When you are responsible for buying workwear and PPE for hundreds or maybe even thousands of employees, it’s understandable to see the cheapest option as the best.
But is it actually saving your business money? Or is it quietly costing more each year?
These questions are why I want to explore something called ‘cost-in-use,’ which I talk to large organisations about all the time. The idea is that instead of focusing on the price you pay today, you look at what a product costs to own, wear and replace over time.
Once you do that, the picture changes quickly.
In the video above, I compare two hi vis polo shirts. One is a £9 budget option, the other is a £14 premium shirt from Leo Workwear. Both meet EN 20471 and look similar on day one.
The budget shirt is tested to 25 washes. That means that after 25 washes it no longer meets the EN 20471 standard. In other words, it’s lost its colour.
As most companies allocate around six months of life for a garment with that durability, you would need two garments per year. Over a three-year contract that would be £54 per wearer.
Expanded to a workforce of 2,000, that would be £108,000 spend over the three years.
With me so far?
The premium shirt from Leo on the other hand is tested to 50 washes before it loses its ability to pass the EN 20471 standard. That’s double that of the budget shirt, which means you would get a full year out of the garment before it needs replacing.
Over three years that would be £42 per wearer. Or £84,000 for the same workforce.
That’s a difference of £24,000.
As you can see, the premium option may be more expensive on a spreadsheet, but the actual cost is only visible when you calculate what it will cost over several years.
But reduced costs are not the only benefit to choosing quality over quantity.
There’s much more to it.
As well as costing less overall, the premium shirt I used as an example in my video is made from recycled polyester, which helps to support your ESG goals. It also uses heat applied chevron tape that moves with the body and has UPF 40 protection and underarm ventilation.
These details matter because they affect how people feel at work, and if there’s one thing I know about PPE and workwear, it’s that comfort leads to compliance. And better compliance leads to fewer incidents, which in turn continues to reduce overall costs.
As well as comfort and compliance, there’s also the fact that supplying better quality workwear and PPE to your workforce will make them feel good in their uniform. They will look after it better, wear it correctly, and be proud to be wearing the company badge.
This all leads to fewer complaints and better retention for managers. That means less time spent firefighting uniform issues and more time spent on the work that matters.
And don’t forget that longer-lasting garments also mean fewer products being manufactured, transported, and disposed of. That is a measurable reduction in environmental impact that you can be proud of.
But it’s important to discuss how and where you do this with your supplier, and you need to make sure rollouts are supported by all the educational tools and guidance your teams need to maintain the products properly and maximise cost in use.
Even in categories where the immediate cost benefit is smaller, the wider benefits still matter.
Safety boots are a good example. A premium boot can cost a considerable amount more than a budget boot, and its replacement cycles can be based on several factors. But I can tell you now, it is one of the most important pieces of PPE you will ever buy, and there are long-term consequences to supplying unsuitable footwear.
Premium boots from market leaders have been proven to reduce discomfort, fatigue, and musculoskeletal health issues. That again leads to better compliance, fewer incidents, and a more comfortable working day for your frontline workers.
We help large organisations review their product use using our Six-Point PPE Programme, which looks at head, face, ear, eye, foot, and body. Or contact us to request a product review to see where you can benefit.
