Peter Dumigan, MD of the Hultafors Group UK, offers some pointers to professionals that are looking for work clothes that can brave all elements this winter.
When the weather takes a turn for the worse, it’s time to make sure you suit up with clothes that work as hard as you do – properly designed, sustainable working clothes that have got what it takes to keep you warm and dry whatever you’re doing on-site – inside or out.
This winter, workwear choices will be as much influenced by sustainability as they are for comfort, practicality and protection. Many tradesmen and women are now buying better-quality garments that will not only last longer but incorporate recycled fibres in the fabric technology which helps to reduce environmental waste.
If you’re wet or cold, you’re not going to be working as efficiently and comfortably as you could. That’s why wearing layers is the best way to maintain comfort and regulate your body temperature, especially when you’re working in unpredictable or generally inclement weather conditions. A three-layer workwear system – Base-layers, Mid-layers and Outer-layers – will keep you warm and comfortable by transporting moisture away from your skin, insulating your body, and protecting you from cold, wet and windy weather.
All about the Base
Whether it’s hot or cold, the key to effective layering is making sure you stay dry, even when you’re working up a sweat. The best way to do just that is through the layer that’s closest to your skin – the Base-layer.
These undergarments, including socks, are vital for staying dry and ventilated and the types you wear should ‘wick’ (transport) moisture away from your skin. The range of Base-layer clothes from Snickers Workwear have seamless comfort and a great ergonomic fit, but different garments’ fabrics, such as those with ‘37.5 technology’, provide different levels of ventilation and warmth depending on how active you are while working and the weather conditions you’re working in.
During the colder months of the year, Merino wool is a natural and durable Base-layer choice. While it can absorb around 5% of its own weight in moisture, this type of wool has the added benefit of being naturally odour resistant – and it’s environmentally friendly too.
Catching the Mid-drift
If your job involves moving back and forth, indoors and outside, or you find yourself constantly switching between physical and stationary tasks in colder conditions, t’s worth paying particular attention to your choice of Mid-layer clothing.
Your second – middle – layer is designed for warmth and insulation and to compliment your base-layers. If it’s ergonomically designed for a body-mapping fit, it should trap your body heat in a pocket of warm air around you.
That means your Mid-layer needs to fit well, without being too tight or loose. Ideally, it will be made from a knitted, quilted, fleece, or microfleece materials that provide an airy yet comfortable enclosure.
However, if your work is physically demanding, ventilating your body is vital and this is where garment functionality is absolutely crucial. You’ll need ‘Hybrid’ garments that provide insulation combined with ventilation and multiple functionality features like Snickers Workwear’s fleeces, gilets and lightweight jackets which are made from more environmentally friendly fabrics such as recycled polyester.
Outer this world
If you have to work outside in cold, wet, or windy weather for long periods, work will get even harder. That’s when you’ll definitely want to protect yourself from the elements with your own protective shell – the third weatherproof Outer-layer.
Your third layer needs to deliver effective wind and water protection to keep you warm, dry and to ensure the effectiveness of the two inner layers. And as with both Base- and Mid-layers, you’ll want to avoid getting too warm – so insulation combined with ventilation features in your outer garments are absolutely vital.
That means that you need jackets designed to be durable and weatherproof which complement the garments’ overall technical functionality. Snickers Workwear’s work jackets are built to be weatherproof enough to keep the elements at bay, and durable enough to withstand the wear and tear of a hard day’s work.
STAY DRY AND MIGHTY
There are some key things to consider when dressing for wet weather work:
- For 100% waterproofness and a full day’s high-intensity work, choose a breathable waterproof garment with taped seams for maximum protection and breathability.
- For 100% waterproofness in low intensity work in pouring rain choose a PU garment with welded seams.
- For a basic protection against water choose a garment that is water-repellent. The garment will keep you dry if it’s drizzling but still offers breathability.
- Look for garments that are certified for performance and effectiveness to the certification standard EN 343.
- Don’t forget that what you wear underneath your outer layer really matters, so think about comfort and breathability features.
Don’t forget about ventilation!
The breathability of your clothing layers is just as crucial for your comfort, so make a habit of checking the breathability features of the fabric in the garments you buy to ensure that the fabrics transport sweat away from the skin. Breathability comes in two ways: either the breathability of the fabric itself, such as 37.5 technology sports fabric, or built-in ventilation functionality such as zippers or meshed fabric areas at the sides and back of the garments.
Browse the Snickers Workwear online catalogue here
