously long. Slogans and taglines allow people to make lighthearted associations with your brand so keep it light and interesting.

Make your core values known

Simon Sinek, a British-American author, famously said, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” This rings true for all businesses, whether it be big or small. Customers are much more likely to buy into what you’re selling when they understand your purpose. If they feel a sense of connection with a particular brand, it helps foster customer trust and loyalty.

And what better way to showcase your brand’s purpose than putting your core values on promotional products? Putting your culture code out there allows customers to know where you’re coming from as a company. These items help you connect much easier with your customers and employees by showcasing your company’s why. You can use promotional products with your core values on display to better gain the trust and loyalty of your target audience.

Event-specific messages

Events like seminars and conferences are a great opportunity to further expand your brand’s reach. You can take advantage of this opportunity by adding event-specific messages to your promotional products. These items will serve as souvenirs while also helping the recipients associate your brand with the event. Promotional merchandise with one-time messaging gives off a more exclusive feel and helps attendees remember both your brand and the event for years to come. 

You can sprinkle a bit of humour here and there with tongue-in-cheek messaging. You don’t have to put yourself in the box all the time with the message your company uses. People will associate your brand with fun and excitement when you create promotional products that are a bit entertaining and comical. They’ll absolutely love showing off their witty, cool, and funny merchandise.

Tips on adding creative messaging on promotional products

Loving the whole creative messaging idea? So do we! If you’re thinking of adding creative messaging to your next promotional item, here are a couple of tips to follow:

  • Less is more. Make sure the text is simple and easy to read. Avoid using fancy fonts and outlandish colours. The cleaner your design, the easier it’ll be to understand. Be creative with the message, but keep the aesthetic simple.
  • Consider your target audience. Who will be receiving the promotional merchandise? Employees? Customers? Prospects? Getting to know the intended recipient will go a long way towards creating messages that resonate with your target audience.
  • Promote what your brand is best at. You can fortify your brand’s image by consistently promoting where you excel the most. Hammer that home in your team’s marketing and you’ll see continuous growth in your brand’s outreach.
  • Play to the emotions. Creative messaging that connects a customer to a brand is what drives brand growth. How do you achieve this? By establishing your core values through promotional products.

When it comes to promotional products, you aren’t limited to just your brand name and logo. These items can be imprinted with messages that can spark plenty of interest. The goal of promotional merchandise is to build brand awareness and you can take it to the next level with creative messaging.

From corporate wear to mugs and pens, it’s important to align the message with the product you’re using. Take note of how much space you’ll have on each type of product so that your creative message fits. You can also use a specific message for each promotional item you’re using. This adds another layer of creativity that’ll make potential customers take notice.
By adding creative messages, you can appeal to your target audience on a more personal level. These tips will help you establish a strong brand identity with the use of promotional merchandise.

Categories
Corporate Apparel

THE REASON WHY LAB COATS ARE WHITE

Whether it be in chemistry labs or operating rooms, you’ll come across people wearing white lab coats. The same thing goes for physicists and med-school students. The white lab coat is a classic garment that represents most medical and scientific settings. People associate a white lab coat with medicine and science in one form or another. But the question is, why do they use a white lab coat? Won’t chemical spills and bodily fluids easily stain it’s rather immaculate appearance?

Apparently, there is a reason behind the colour scheme. Today we’ll be discussing why lab coats are white and why it’s important for people in the medical and scientific field to wear this colour-specific garment.

It’s much easier to practice proper hygiene

The medical and scientific field requires flawless equipment and attire for a good reason. White is the colour of choice because it’s relatively easy to spot harmful bacteria, chemicals, and other pathogens that come in contact with the fabric. Lab coats act as an armor that shields the wearer from all kinds of harmful microorganisms. A white lab coat shows kinks in the armor quite easily and it’s much easier to practice proper hygiene for the wearer’s health and safety.

Nurses and scientists can tell when a white lab coat needs to be cleaned as opposed to a dark-coloured one that makes stains quite difficult to spot. This helps reduce the risk of infections and diseases that could otherwise be passed on when not cleaned appropriately. A white lab coat is also much easier to maintain. Should a white lab coat require chemical cleaning or bleaching, the fibers won’t be damaged or discoloured.

The costs are much lower

To this day, the origin of the white lab coat is still unknown. But before it became a mainstream garment, beige was the colour of choice. The shift to a white lab coat can be attributed to costs since dying fabric can be quite expensive. The need to keep dyed lab coats properly cleaned made it expensive to maintain and keeping it in good shape can be difficult as well.

The white lab coat has earned its status as a practical workhorse garment. Its low-cost and low-maintenance qualities have made it the colour of choice for lab coats used in medical and scientific fields.

It serves a powerful symbolic significance

A white lab coat is universally recognised as a symbol of rigor across the medical and scientific professions around the world. Donning a white lab coat carries a symbolic significance in which the wearer is proud to display. This rings true especially in medicine where the colour white promotes academic maturity and scientific rigor. Before doctors started wearing white lab coats, they wore the trademark black suits. The attempt to switch to the white lab coat was done to move past the stigma of snake-oil vendors and bring forth an image of a respectable scientist associated with modern medicine. Today, many medical students receive their white lab coat as a rite of passage; transitioning from learning medicine to actual application.

