Getting your employees to agree on what they want for lunch can be a challenge, let alone apparel that they have to wear every day. But team input is important, especially when it affects everyone in the organization, from front-facing staff to special events to everyday wear. Designing branded apparel with your company logo on it is one thing; it’s another thing entirely to ensure all your employees will love wearing it.

Because branded apparel is an extension of your culture and brand, it’s important to get it right. That all starts at the design concept stage. Today we’ll discuss how to design branded apparel that your employees will love to wear.

3 Keys to Design Success

Landing on a winning design doesn’t happen overnight; rather, it takes some inspiration, brainstorming, and good old fashion gut feelings. First and foremost, custom logo apparel should be something that people will actually want to wear and feel comfortable in.

To that end, keep these three key factors in mind that your design should adhere to:

  1. Usability
  2. Quality
  3. Attractiveness

Each one on its own is important, yet they all work together. You really can’t have one without the others. Let’s go further into each attribute.

First, your custom apparel must be inherently usable. Utility is at the top of the list when designing clothing that will add longevity to your employees’ wardrobes and ensure it serves a variety of purposes. Everyone needs and loves clothing and accessories, so if you play your cards right, you can hit the jack pot when it comes to custom swag. When apparel is usable, it speaks for itself and you won’t have to bug anyone to wear it. They will want to.

Next up is quality, and it’s what will set your apparel apart. It’s no secret that quality clothing lasts the test of time. Cheap apparel will stretch out and fade after just a few wearings. Plus, no one feels good donning cheap clothes that are itchy, don’t keep their shape, or restrict them in some way. Designing a uniform that employees feel physically good in can translate into less tangible yet equally positive qualities such as higher self-esteem and better productivity.

Lastly, your branded apparel has to look good. From eye-catching color combinations to cool sayings, attractiveness often spells the difference between company swag people want to show off and ugly t-shirts that find their way to the bottom of their pajama dresser drawers. Putting your logo on a quality piece of clothing isn’t always enough – your employees actually want to look good wearing it. Otherwise, it will be a tough sell getting them to proudly don their uniform.

Fabric & Design

From comfortable fabrics to the right blend of colors, here are some tips to choosing each one.

1. Fabric

A quality shirt starts with quality fabric so your first step is to settle on the right type. The most common include:

  • Cotton: There’s a reason why cotton is the most versatile fabric in the world. You can blend it with polyester to soften the shirt and lower the price, or go 100 percent cotton for higher durability.
  • Bamboo: This material is soft and breathable, great for wicking moisture.
  • Eco-Friendly: Great for the environmentally-friendly entrepreneur, these shirts originate from recycled material along with premium fabrics.
2. Design

If the fabric is your canvas, the design is your paintbrush. Consider these factors when coming up with a clever and eye-catching design.

  • Color: With limitless color options, you may feel a bit overwhelmed. But there are ways to narrow things down, such as incorporating the colors of your logo. No matter which colors you’re thinking about, make sure you consider how it contrasts or complements the graphics you plan to include.
  • Font: Branded apparel is one of the best advertising opportunities you can have. If your customers can’t read or understand it, you’ve lost the whole point. Well-designed t-shirts should be readable and legible from just a few feet away. Don’t neglect kerning, which is what dictates the spacing between letters.
  • Logo: Above all else, your company logo should be prominently displayed on all branded apparel. Be sure to use a high-quality image so the resulting shirt doesn’t look overstretched, blurry, or pixelated.

In Conclusion

The statistics don’t lie. Employees who value feeling comfortable and happy in the workplace tend to be more productive. Morale is higher too. So, approaching branded apparel as an extension of your culture and brand can not only enhance business identity but also instill confidence in your products or services.

Request a Quote From The Logo Store Today

To get started on your company’s branded apparel, request a quote now online or give us a call at (512) 505-8078.