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When we think of retail we tend to think of department stores or clothing stores, but retail encompasses many more areas than that. From make-up and beauty shops, to grocery stores to garages, each has something to sell to customers and each has different requirements from their uniforms. Department stores have possibly the most varied uniform requirements as each part of the store needs a different uniform to represent the brand and present a different image to the customer. The first department store is debatable but possibly Harding, Howell & Co’s Grand Fashionable Magazine, opened in London in 1796. It offered everything from clocks to hats to buttons and furs. The clientele was middle class women, so not only the products but also the aesthetic of the shop and staff had to suit their tastes. The male shop assistants were very smartly dressed in suits and ties, which continued through all department stores way into the 1900s, with the appearance of Selfridges enhancing the concept of the shop assistant and truly making the role what it is today.
This landmark retail store brought over from America in 1909, had many assistants throughout the store who could be described as guides as much as salesmen as they informed customers on the whereabouts of the items for which they searched as well as the details of the products and were gifted with the perfect sales spiel to boot. They were equally smartly dressed in a suit uniform. It was this store that coined the phrase “the customer is always right”, highlighting the importance of customer satisfaction in the sales process.
Uniforms have a great deal to say in terms of customer satisfaction within the retail industry as they benefit both employees and customers alike. Let’s get into the details.
Quite simply, retail uniforms are the clothing employees in the retail industry wear when they’re at work. Unlike a dress code, which is a list of rules and expectations for staff to follow when dressing themselves for work from their own personal wardrobe, a uniform is provided by a company so that all staff are matching in their color palettes and styles and all teams are wearing similar, if not exactly the same clothing.
Capsule collections are a mixture of different types of clothing within one collection in slightly differing styles so that employees may mix and match the clothing items that best fit them and make them most comfortable in their jobs. The idea being that employees should be given a certain amount of freedom of expression with their clothing whilst still representing the brand and belonging to their team. After all, employees who are comfortable in and proud of their attire are more likely to give better customer service.
Within the retail sector specifically, shop floor assistants often wear clothes from a capsule collection, while those in stockrooms and more manual jobs behind the scenes are given a uniform that varies only between sizes and genders, as the function of the clothing takes precedence over the appearance of the uniform for safety and economic reasons.
Retail uniforms can include any of the following clothing items:
It’s important to carefully consider different aspects of a uniform before purchase, namely the needs and expectations of staff and customers, both aesthetically and functionally.
What will your employees be doing in their uniform? Will different roles require different uniforms? It’s important to have a comprehensive understanding of all the tasks your employees will be performing in their uniforms and therefore what requirements you’ll have of the uniforms themselves. Generally, staff will need clothing that matches the color of the brand in order to make them easily identifiable, and material that is low-maintenance. That’s to say, wrinkle-free and machine-washable at high temperatures without spoiling. Dark colors tend to appeal more to all kinds of tastes, while bright highlights draw attention to the staff members and make the uniforms more unique.
Shop floor staff will need to look smart and fashionable to attract customers and make a great first impression. They will need breathable material with modern technological fibers to reduce off-putting body odor and they need clothing cool enough to wear in warm weather and options of layers for cooler days. Staff working in the stockroom will need a uniform that is dark to hide things like pen markings, and made from certain materials that don't collect so much dust or lint that can be present in stockrooms and make the uniforms appear untidy.
If shoes are part of the uniform, as they can be for some retail employees, they will need to be comfortable for all staff, smart for those in customer facing roles and practical for those in store, stocking shelves and moving heavy boxes or materials. The important point to remember is that most retail staff spend a large part of their day on their feet so regardless of whether the shoes are part of the uniform or the dress code, they need to be comfortable.
The comfort of staff is equally as important as the function and appearance of the uniform itself as uncomfortable clothing will affect the staff members’ ability to perform certain tasks and will lower morale, thus lowering customer service standards. The material should be soft so it does not wear, scratch or bother the staff in any way while working and should fit each person well. If staff are unhappy or uncomfortable it also leads to a higher employee turnover due to job dissatisfaction. This is a cause for concern for your business, future employees and customers.
Models’ body shapes don’t reflect those of most average people, so uniform shapes and sizes need to be realistic and perhaps even made to measure for high-class brands to really make your staff feel comfortable and proud of their appearance in their uniforms. Ill-fitting uniforms that pinch or are too short or tight will ultimately make your staff feel uncomfortable and self-conscious which will be distracting and lead to poor customer service.
While you want your uniform to be unique and fashionable, style and economics are equally important considerations when choosing your retail uniform. Fashion changes regularly and things go out of fashion as quickly as they come into it, so trying to keep up is a costly mistake. The best practice when on a tighter budget is to choose styles and colors that will stand the test of time.
Timeless fashion includes clothing that has remained popular through all eras of fashion, such as blouses and shirts with standard collars, slim leg pants, plain t-shirts and polo shirts. To avoid being drab, they can all be made in company colors with bright highlights or slogans and made more unique by staff accessorizing with colored belts and scarves, to name just a couple of things. This isn’t necessarily to say that tradition is the best route to go down either, as keeping uniforms the same over many years may make your uniforms outdated and put off customers by showing them you have lost touch with current trends, so balance is important.
