What to Consider When Buying Plumber Uniforms

With all the challenges of running a plumbing business such as payroll, drumming up new business and scheduling, plumber uniforms probably may seem insignificant.

But don’t sell your plumber uniforms short. They serve a big purpose and can help your business promote itself!

Uniforms for your employees are important for many reasons. Plumbing is serious business – you’re not just going to throw on a dirty t-shirt and jeans and go fix some huge plumbing mess.

You want your uniforms to serve two key purposes:

They represent your business and brand
They also keep your staff comfortable and should be functional

Let’s take a look at these key considerations when purchasing plumbing uniforms

1. Promotional Brand Awareness

Purchasing plumbing work uniforms with your logo is a necessity for your business. And each of your plumbers should have multiple uniforms or shirts so they aren’t constantly washing and wearing them out.

Why should you have your logo on your uniforms?

Make a Great First and Lasting Impression

When your plumber rolls up to your customers door looking all sharp in their uniform – you’ve made a great first impression!

How do you want your plumbers to represent the business? If a plumber knocks on the door with a wrinkled, dirty, unbranded uniform, the customer is more likely to expect sloppy work.

Conversely, if your plumber arrives in a clean uniform with a professional logo and a smile on their face, your customer will be likely impressed with their professionalism. Your plumber will be off to a great start!

Focus on your entire brand when considering plumber uniforms in regards to the color and logo. Consistent brand messaging through colors, fonts, etc. is important when trying to stand out from everyone else. Here are a few ways to keep your brand consistent:

Keep Consistent with Colors: Pick 1-3 colors that align with your brand for all of your plumbing uniforms. Unless your brand has a bright color that is used consistently in advertising, pick standard colors that are easy to purchase: black, white, gray or navy blue, for example. If your team works in commercial environments, you may also provide your team a high-visibility option, like neon yellow or orange.
Make Your Logo Pop: Logos should contrast with the color your uniforms are – this will allow your logo to pop and be easy to read. For example, a dark gray logo on a black shirt may get lost, but a white logo on a black shirt would show up well.
Stay aware of placement : Keep your logo the same size and placement on all shirts or uniforms – a smaller logo on the left side of the chest is standard and should stand out.

2. Functionality: Safety and Comfort

While you need to make sure your plumbers look good, you also need to make sure they are safe and clean on the job.

Let’s face it – your plumbers are working a difficult, hands-on job that requires a lot of physical labor. You want to provide an environment for your employees that keeps them safe from sewage and comfortable.

Ensuring they are protected from the elements while remaining comfortable will let your employees know that you value them.

The Best Materials for Plumbers

What type of material is best for plumber’s uniforms?

A typical plumber uniform includes work pants and tops that are both protective and flexible. You don’t want gross liquids or dangerous chemicals seeping into your plumbers’ clothes!

Many work pants and shirts are waterproof and have multiple pockets to store fittings and small tools. Coveralls and underalls are two other options that plumbers may wear depending on the conditions and weather.

Here are a few other safety considerations:

Nylon and other synthetics should be avoided due to their higher risk of melting and causing severe burns. OSHA prohibits these types of materials.

Logos or custom shirts should be embroidered, iron on logos can melt when in contact with chemicals and may present a danger to plumbers.
If you offer branded long-sleeve options or sweatshirts, make sure you only provide crew-neck designs. Drawstrings on hoodies can fall into pipes/basins and become unsanitary.

Plumbers spend a lot of time on their hands and knees – make sure that their pants are optimized for their day-to-day jobs! Many plumbers prefer pants with padded knees to help lessen the impact on joints.

Here is a short video on some of the best work pants for plumbers:

Workwear Examples

Now that we have identified the functional aspects of plumbing uniforms, let’s take a look at some of the businesses known for selling plumber clothing.

PlumbersStock: This business offers shirts, heated jackets and vests and more for plumbers.
UniFirst: This is a full scale uniform rental business that allows plumbers many clothing options. They also wash and deliver fresh uniforms.
Mascot: This brand makes plumbing-specific clothing including workwear trousers with kneepad pockets when a plumber is crawling around in tight spaces.

FieldEdge Software Fits Your Needs

Make sure your techs are also equipped with the tools they need to succeed. Book a fieldedge demo to see how we can help plumbers while on the job.

Your Plumbers are Looking Good!

Today we covered the benefits of plumbing work uniforms. You now should have a better handle on:

Choosing the best branded plumber uniforms for your business: promoting your business as professionals that are ready to jump in and get the job done
Identifying the types of waterproof clothing for your staff’s particular needs. When the job gets dicey, your plumbers will be ready!