How to Build a Uniform Program That Fits Your Team
Setting up a uniform program comes down to many important choices: colors, sizes, brands, fits, decoration, and how employees pay. Each choice shapes how your team looks and how much they like wearing their uniforms. Here’s how to approach each decision and how Uniform Stores helps along the way.
Start With Your Uniform Program Colors
Color is usually the first decision, and it’s a fun one because it sets the look for your whole team. Most programs land on one of these approaches:
One color for everyone gives you the most unified look and the simplest setup.
Colors by role or department help patients and coworkers tell who’s who at a glance. For example, navy for nurses, ceil blue for techs, and black for front desk staff.
A small approved palette gives employees some choice and still keeps the team looking consistent.
Shades can vary slightly between brands. If a closely matched look matters to you, our team can help you choose brands that pair well within each color.
Our Essential solution supports one color, logo, location, stipend, and department. Our Enterprise solution supports unlimited colors, logos, locations, departments, and stipends, which makes it a great fit for programs that color-code by role.
Make Room for Every Size on Your Team
When everyone can find a great fit, they feel more comfortable in their uniforms and more confident at work. A well-rounded program includes:
Extended sizes on both ends of the range
Petite and tall pant lengths, which matter as much as waist size
Tops and pants sold separately, so employees can order different sizes for each
Since sizing varies between brands, Uniform Stores includes True Fit. It gives employees personalized size recommendations on each product page based on clothing and shoes they already own.
Choose the Brands Your Team Will Love
A single-brand program keeps things simple for you, but makes it harder for your staff. Offering several brands gives employees more ways to find a favorite fit and price point. Choice is one of the things employees appreciate most in a uniform program.
Helpful questions to consider:
Do you want one identical look across the team, or room for personal preference?
Which brands fit comfortably within your stipend?
Are there brands your staff already wears and likes?
Uniform Stores gives you access to 20+ scrub brands, and you choose which ones show up in your store.
Offer Fit Types, Styles, and Fabrics for Every Role
Two people wearing the same color and brand can still prefer very different scrubs. A strong program includes a mix of:
Fit types: women’s, men’s, and unisex cuts
Pant styles: joggers, straight leg, cargo, flare, and yoga-style waistbands
Top styles: V-neck, mock wrap, and options with different pocket counts
Layers: underscrubs, scrub jackets, and fleece for colder units or winter months
Fabric is another way to match uniforms to the work your team does. Stretch and moisture-wicking fabrics help on long, active shifts. Fluid-repellent and antimicrobial fabrics suit clinical settings, and anti-shed fabrics are a good fit for veterinary teams.
Choose How You’ll Decorate
Your logo turns scrubs into a uniform that represents your organization. Uniform Stores offers two decoration options.
Embroidery is the standard choice for scrubs, lab coats, and jackets. It holds up to frequent washing and looks polished up close, so it works well for logos as well as names and credentials.
DTF (direct-to-film) printing is an option for more complex logos. Fine lines, small text, gradients, and detailed artwork can lose definition when they’re stitched. DTF keeps that detail intact.
If you’re not sure which method suits your logo, our team can recommend the best option based on your artwork. You’ll also choose:
Logo placement, usually left chest on tops and jackets
Personalization, such as names or credentials (Uniform Stores supports up to two lines)
Logo versions, if different departments or locations have their own
Decoration is handled as part of every order, so you never have to coordinate with a separate decorator.
Set Up a Stipend That Works for Your Budget
You can cover uniforms with a stipend, have employees pay on their own, or use a mix of both. If you offer a stipend, you’ll decide:
How much each employee receives, and whether that amount varies by role
How often it renews, whether that’s annually, twice a year, or on each employee’s hire date
Whether employees can use their own credit card to upgrade or buy extra pieces
Essential offers one stipend amount with annual or no renewal. Enterprise supports multiple stipend amounts and renewals that are annual, semi-annual, or tied to hire date.
Pick a Delivery Option and Let the Program Run
Uniforms can ship to employees’ homes or your office, whichever works best for your team. New hires can register and order on their own, and Uniform Stores includes customer service, exchanges, and returns. That way, your program keeps running without adding work to your plate.
Get Started With a Plan Built Around Your Team
You don’t need every answer figured out before you reach out. Our team can walk you through each of these choices and help you build a program your employees will enjoy using.
Book a free demo to see how Uniform Stores brings your program together, or compare Essential and Enterprise to find the right fit for your group.
