Wondering how sustainable your corporate workwear is?
We explore ways you can find out.

People are increasingly expecting, if not demanding, that the companies they buy from and work for are as ethical and sustainable as possible. Many firms use lots of resources — everything from energy to water and fuels, and the materials they buy in will have their own hefty carbon footprint — so it's important to be as environmentally friendly as possible. 

This call for sustainability isn’t some kind of cynical marketing ploy either. Most companies care deeply about their workers and the people and environment in their area, and genuinely want to do good for all. They recognise that there's a limited amount of resources on the planet and that caring for the environment and working to lower their carbon emissions is the only long-term, sustainable way forward. Of course, it doesn't hurt to let people know of your green efforts, with environmentally friendly branding and other such logos on your materials, for instance. 

The textile business, including corporate workwear and safety clothing, is sadly one of the biggest uses of resources. Not only does it soak up an enormous amount of water but is also the second-largest polluter after the oil industry, especially concerning the amount of dye used in clothing manufacturing and how often it ends up in water supplies. It takes 20 thousand litres of water to make one t-shirt and one pair of jeans — a sobering thought given the water crisis our planet is enduring and how so many people don't have access to clean drinking water (estimated at around 1.1 billion).

How Green Is Your Corporate Workwear?

When you're buying corporate workwear online, you need to know how environmentally friendly it is and how ethically the garments are made. If they're the result of some sweatshop in Asia where workers labour under intolerable conditions, putting in long hours for little pay, your company won't want to be associated with such a deplorable operation, or you might suffer reputational harm and a revolt among staff if word got out. 

It will take some digging and checking, but set aside time for one or more staff in key departments to investigate and find out. Start with your workwear supplier and ask them about the materials they use in their garments — might other choices be better for the environment? — and the factories where the clothing is made. 

Your next stop will be to visit those factories, most probably just online if they have a website. And you might want to email or call them and ask about their sustainability and ethical codes of practice — and if they don't have any, that's your answer. 

Recycling Corporate Workwear for Sustainability Boost

Just like in other industries, recycling corporate workwear is one proven way to increase your green credentials, but there are specific challenges that don't exist in other kinds of recyclings. There's the twin problem of the kinds of materials used in corporate workwear and safety clothing, as well as security issues that may arise if logos and other company emblems are not first removed. 

Again, whether you're ordering corporate workwear online or in-store, you can talk to your supplier about ways to safely recycle your old clothes and gear. You can also work with a specialist clothing recycler that uses chemical and other methods to break down the tough materials used in corporate workwear while also safely removing and disposing of logos, so the garments don't fall into the wrong hands. 

Then, your employees will be prouder than ever to wear their sustainable company workwear.

Order the best corporate workwear online that's also ethically and sustainably sourced, right here at WISE Workwear. Not sure what you want? Contact us now.