02 Jun Protect Your Brand with a Logo Apparel Policy

Here at Logos@Work, we believe in the power of a dress code and urge all business owners to think about how their employees’ dress reflects on them. Logo apparel is a great way to boost your brand’s visibility and recognition. It gives your staff and your office a more cohesive look when customers walk in the door. If your team makes sales calls in the field, a clear identity is a must.

Even companies without uniforms may offer branded apparel for casual Fridays or for events. Wearing clothing with the company logo or tagline reinforces your mission among employees. It can foster company pride and sense of unity.

For many companies, an apparel policy outlines what employees should wear and in what circumstances. Do you have guidelines for your employees’ use of that apparel, and rules to help you protect the brand that you’ve built?

Why is a Logo Apparel Policy Important?

Keep in mind how you would feel to see your logo in unfortunate circumstances. Your logo, colors, even the style of apparel you choose, reflect your brand. And, as we’ve talked about a lot, your brand is everything.

There are situations with which you simply don’t want to associate your brand. Let’s say you operate a daycare center. One of your employees, wearing their uniform shirt, parties a bit too hard at a bar after work, does embarrassing things and photos show up on the internet. Parents who entrust you with their children may not be so amused.

Perhaps even worse, someone could find an old branded uniform shirt or jacket at a second-hand store and impersonate one of your employees. Another possibility, however unlikely, is a vindictive former employee deliberately making your company look bad while wearing branded apparel.

Convinced you need to protect your brand? Read on to learn how to create your company’s branded apparel policy.

How to Communicate the Policy

There are three periods where you have important opportunities to make sure that an employee knows and understands what is expected of them when it comes to their logo apparel. These are the easiest times to make sure issues don’t come up. The first comes during the hiring process, and the second during the exit interview.

As part of the hiring process, make sure that a new employee receives and acknowledges an apparel use policy. Include a form that they must sign and return.

When saying goodbye to an employee, part of the exit process should focus on getting that branded apparel back. Workplace Law suggests having an employee deliver their company apparel and other items before they leave the building to set up a time to return those items. You may require that the former employee relinquish those items when they come in to pick up their last check if it is not mailed or deposited.

A third key time to update and communicate your policy is when you undergo a rebranding. At the same time you update employees with new letterhead, business cards, and anything else they need, reiterate your apparel policy. If you change it at this time, make sure everyone acknowledges receipt of the new policy.

What to Include in Your Branded Apparel Policy

A solid policy outlines the following:

• When an employee must wear their branded apparel and when they cannot. Can they only wear it on your premises? Can they wear it on the weekend? To the gym? A bar? A casino?
• Any embellishment they may or may not add to a garment. Can they remove the sleeves, add adornments of any kind, or change the color? You might, for example, say that recognition pins they earn for their work are acceptable but political buttons are not.
• Behavior while wearing the apparel off-site. If any employee makes an obscene gesture at someone while driving to work in your apparel, that could reflect on you. Strangers may approach your employee in public when they see the logo. Is it okay to engage in conversation about the company? Are any topics off limits?
• What happens if a piece of apparel wears out. You probably prefer the person not wear your shirt when it’s full of holes. Will you replace it at your cost or theirs?
• The process for returning logo apparel when someone leaves the company.

Make sure that wearing branded apparel if fun for your employees. Consult with them when possible about what to order. Thank or reward them for wearing it. Celebrate your brand as a team. In turn, your employees should respect the brand by following company policies.

If you’re looking for a way to make your uniforms stand out from the crowd, get in touch with us today. We’re sure that branded apparel with a solid logo can boost your brand’s visibility, and we know how to make that happen.

PHOTO: Biswarup Ganguly / CC-SA 4.0