More than half of industrial workers are washing their workwear and protective clothing at home and potentially risking their safety, new research has found.
In a survey conducted among senior decision makers in firms that are currently buying their garments direct from workwear providers, it was revealed that as many as 77 per cent of employees are cleaning and maintaining their professional garments themselves, which can lead to the premature deterioration of fabrics and, particularly in the case of high-visibility clothing, render them ineffective and non-compliant with safety regulations.
The research also found the majority of businesses asked viewed workwear as a disposable item that was the source of considerable hidden costs. Nine out of 10 companies replace damaged garments as opposed to repairing them, raising the total spend on workwear per employee, which currently sits at approximately anywhere between £450 and £1,000 each year. However, this attitude towards work clothing could come as a result of a perceived lack of product value as an improvement in quality was one of the top answers given when the respondents were asked what their current supplier could do better.
