A good starting place when looking to switch uniform supplier is to agree your uniform needs. This will help you to identify suppliers who have experience of delivering your required solution.

The questions below will help you with your planning and research and are probably the first any supplier will ask you, so its good to have these prepared:

• What is your budget?
• Are you keeping the existing design or looking for something new?
• Do you want branded ready-to-wear items, entirely bespoke design, or a hybrid solution?
• What quantity of garments do you need (number of wearers and different uniform items)?
• What is the project time-scale?
• How quickly do you need ongoing orders to be delivered?
• How will you order your uniforms – online or manually?
• Who will order your uniforms – procurement, team managers or individual employees?
• What are your policies on ethical and sustainable sourcing?
• Do you have existing uniform stock to transfer?
• Will you need old style uniforms recycling?

Just as a supplier will ask you the previous set of questions, you will have your own to ask of them. When researching new suppliers consider the following:

• Do they have expertise supplying your sector and required quantities?
• Do existing customers and reviews evidence ability to meet your needs?
• Do they have dedicated Account Managers?
• Do they have in-house production? (This usually means you get a quicker and more efficient service.)
• Can you visit their premises?
• What are their quality control processes?
• Do they have full supply chain transparency?
• Can they provide a demonstration of their online ordering tool?
• What is their offering regarding post-launch support and customer service?
• Can they evidence their performance against SLAs and KPIs?
• Do they provide physical samples rather than paper designs to sign-off on?
• How will they engage your employees for a new uniform range?
• Can they store your stock if you need?
• How do they manage stock to ensure availability but minimise cost?
• How do they dispose of unwanted stock?
• How do they provide you with reports and forecasts?

Asking suppliers to provide a critical path of key stages, timings, costs and responsibilities means you know everything you get for the total cost, rather than considering just the garment price. You are then also aware of their time-scale for delivery, allowing you to truly compare suppliers.

Be wary of comparing suppliers on unit cost or quoted contract cost alone as there are several aspects of uniform supply that can disguise the true cost of the contract.

Suppliers will often charge you for returning items where you ordered the wrong size so ensure your supplier provides you with easy-to access measuring and sizing guides to refer to before placing an order.

At Infinity Inc. we offer site visits to conduct sizing exercises which have been proven to reduce returns at initial roll-out by 30%!

A uniform should make employees feel proud to be part of your brand. But if employees aren’t happy or comfortable with their clothes, it likely to impact their job satisfaction. A uniform that has been well designed and launched has visible and measurable effects on your workforce.

For example, when Malmaison introduced a new uniform, they saw a 7.1% improvement in staff engagement in their regular surveys.

"The difference was amazing – the team walked differently, they were more confident and happy, and it showed instantly" said Lindsay Southward, the group's People and Development Director.

A supplier should work on-site to observe what wearers do in their day to day roles and gather their feedback on current garments and features they would like to have. This allows the supplier to improve existing items or design your new uniform so that the garments are comfortable and fit for purpose.

When selecting a uniform supplier, it's essential to prioritise the efficiency of the ongoing ordering process.

Optimal stock management plays a pivotal role in keeping costs down. Storage incurs expenses, and the absence of readily available item can result in increased administrative tasks as you navigate between liaising with the supplier and the wearers. Moreover, it leaves staff without the necessary uniform items, disrupting operations. Additionally, delays in obtaining uniforms can lead to higher costs, as expedited production or delivery may be necessary. Take a moment to assess your current uniform ordering process - is it manual or online? Who's responsibility is it to order uniforms in your business? Share your current pain points with potential suppliers to see how they would resolve the issues. 

So you are moving to a new uniform supplier, but what should you do with any existing uniform stock? The first thing to consider is if the uniform is still useful to your business.  If you are keeping the same branding and uniform design you could reduce or eradicate the cost of transferring stock by simply running it down with your existing supplier.

If you choose to transfer your stock to your new supplier, you need to agree the process.  Your new supplier , or you, will need to purchase it from the former supplier, subject to a checking the suitability of the existing stock (e.g. quality and appropriate range of sizes). Your new supplier will perform a stock count when they take delivery and add it to your new ordering system.

At times the best option is to dispose of existing stock. This may be due to a uniform redesign, or cost effectiveness, particularly if most of your stock comprises slow moving lines (e.g. extreme sizes) due to poor stock management and forecasting.

You should ensure stock is disposed of securely by a reputable company to prevent outsiders obtaining it and passing themselves off as employees. To reduce your uniforms environmental impact you can have your old workwear recycled.  At Infinity Inc. we manage this process for you, shredding garments to be reused as insulation products.

At Infinity Inc. we understand that finding the right uniform supplier is a pivotal decision with far-reaching implications for your brand. By following the insights and practical advice outlined in this blog, you're equipped with the tools to navigate this process effectively. From conducting thorough research and evaluating critical factors beyond just price, to ensuring transparency in costs and sizing considerations, every step is crucial in finding the perfect uniform supplier.

Should you find yourself in need of a new uniform supplier, don't hesitate to reach out to us. With our expertise and commitment to excellence, we're positive we can provide the right uniform solution for you.