Why workwear must catch up with the needs of the workforce, and the planet
The world of work is changing. In an increasingly developed world, demand for resources that fuel modern necessities including transportation and electricity supply continues to rise. As a result, there is more pressure than ever on the safe extraction of these resources from oil and gas engineers across the globe – with maximum efficiency. Across the industry, the jobs are becoming more dynamic, the risks more complex, and the expectations from the workforce higher than ever before.
At the same time, today’s workforce is becoming more diverse and informed, with an increased understanding and expectation for needs to be met around comfort, protection, and environmental responsibility. The workforce needs protective clothing that not only meets the minimum safety requirements, but truly supports the way that people work today. It must reflect how people actually move, operate, and experience their environments.
It is the responsibility of uniform selectors to ensure that their workforce’s needs are heard and met with the required protective wear. However, this is not possible unless protective workwear manufacturers across the world study these requirements and respond with garments that truly meet the needs of the wearer today.
THE NATURE OF PROTECTIVE UNIFORMS
For years, multi-risk fabrics have been the industry’s default for environments where exposure to multiple hazards is common. For the oil and gas industry, this meant garments that could protect from hazards such as heat, flames and chemicals. To ensure this protection, garments built from traditionally-used materials were often heavy, rigid and designed with a one-size-fits-all mindset. These garments would be burdensome to wear while carrying out responsibilities, however, they would protect the wearer from hazards in their environment when worn properly.
In the past, it was accepted that those garments, while not perfect, were the best protection that could be offered within the oil and gas industry. Now, it’s being questioned.
Comfort is no longer a bonus, it’s a must. As awareness grows around the links between poorly designed PPE and fatigue, mobility, or even long-term health issues, comfort is becoming a critical factor in the performance of the uniform. Oil and gas engineers know what they need to perform their responsibilities and meet the increasing demand pressures – and what they no longer want to tolerate. Ill-fitting, inflexible protective wear restricts freedom of movement, increases physical strain, and in some cases, can lead to professionals trying to customise their clothing to improve wearability – at the cost of their protection.
REDEFINING PERFORMANCE
This shift has led to a fundamental rethink of what performance means in workwear. For the alsico academy, this meant examining the fabrics available for multi-risk uniforms and developing new technologies that power alsico’s fabric ranges. As a result, performance fabrics have been developed that meet the workforce’s uniform requirements and keep them safe.
Flexibility, stretch and freedom of movement have become critical features, especially for physically demanding roles. The rise of fabrics with built-in stretch and elasticity, including alsico’s own performance fabrics, reflects this demand. These materials move with the body rather than against it, reducing strain and giving wearers the comfort and freedom of movement required to carry out their responsibilities throughout the shift. The impact of this evolution is not just ergonomic, it’s operational. Improved mobility helps workers maintain performance over longer shifts, reducing the likelihood of error, reducing the risk of accidents and increasing productivity.
To stand a chance of complying with the increasing stringent health and safety regulations that are being introduced across industries and geographies, employers must listen to these needs and update protective uniforms accordingly. Empowering the workforce with the appropriate equipment and protection for hazardous environments will also help to improve wellbeing and retention rates. In order to meet the rising global demands on the industry, retaining the right experts and attracting new members of the workforce is critical.
ECOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS
But uniform selection is not just about comfort and workforce retention. Environmental guidelines, enforced at industry and company level, are also shaping decisions.
Legacy chemical finishes that rely on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are being phased out globally, forcing the industry to find safer, cleaner alternatives. The next generation of protective fabrics are being designed with this in mind, using PFAS-free finishes that still deliver the substance resistance that demanding jobs require. These advances are not only helping companies to future-proof their compliance, but also supporting broader ESG goals across the supply chain.
WHAT SHOULD YOU BE LOOKING FOR?
What’s emerging is a new category of workwear. It performs to the same multi-risk standards the industry relies on, but without the weight, stiffness or chemical baggage of traditional materials. It’s built for real people, doing real jobs, in a world where both the risks and the expectations have evolved.
The companies that respond to this shift, with uniforms for their workforces that meet the demands of comfort, safety and sustainability, will shape the future of the sector.
Vincent Siau is alsico academy chair.