Even chemistry students wear their white lab coats with pride. It represents their dedication and training to learn science in the highest standard possible. Ask a chemistry student about wearing a white lab coat and they’ll say it’s a symbol of competency in any scientific field. In an academic field, the white lab coat helps distinguish students of different majors and it can also differentiate specializations from one student to another.

It gives a sense of comfort and assurance

White lab coats don’t just apply to students and professionals. For the patients, it can serve as a sign of comfort and relief. Seeing a person wearing a white lab coat means that their medical needs will be attended to and that in itself has made the garment withstand the test of time. Patients can feel uneasy or nervous in any hospital environment but when they see a person wearing a white lab coat, their anxiety and fear are relieved. This is because the colour white can be associated with professionalism and cleanliness that the doctors exude when wearing such a garment. 

You can see the significance of the white lab coat when you step inside a hospital. In a medical setting, patients can easily tell doctors and physicians apart from other staff. From professionalism to practicality, a white lab coat gives a sense of assurance to the wearer and the patient. A white lab coat communicates the doctor’s medical intent to cure the illness of the patient and the colour itself represents purity and compassion.

Practical science played an important role

As one of the founding fathers of physics, Albert Einstein once said, “It can scarcely be denied that the supreme goal of all theory is to make the irreducible basic elements as simple and as few as possible without having to surrender the adequate representation of a single datum of experience.” Since then, there have been many renditions of this quote that equates to one simple meaning; practical science.

The white lab coat serves as a reminder that science isn’t intended to be a complex collection of technical jargon, but a collective exploration of how our world and our universe works. This approach has made its way into modern science and it’s one of the reasons why lab coats are donned by many professionals today. It’s practical and it embodies science in the simplest way possible.

Categories
Corporate Apparel

IMPORTANT TIPS TO FOLLOW WHEN DESIGNING CORPORATE UNIFORMS

Few items can make an immediate statement than a sharp corporate uniform. It makes your employees stand out and it gives off an air of professionalism around them. Corporate uniforms are more than just an article of clothing — it represents your brand image and it influences how your company is viewed by your clients. There are plenty of styles, colors, and textures to choose from and it can be quite challenging to get the right mix. To make the process much easier, today we’ll be discussing some important tips when designing the uniforms.

Pay attention to comfort

Good looks are vital to an impressive corporate image, but that doesn’t mean that comfort should be compromised in favor of aesthetics. Your employees should feel comfortable wearing your work uniforms so they can rock it with confidence. When designing work wear, consider the tasks of your employees while they wear the uniforms. They should be able to comfortably perform their duties without hindering their physical dexterity. The type of fabrics and cuts will play a huge role in the uniform’s overall comfortability.

You should also take into account the working environment of your employees. If they work in relatively humid conditions, breathable fabrics like silk and nylon are recommended. For colder climates, cotton and wool work best to keep your employees insulated from the low temperatures. When your employees feel comfortable wearing their uniforms, they can focus more on their tasks instead of stressing over how they look.

Use high quality materials

Another important aspect of workplace uniform design is the overall quality of the materials used. You want to select fabrics and accessories that are of high quality to not only provide comfort, but durability as well. Although the costs are going to be high, the amount of comfort it’ll provide to your employees will definitely be worth the price. Some companies cheap out on corporate clothing by using poor quality materials that deteriorate quickly.

No one wants to wear poorly made clothing, especially your employees. Not to mention that it’ll only add up to more costs after it starts breaking down after a few washes. It’s better to invest in high-quality clothing that’ll last for years to come instead of using cheap clothing only to replace them every few months. Supplying your workforce with well-designed uniforms will provide them with a  huge confidence boost. This can help increase their productivity and make them feel valued by the company which is essential to employee loyalty.

You don’t want to go too overboard by choosing only premium materials. You can find good quality fabrics at a reasonable price so make sure to acquire them from a reputable supplier. They usually give discounts to people who buy in bulk for uniform design so keep that in mind in order to save costs.

Choose the correct fabric

There are a dozen fabrics to choose from when designing your uniforms. You want to choose the correct fabric that’s appropriate for the work conditions of your employees. For example, cotton blended filaments help make uniforms more lighter and gentler to wear. This adds a unique feel to it when worn and can make it more comfortable for employees to wear no matter what task they’re performing. This can ultimately affect worker productivity based on how they feel when wearing the uniforms.

It might be tempting to select cheap fabrics like a high blend of polyester to save money, but it’ll make the uniform uncomfortable to wear and it might even hinder your employee’s productivity. For the perfect blend of aesthetics and comfortability, a combination of chambray and fila-fill fabric will work best for designing your uniforms.

Pick your colour palettes wisely

Aside from the design and the materials used, the choice of colours will have a huge impact on how the uniforms look. Textures and patterns make your uniforms more interesting, but adding too much detail will result in a rather messy look. The best way to pick your colour palettes are to refer to your company’s logo. Choose subtle colours that best represent your company and you want to keep the bright colours toned down. You don’t want your employees to look like walking neon lights while wearing their uniforms.

