Quick answer
Good winter workwear is a three-layer system, not one heavy coat: a thermal base layer that moves sweat away from the skin, a mid layer such as a fleece that holds warmth, and a windproof or waterproof outer layer. Budget across all three rather than spending it all on the jacket. Add hi-vis for anyone working in the dark, cover the extremities with hats and gloves, and order by late October — decoration adds time, and January is too late.
Start with the layering system, not the jacket
The most common mistake we see is a manager spending the whole per-head budget on one thick, expensive jacket. It feels decisive. It usually leaves people cold anyway.
The reason is simple: a single heavy coat is either too much or too little. Your team walks from the van to the job, works hard enough to sweat, then stands still for twenty minutes. One garment cannot handle all three states. Layers can, because people can take them off.
Base layer — the bit that actually keeps people warm
Thermal workwear starts next to the skin. The job of a base layer is not warmth so much as moving sweat away from the body, because damp skin is what makes people cold once they stop moving. Synthetic or merino both work; cotton is the one to avoid, because it holds moisture and stays wet.
This is the cheapest layer and the one most often skipped. It should not be.
Mid layer — where warmth is stored
A fleece or a knitted mid layer traps warm air. Weight matters more than brand: a 100–200gsm microfleece is right for someone moving constantly, while 300gsm suits colder, more static work. We have a separate guide on fleece weights, microfleece vs 300gsm if you want to get this decision right rather than guess it.
This is also the layer most worth branding, because it is the one people wear indoors, in the van and in front of customers.
Outer layer — wind and water, not bulk
The outer layer's job is to stop wind and rain getting to the two layers doing the real work. A softshell handles wind and light showers with good movement; a waterproof jacket is for genuine rain. If your team is in and out of a vehicle all day, a lighter outer over a good mid layer beats a heavy coat every time.
If you are choosing between fleece, softshell and bodywarmer, our branded workwear outerwear buyer's guide compares them side by side.
The thing that changes in winter: nobody can see your team
This is the part that gets underestimated. In December, a UK working day can start and finish in near-darkness. A crew that was perfectly visible in July is now working two shifts' worth of hours in poor light.
Hi-vis garments are graded into Class 1, 2 and 3 according to how much fluorescent and reflective material they carry, with Class 3 offering the most. Which class you need is a matter for your own site risk assessment, not for a clothing supplier to decide — but the practical winter point is this: the hi-vis has to be the outer layer. A Class 3 jacket worn under a fleece because the fleece is warmer protects nobody.
That usually means buying hi-vis outerwear for winter rather than relying on a summer vest over a jacket. Our guide to hi-vis clothing classes explains the differences, and our custom hi-vis workwear range covers the branded options.
Extremities: the cheapest comfort you can buy
You lose heat fastest from your head and hands, and these are the items people forget to budget for. They are also, per pound, the most effective thing on this list.
- Hats. A fleece-lined or thermal beanie costs a fraction of a jacket and makes a bigger difference to how cold someone feels at 7am. Branded, it is also the item most likely to be worn off-site — which is free advertising. See personalised beanie hats.
- Gloves. Buy for the task. Heavy insulated gloves are useless for anyone handling small fixings; a thinner thermal glove that lets people work is better than a warm one they take off.
- Socks. Unglamorous and routinely ignored. Cold feet end a shift's productivity faster than cold hands.
What to brand, and what not to
Not every layer needs your logo on it.
Brand the mid layer and the outer layer. These are the visible ones — the fleece worn in the customer's kitchen, the jacket seen from the road. Embroidery is the right choice here: it survives repeated washing and looks appropriate on workwear.
Do not bother branding base layers. Nobody sees them, and the fabric is usually stretchy and technical, which makes decoration harder than it is worth.
Do brand hats. Small cost, high visibility, and they leave the site with the wearer.
One caution on waterproofs: puncturing a waterproof membrane with embroidery can compromise it. On genuinely waterproof outer shells, a heat-applied transfer or a badge is usually safer than stitching — we cover this in our guide to embroidery on tricky garments. We will flag it if your chosen garment is one of these, rather than stitching it and hoping.
Size for the layers, not the person
A fleece that fits beautifully in the showroom will not go over a base layer and under a jacket. When you size a winter kit, size the outer layer up so it fits over everything beneath it, and keep the base layer close-fitting so it works properly.
The practical version: get a size set out to the team before you commit to a bulk order. It costs a few days and saves a reorder. Because we have no minimum order, ordering a handful of samples first is genuinely straightforward.
When to order
Order by late October for a team that needs to be warm in December.
The arithmetic is unforgiving. Decoration adds time on top of stock availability — at CentralCustom, dispatch is typically 7–14 working days after you approve your free digital proof, and that clock only starts once artwork is settled. Add a week for the proof conversation and any size-set decisions, and a mid-November order becomes a December delivery. Meanwhile, popular winter garments and colours sell out across the industry from November, so late orders get whatever is left rather than what you chose.
If you also have Christmas merchandise or a Christmas Jumper Day order in the diary, plan them together — it is one artwork conversation instead of two.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between winter workwear and thermal workwear?
"Thermal workwear" usually refers specifically to insulating base layers worn next to the skin. "Winter workwear" is the whole system — base layer, mid layer, outer layer, plus hi-vis and accessories.
Do we need different hi-vis for winter?
Often, yes. The hi-vis must be your outermost garment, so if people are adding a jacket over a summer vest, you need hi-vis outerwear instead. Which class you need is determined by your site risk assessment.
Can you brand kit we have already bought elsewhere?
Ask us. It depends on the garment and how it is constructed — we will tell you honestly if it is a bad candidate rather than take the job and deliver a poor result.
How long does branded winter workwear take?
Typically 7–14 working days from proof approval, with a quote back to you within one working day of sending your logo.
Ready to sort your winter kit?
Send your logo and rough numbers to promo@centralcustom.co.uk or use our contact page. Browse branded workwear and corporate uniforms and embroidered fleeces to see the range.
