The perfect professional partner, workwear has become indispensable: suitable for different situations, conditions and temperatures, and, when selected properly, capable of providing comfort and safety.
For all these reasons, this type of clothing is specific and needs to be chosen carefully. There are a great many features out there: technical properties, cuts, sizes, materials and even styles… The list is constantly growing!
So-called workwear can also be divided into several categories, depending on the different industries targeted. We’re going to focus here on the styles in our Distribution and Logistics section, which are aimed at handlers and warehouse workers, who work both indoors and outdoors.
Our selection of brands includes collections that are 100% dedicated to workwear (WK. Designed To Work, Dickies, Puma and Result) as well as plenty of styles suitable for professional use from Kariban and PROACT, among others. Our teams work hard day in day out to find new items and bring you products that can be applied to a wide range of trades, techniques and professional situations.
Between technical details, innovative processes, and product types, we will help you decipher the groups of clothing suitable for Distribution and Logistics, providing concrete examples, tips and recommendations.
Our selection of warehouse and shop workwear
T-shirt
Let’s take the example of a warehouse worker. Their role is to receive, store and prepare products in a warehouse, for example. Their responsibilities are therefore quite varied: sorting, labelling, arranging boxes on shelves, cleaning storage areas, etc. They need comfortable and breathable clothing that allows great freedom of movement.
Is it warm in there? Yes, so short sleeve t-shirts are a must! The DayToDay t-shirt style from WK. Designed To Work (WK3020), made from polycotton, is perfect. Its smooth surface is ideal for decoration and its jersey knit makes it soft and pleasant to wear. Another key point for a workwear t-shirt: it is washable at 60° and its design incorporates an anti-pilling treatment. All in all, a hard-wearing and comfortable t-shirt!
WK3020
Men's short-sleeved DayToDay t-shirt
Workwear shorts
Still focusing on light-weight clothing to tackle the heat, let’s look at workwear shorts, such as the RU002M style from Russell. The twill weave makes them flexible and strong and their many pockets are practical for stock managers who sign purchase orders and need to keep a pen handy.
Bodywarmers
When the weather is less clement, this outfit can be completed with a sleeveless vest, with pockets and an easy to open and close zip fastening. One ideal option is this polycotton WK607 vest from WK. Designed To Work, with a unisex cut and fabric that is easy to flock with the company logo.
Workwear trousers
When winter comes, working conditions become more challenging in unheated warehouses. It’s time to swap the shorts for workwear trousers. Ideally, these should be slim fit as not to hinder movement and with a flexible and stretch coating. With this in mind, don’t think twice about softshell. Windproof and breathable, it will also protect against light rain. Result offers these softshell slim workwear trousers with reinforced knee panels and hand-warmer side pockets.
R473X
Softshell slim work trouser
Our selection of workwear for logistics
The logistics and transport sector covers a large number of professions: logistics technician, dock manager, forklift operator, etc. These professionals are constantly loading and unloading, and are therefore frequently outside. In addition, they often work at night or very early in the morning, when the light is poor or even non-existent.
In order to make their daily tasks safer, high-visibility workwear is a must. For example, the Result brand offers these safety trousers (R22) and parka (R18) to create a complete reflective workwear outfit.
When the weather is really challenging, Yoko’s high-visibility contrasting jacket (YHVP303) makes the perfect companion: it offers increased visibility (EN ISO20471:2013 Category 1 standard) in addition to protecting against bad weather (EN343: Class 3.1). Its quilted padding keeps you warm, even in cold, wet weather.
During summer and for lighter outfits, t-shirts, such as the YHVJ410 from Yoko also come in fluorescent yellow and orange. You might also want to think about high-visibility vests, which are cooler and less bulky than parkas or sweatshirts.
Need an in-between? Why not try a versatile jacket that is easy to put on and very easy to decorate. This is true, for example, of this unisex 3-layer softshell jacket from Kariban (K422). Its detachable sleeves mean the outfit can be easily adapted for different temperatures throughout the day in just a few seconds.
YHVP303
High visibility contrast jacket
Our selection of workwear for handling jobs
We’re now going to look at handlers who deal with heavy loads, using motorised machinery (forklifts, lifting tables, etc.) and non-motorised machinery (pallet trucks, hand carts, handling trolleys, etc.). In all circumstances, they must be comfortable in their workwear, in addition to being able to remove or add layers easily when the temperature fluctuates.
Trousers and dungarees
Elasticity plays a key role in the choice of clothing for these workers. When it comes to bottoms, the GDT PREMIUM DK0A4XSP trousers from Dickies are particularly ergonomic thanks to their flexible cotton and elastane fabric, which allows enhanced mobility. Toughness is also on the agenda, with triple seams and pockets for knee pads in Cordura®, a fabric that is ultra-resistant to abrasion.
Need an interesting alternative for a workwear outfit? How about dungarees? They cover and protect the upper and lower body while being easy to put on and take off. They are usually also equipped with practical pockets that allow handlers to store scissors or cutters used for opening boxes. For example, these PW2700 polycotton workwear dungarees from Puma Workwear can be worn over a short or long sleeve t-shirt depending on the season.