The other important factor is the tastes of your employees themselves. You don’t want to choose any uniform that is outlandish as this will likely not meet the tastes of most of your employees, and while, as the expression goes, you can’t necessarily please all of the people all of the time, the aim is to provide a uniform that will make your employees proud to work for your company. So how is the best way to do that? Capsule collections are always the answer. Having a capsule collection allows you to have various different styles of clothing items that align with your brand image and color scheme, so that staff may pick and choose which style best suits their tastes and body shape while still appearing as a unified group.
The style of uniform is also dependent on the area of retail your company is in and your brand image. A salesperson for a make-up and beauty store will likely have a very smart and fashionable appearance to appeal to the clientele, as well as a more clinical appearance due to the knowledge and expertise of the staff that you want reflected in the uniform. A grocery store sales assistant, on the other hand, will need a smart and professional appearance in a more friendly way, perhaps with functionality as a higher priority than appearance, as staff are likely to stock shelves as well as sit at tills for long periods of time, so will require more flexible clothing and layers. The brand perception should be considered as well, as different qualities are required and are represented by different aspects of work attire.
Style is also about safety. While long billowing sleeves on blouses may look appealing for certain uniforms, they are very impractical as they are likely to get in the way of performing tasks at work. Likewise tight or figure-hugging clothing that restricts movement will not enable most retail staff to undertake their work duties, and neon clothing, although eye-catching, will blur the lines between regular staff and those working in areas who need to be highly visible for their safety.
Different fabric types have different properties, all of which provide some value to your uniforms in some way. Cotton was historically preferred for uniforms, however technology developed in the 1960s and 1970s saw mixtures of new materials come to fruition. Often mixes or blends of materials work best in order to get the best features of each material and provide staff with comfort, durability and style.
Comfort is of the utmost importance for employees when they are working hard and certain materials offer more comfort than others. Wool and cotton for example are comfortable in both summer and winter and are breathable to allow for moisture to evaporate easily, keeping the wearer cool and comfortable. However, they don’t have the odor control technology that modern fabrics offer.
Bamboo is similarly comfortable and has the added bonus of being a sustainable fabric due to the short time it takes bamboo to grow. Not only that but it’s also anti-allergenic and protects against UV rays. Polyester is also commonly used for comfort due to its breathability, however it is more often used as a mixture of polyester with another fabric such as cotton, silk or wool to improve make it more lightweight or breathable. A blend of polyester and cotton, usually at a mix of 65% to 35% respectively, employs moisture-wicking technology which enables the garments to remove moisture quickly and keep the wearer cool and dry while remaining comfortable.
Antibacterial or antimicrobial fabrics are also very popular in the retail industry as they reduce body odor, which can be a problem for staff who are very active in their positions or have customer-facing roles. However it’s important that these fabrics are also anti-allergenic and anti-static to remain comfortable for all staff regardless of the sensitivity of their skin.
Durability is crucial if you want to save money by not replacing your employees uniforms regularly and allow your staff to have low-maintenance uniforms, whether they look after them themselves or if the company does. While cotton is a classic selection, especially for shirts and t-shirts, due to its comfort, it is a high-maintenance fabric as it needs constant ironing and spoils easily. Polyester on the other hand is a very durable fabric due to it being made synthetically, and is a better option than viscose for linings, although it is best used in blends to optimize the fabric’s qualities.
Technological advances have a lot to say when it comes to fabric durability and have even created a “bionic finish” that effectively repels oils, water and dirt and can be dry-cleaned regularly without suffering any damage.
Style is of course important and can be greatly affected by the material chosen for the uniforms. Elastane will improve the fit of the clothing as it will increase elasticity, however too high a percentage of elastane will decrease breathability and will make the clothing impractical for use.
When it comes to adding logos or slogans to uniforms, natural fibers such as cotton or linen, or fabrics high in those materials are much easier to embroider on. However, if the brand logo, slogan, or “here to help” message, for example, are to be printed, then polyester cotton blends are the most effective fabrics to print on.
There are several factors to consider when choosing a uniform manufacturer, including the company’s experience and values.
You should always consider a manufacturer’s years experience as it can be indicative of their overall experience in the industry, however it should also be noted that their number of clients and what industry they are in is an equally important factor. If they have previous experience in your industry then they can provide your company with industry expertise and advise on what designs and styles please employees, employers and customers the best.
You should also check that the company’s values align with your own. Do they value open communication and transparency? If not it will be difficult to express your ideas and receive the help you need throughout the process of designing and manufacturing your uniforms. Do they value the environment? Do they have a sustainability pledge? If your company prides itself on being environmentally friendly, it’s important to maintain this image across all companies you work with to avoid any problems further down the line. So it’s best to check that the manufacturer has equal environmental concerns as you.
