At iSB Group, we are proud to be a chosen supplier of Leo Workwear’s range of hi vis clothing.
The company not only supplies hi vis clothing of the best quality, but is leading the charge when it comes to equality and diversity, curating a range of hi vis clothing designed specifically for the female body and including maternity and modesty wear options.
Leo Workwear Women’s PPE: An untapped market
Although the number of women in industry is increasing all the time, female workers remain underserved in the PPE market.
Leo Workwear’s managing director, Peter Turner, explains why the company decided to buck the trend. He said: “We recognised that many women working in industry were simply issued with men’s garments. These were often ill-fitting and unnecessarily long – longer than was safe or practical.”
The business set out to use its design experience to create a range of women’s hi vis clothing that would set new standards for comfort and durability in women’s workwear.
However, the journey wasn’t a straightforward one.
Leo Workwear pioneering Women’s PPE: The challenges
The requirements of ISO 20471, the international standard for high visibility clothing, are based on minimum areas of fluorescent material and reflective tape, which were difficult to meet when the size of different garments was reduced to cater for women, who tend to have a smaller frame than men.
The limitations of the standard meant many of Leo’s smaller sizes were classified below its larger ones.
But the company continued to pursue its goal to provide hi vis clothing that would cater more effectively for the female workforce, investing time and energy in extensive wearer trials and fitting reviews culminating in 2014 in its first product tailored specifically for women, the Class 3 Rosemoor waterproof jacket.
“The initial reaction to the Rosemoor was incredibly positive,” Peter recalls. “Our customers told us it fit well and were pleased that we offered a range of different sizes all the way up to a 24.”
Inspired by its success, Leo soon launched a pair of women’s hi vis trousers and several options of women’s hi vis vest.
“When we launched the Rosemoor, we were confident in the product and appreciative of the warm reception the garment received,” Peter explained. “But we knew we mustn’t rest on our laurels and had to continue innovating.”
Leo Workwear’s women’s hi vis clothing range now includes polo shirts, sweatshirts and bodywarmers specifically designed for the female body.
After noticing that pregnant staff working on some of the UK’s largest infrastructure projects were unable to work safely due to the limitations of their PPE, a pioneering maternity range was conceived, and the first maternity hi vis garments introduced to the UK market.
At the same time, the company’s designers created a hi vis modesty tunic to allow women to adhere to their religious beliefs without compromising their safety.
Looking to the future, Leo Workwear plans to further expand its range, ensuring it remains the UK’s number one women’s high visibility clothing designer. It is also targeting environmental improvements, hoping in time to be able to manufacture more of its women’s hi vis clothing from sustainable materials like recycled polyester.
We are sure Leo has the design expertise, drive and determination to achieve whatever the company sets its collective mind to – and we wish the team all the very best with their endeavours. We will be following progress with interest!
Read the full article on Leo Workwear’s blog site.
Posted 1 Jun 2023
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