Workwear for construction companies is usually a hard-wearing twill or drill, and workwear fabric 65/35 poly cotton is a common choice. It is strong, holds colour and dries quickly. It is not fire retardant, and polyester can melt onto skin in a flash fire.
If your sites expose workers to flame, arc or welding, you need fire retardant fabric, and you need proof of it.
What does 65/35 poly-cotton give you?
The blend is 65 per cent polyester and 35 per cent cotton. Polyester brings strength, abrasion resistance and low shrinkage. Cotton adds comfort and moisture handling. For general site wear, a twill of around 200 to 245 GSM is a typical starting range, though you should set weight by the job and climate.
Specify the weight, weave, shrinkage limit and colourfastness. For background on the range, see workwear and corporate uniform fabric choices.
Construction clothing also has to cope with abrasion and repeated industrial washing, so ask for seam strength and tear strength as well as shrinkage. Triple-stitched seams and reinforced stress points, such as pocket corners and knees, extend garment life. If workers wear the garments over other layers in cold weather, check that the fit and sizing allow movement, since a restrictive garment is a safety issue of its own.
How do you add visibility?
Many sites also need high-visibility garments. Hi-vis fabric and reflective tape are tested to a separate standard, EN ISO 20471 in Europe, and the colour, area of material and tape placement are all fixed by it. A fabric is not high visibility just because it is bright.
What does a fire retardant claim really require?
Fire retardant fabric falls into two groups. Inherently flame-resistant fibres have the property built in. Treated fabrics, usually cotton or cotton-rich blends, get a chemical finish that must survive washing.
Neither is proved by a label. Ask for a test report from an accredited laboratory against the standard your market uses. Common examples are EN ISO 11612 for heat and flame, EN ISO 14116 for limited flame spread and EN ISO 11611 for welding. In the United States, other standards such as NFPA 2112 apply to industrial flash fire. Confirm which one applies with your safety officer or regulator.
A standard like these covers the fabric, and often the finished garment as well. Ask whether the report covers the exact fabric, weight and finish you are buying.
What should you check before ordering?
Put these in the order requirements:
- The standard to be met, and a test report on the actual production fabric, not an earlier sample.
- Test results after the specified number of washes, since a treated finish can wear out.
- Thread, tape and trims that are also flame resistant, because a flammable thread can undermine a protective garment.
- Labelling that states the standard and care instructions, which are normally a legal requirement for protective clothing in Europe.
Next step
Protective clothing is regulated, and responsibility for the claim sits with you as the importer. We do not certify garments, but we can shortlist makers, check their documents and have fabric lots tested. See curtain and bedding flammability rules for how flammability testing differs by product, then book a free sourcing review.