PW2700
Men’s work dungarees
When it comes to t-shirts, there are even two-tone styles with more visible colours and those made in part from recycled polyester, for eco-friendly workwear.
WK450
Two-tone 3 layers softshell blouson
Workwear jacket
In cold and rainy weather, the outfit can be completed with a zip jacket, preferably 3-layer softshell, such as the WK450 style from WK. Designed To Work. A BIONIC-FINISH® ECO treatment makes the jacket waterproof without using fluorine, a component that is harmful to the environment. The result is a water-repellent jacket that insulates against cold and moderate weather.
Personalised workwear: how and why to choose it?
By now, you’ll have understood that workwear has several essential functions and protects its users against a number of risks:
- splashes and dirt (dust, stains, etc.)
- cuts and impacts
- reduced visibility
- cold and bad weather
- UV and heat
Workwear jacket
A range of highly effective technologies also exist to make workwear even higher performing! One of these is the Cordura® polyamide mentioned above, used on the knees, shoulders and elbows to reinforce these areas, which tend to deteriorate more quickly.
For increased comfort outdoors, some pieces benefit from PFC-free BIONIC-FINISH® ECO water-repellent treatment, while others offer fabrics that protect against heat and UV (40+), such as this DK0A4XU3 t-shirt from Dickies.
DK0A4XU3
TEMP-IQ T-shirt for men (SH2009)
Added to this are proven patented technologies, such as Velcro®, unbeatable when it comes to easy opening and closing of workwear pockets.
Once you’ve decided on the priority criteria for your customer, make your choice and take a closer look at these specific technologies, which will improve the working conditions of the garments’ users.
But there’s more! Workwear can also be synonymous with style thanks a wide variety of cuts, shapes and finishes.
Work trousers and polo shirts
For a smart ladies’ outfit, the PA175 trousers from PROACT® are perfect: flexible and water repellent, they are also fitted at the waist. They can be combined with a PA490 Cool Plus® piqué knit polo shirt from the same range, fitted, comfortable and very breathable, not to mention available in a multitude of colours.
These styles are also available for men, with the PA489 two-tone polo shirt and PA174 trousers, both from the PROACT® brand. An elegant but comfortable set, perfect for a logistics manager who needs to go back and forth between the offices and the warehouse, for example.
PA175
Ladies' trousers
PA490
Ladies’ performance piqué polo shirt
PA489
Men's performance piqué polo shirt
PA174
Men's trousers
The good news is that at TopTex.fr, all our workwear is sold blank and can therefore be personalised! Offer your customers outfits branded with their logo to create a feeling of belonging within their teams.
Of course, the personalisation technique will have to be adapted to suit the garment, both for its fabric but also depending on the motif to be printed: logo, text, name, etc.
This is something you should discuss with your customer beforehand, remembering a few basic rules: no embroidery on very thin fabric, no digital transfer on fleece, and where to put the logo so that it is visible and not permanently hidden by a jacket, for example.
Use and care: two key criteria for long-lasting workwear
Frequency of use and care are also determining factors when it comes to choosing professional fabrics. A well-fitting and well-maintained garment will last longer without pilling, losing its shape or fading.
And obviously, when it relies on a particular technology, you need to be doubly careful.
For frequent or daily use, choose styles that are washable at 60°. Particularly hard-wearing, they will withstand high washing temperatures and long cycles.
For all technical and slightly more fragile fabrics, the recommended washing temperature will instead be 40°.
In any case, zip fastenings, scratch and buttons must also be closed, to prevent items from wearing out prematurely. Personalised garments should always be washed inside out, to preserve the colours and shapes of the motif.
Also, the use of fabric softener is not recommended: it could damage the membrane of water-repellent fabric, for example, and reduce its impermeability.
Finally, when drying a garment, it’s sometimes necessary to shake it to smooth it out and give it back its original shape, before leaving it to dry flat or hung up, ideally in the open air.
High-visibility clothing should be properly cared for to prevent dirt from impairing its reflective properties. Be careful never to use bleaching agents, which could reduce the fabric’s luminescence, and always respect the care recommendations exactly.
Final tips for these particular garments: it is better to keep them in a dry and ventilated location in order to avoid mould forming. Also, if they need to be repaired, use a thread that conforms with ISO standards for damaged garments.
These outfits are suitable for handling jobs. You will find all the styles mentioned in this article, and many more, in our Distribution and Logistics section, or in our catalogue, which can be viewed online. Our products are classified by family, fabric, colour, etc. Use the filters provided to help navigate and display the styles that meet your criteria.
Need help making your choice? Our teams are available to answer your questions, offer advice and help you understand the difference between the offers and new styles properly.
Yes, the world of workwear is expanding at TopTex to offer you even more choice and gradually extend to new industry sectors. WK. Designed to Work is getting some great new products ready for 2023, including more technical and hard-wearing styles… They’ll be ready to show you soon!