Lighter shades of clothing with good contrast are perfect for employees who work in the retail sector because it makes them easier to identify. Conversely, darker shades of clothing are particularly useful for jobs such as mechanics or assembly line workers to prevent stains from becoming visible.

Keep your brand image in mind

When you think about it, branded uniforms are essentially a free form of marketing tool. You have your company’s logo embroidered on it as well as the colours associated with your business. This can make a huge difference in terms of how your employees are perceived by the general public. Pick subtle colour choices and design themes when designing uniforms. The small details matter such as the name tag, logo options, and accessories. These can make or break an outfit and either improve your brand image or affect it negatively.

Conclusion

Designing uniforms can be a challenging task, but with the help of these tips, you’ll be able to create company workwear that will not only increase the productivity of your workers, but will also benefit your brand image in more ways than one. Follow these tips carefully so you can design the perfect corporate workwear for your employees.

Categories
Branding

5 ESSENTIALS FOR ORGANISERS OF LARGE EVENTS

Organising a large event can be quite a challenging process. There are a lot of intricacies that go into planning an event successfully and it all starts with having the right essentials. It’s better to be well-prepared upon arrival than having to scramble for things that you need at the last minute. Every organiser needs a solid game plan, especially when planning for an event of a corporate nature.

Today we’ll be discussing essential items that organisers need when planning large events . Go grab some notes and let’s get straight to it.

Essential items that organisers should always have

  1. A pen and paper.

The first essentials that any event organiser should have is a pen and paper. As an event organiser, you are responsible for planning seminars, exhibitions, conferences, and even corporate incentive trips. This means you’ll be coordinating with plenty of clients to find out their event requirements. You’ll need to write down detailed proposals such as setting the budget, selecting the venue, contacting suppliers, and managing every pre-event requirement to ensure that the event goes as planned.

Any requests your clients make should be noted right away so that you can fulfill their exact needs. Having a pen and paper with you at all times ensures that you’ll be able to write down important details in order to organise a successful event.

  1. A USB flash drive.

No event organiser is complete without a USB flash drive in his pocket. You should always have a backup of important files and documents pertaining to the event so you can have access to it anytime, anywhere. Carrying a briefcase full of documents might be a bit cumbersome, especially when you’re attending a large event. A USB flash drive is a convenient way of accessing your planner and the best part is, it fits right in your pocket.

You should store files such as your team’s marketing and advertising plan. your event proposal, and your client’s event requirements in your USB flash drive.

  1. A lanyard.

Lanyards can make a statement in a corporate setting, especially if you’re the one who organised the event. Not only do lanyards offer a convenient place for you to store your IDs, but it’s also a great promotional product that you can wear to promote your team and your services. Wearing a lanyard also makes you easier to identify. When people can identify you right away, you’ll be more likely to engage with potential clients that could hire you as their event organiser. These simple straps have the power to foster employee engagement, build your corporate identity, and promote your brand for little to no cost. What’s not to like?

  1. A wristband.

Wristbands make for a great promotional tool that an organiser should always carry. It’s more subtle than a lanyard and you can customise it with your own brand name or your team’s logo if you like. Wristbands can stir up a conversation since you won’t see too many people wearing one in a large corporate event.

Some wristbands have useful functions like magnetic clips that can act as a smartphone stand and others come with LED lights that are guaranteed to catch attention at any business setting. You can also hand it over as a promotional product to people at the event. A wristband is a subtle way of promoting your corporate identity so make sure to wear one when organising large events.

  1. A compendium.

Organising a large event can sometimes throw you off, but that doesn’t mean you should be disorganised yourself. This is where a compendium comes in and is perhaps one of the most important essentials any event organiser should have.. A compendium is a two-fold storage bag that houses your IDs, papers, pens, and other important items. It organises everything in a neat and orderly fashion so you don’t have to scramble around looking for your essentials which can be quite a hassle if you’re in a large corporate environment.

Compendiums usually come in A4 or A5 sizes so you can store your important documents as well. Leather options are available so you can organise your items in a classic and professional-looking manner.

Other essentials an organiser might need

Aside from these 5 essentials, there are other items worth noting that any organiser should have. These items are:

 

  • Power bank – It sucks when you’re out in a large corporate event and all of a sudden your battery runs empty. Always carry a power bank with you so you can juice up your mobile devices on the go.
  • Water bottle – Organising a large event can be physically exhausting. Make sure you’re always hydrated by carrying around a water bottle. Metal drink bottles and flasks look professional and can keep your drink hot or cold.
  • Jacket – Conferences and seminars can get quite chilly. Don’t forget to bring a jacket with you when organising a large event.
  • Multi-tool – You’ll never know when you’re going to need a pair of pliers or a bottle of opener during a big event. A multi-tool can come in quite handy in situations you might not expect.

Conclusion

These are the list of items an organiser should have in their arsenal when organising large events. It’s important to always carry the essentials so that you can step inside the event well-prepared and ready for the occasion.