Issue link: https://nbm.uberflip.com/i/1479467
generally requires uniforms that are easy to keep clean and from which stains and spills can be removed easily. Some uniforms may also be exposed to elements like food spills or dirt which can stain and would require washing more frequently, so a more durable form of decoration may be indicated. When you're dealing with workwear, the challenge may be special safety restrictions depending on where the items will be worn and by whom. If you're decorating firefighter gear or a suit for a racing driver, or an electrical worker, you may have to deal with fire safety requirements and use fire retardant materi- als and threads. Workers who interact with cutting tools like saws or work in places where they encounter animals that could bite may have reinforced areas on their workwear to protect them from acci- dents. Make sure that you investigate any special requirements the job may have and decorate the workwear accordingly. Also, keep in mind that the plus side of this sort of work is that once you understand the requirements and can successfully meet them, both through technique and stocking the necessary supplies, you may have a monopoly in your area for businesses that require that sort of workwear. So, although it seems like a more laborious process, researching and learning to meet the require- ments of a specific industry can be beneficial and profitable. FINDING SUPPLIES Once you've selected the industries or categories for which you want to decorate, the next task is finding the necessary sup- plies. If you aren't inclined to make your own patches, the next best thing is to buy blank patches and decorate them yourself. If you're dealing with workwear that has special requirements, you need to find fire-resistant or retardant thread, bobbins, and stabilizer, if you're doing embroidery. If you're screen printing shirts for daycare or nursery school staff, you may want to err on the side of caution and use ink that is CPSIA compliant and certified, just to be safe. Finding supplies that meet the require- ments of the garments you're decorating and the industry in which they will be used will most likely take some research and time, but once supply chains are established, having done the T hroughout the pandemic, the shift to working from home has allowed workers to change what they wear to work. Since they can work from the comfort of their homes, the style of clothing worn has become more relaxed. Fully Promoted, a branded apparel and promotional products franchise, sees first-hand how workwear trends have shifted. The company's president Mike Brugger shares his insights. HOW HAS THE PANDEMIC IMPACTED THE CORPORATE DRESS CODE? In the early days of the pandemic, and with many com- panies still today, being on Zoom, Teams, and remote work, the dress code immediately went downhill. So, we've recommended to many companies and many of our clients to resend the dress codes and update them to the digital world so that even if someone's working re- motely, they still look professional. For the people that updated the dress code for remote work, the main thing that it did was people started dress- ing sloppily. Here at Fully Promoted, we're trying to buck that trend to remind people that the easiest way to look and dress the part is to have branded corporate apparel. WHAT DOES CORPORATE CASUAL MEAN? For us, we've been doing this for 20-plus years. It really started off with losing the tie, losing the jacket, losing the suit. When people did that, sometimes they would under- dress, and so corporate casual is a perfect blend of pro- fessionalism and casualness. It's that blend of profession- alism and not being too casual, so staff feels good but still has that branded professional apparel. We've relaxed the Let's Talk Apparel in the Workplace A branded polo can set the stage for customers walking into a business. (All images courtesy Fully Promoted) Another option for workwear is a branded jacket. 3 2 G R A P H I C S P R O • O C T O B E R 2 0 2 2 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M B Y N A T H A N S T R O M B E R G