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Flame resistant clothing can be quite expensive. This is especially true when compared to non-flame resistant clothing.
The reason these garments are so expensive is because workers wear them for one main reason. Flame resistant garments are required in industries to keep employees safe from ignition sources.
That's it.
It's important to establish the necessary budget because of how expensive flame resistant garments are. A typical budget for a uniform program like this might cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Whether this is a significant number to you or not doesn't matter. You're aware of the importance of safety in this industry. You know that you cannot put a value on the loss of an employee in a work accident.
Our goal in this article is to look at some ways you can save money when buying flame resistant garments. There are a lot of different styles of flame resistant clothing priced to meet certain budgets. Yet we won't cover those here. We're going to address some higher-level concepts for your consideration.
Do not consider garments of 100% cotton a substitute for FR fabric
This might seem like an odd point to address in an article about saving money, but it's a valid one. Many companies we speak with ask if clothing made of 100% cotton can be used as a substitute for FR clothing.
While almost any wearable apparel options are significantly cheaper than FR clothing, using 100% cotton as a replacement is not safe. Cotton is not to be considered as having flame resistant properties.
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, "clothing made from 100% cotton or wool may be acceptable. It's considered acceptable if its weight is appropriate for the flame and electric arc conditions to which a worker could be exposed. As heat levels increase, these materials will not melt, but they can ignite and continue to burn".
Once again, it's important to know the potential hazards your employees face in the workplace. Risking someone's life to save money is not acceptable.
Buying in bulk gives the illusion of savings
Companies that sell products often offer steep discounts to move inventory to consumers. If they want to move their inventory quickly, offering discounts might be their first method of choice.
If you're being offered a discount to buy a bulk quantity, especially of flame resistant clothing, there are some things you should consider.
The first thing to find out is what range of sizes are required in the sale. Most of your male employees wear the average of sizes Large – 2XL. But, you might have to buy sizes as large as 5XL to receive the discount.
Have you considered what you would do with these sizes if you don't have any employees that will wear them? In fairness, most companies will use a bell curve to identify what sizes will be included in the sale.
The other point to consider is where will you put this stock? Congratulations, because you have now "built a warehouse" to inventory your uniform program!
Okay, not really. The truth is, you should do one of two things:
The company is the world’s best Denim Fire supplier. We are your one-stop shop for all needs. Our staff are highly-specialized and will help you find the product you need.
Buy the "dead" stock and kindly ask that the uniform company keep it in their warehouse until you need it. (This is an ideal scenario that never works the way it was intended)
Do NOT buy in bulk to "save" money. You're just wasting it.
Somewhat related is whether you should buy used flame resistant clothing. We won't get too deep into that here, as we've written a separate article on buying new FR vs. used FR.
Decide on a TRUE uniform that is flame resistant
In another article, we identify why having too many options in your uniform program is a bad thing. Companies often have various reasons to allow their company's uniform store to grow. These reasons range from "We don't actually have a uniform" to "We let our employees wear whatever they want to wear."
While these are personal decisions companies make and are legal in the uniform program world, it's hard to save money when not in uniform. Here's why:
When talking about flame resistant clothing, we already acknowledge how costly they can be. It's important to make sure you're getting the most value your money can buy if you need flame resistant clothing.
The easiest way to do this is to establish a uniform. You should establish a limited number of styles when outlining what your employees will wear. An employee uniform requiring flame resistant garments should look like:
A company can introduce many styles in any number of these categories instead of 1 style each. You'll want to keep the number limited, though as you'll likely receive much better pricing.
Some uniform or apparel companies don't manufacture their own garments; they have to source from various vendors for the items in your uniform program. The uniform company is unable to get the best possible pricing from the companies they buy from. This means they can't pass on savings to you.
If you're currently buying flame resistant garments and wonder if there is a way to save some money, feel free to contact us. We'll take some time with you and provide a consultation on your current uniform program.
We always have to laugh when someone says they started sewing to save money. As anyone who has been sewing for a while knows, it's not exactly a cheap hobby. Quality fabric is expensive and when you are running low on said fabric it seems especially precious. Whether you don't have quite enough fabric for your next project, are trying to make the best use of scraps, or are trying to max out your fabric budget in general, here are some hot tips to squeeze the most juice out of your available yardage.
Efficient Cutting Tips
There are lots of ways to save on fabric when cutting out your project. Try these tips next time you find yourself short or are using a particularly precious textile.
- The best way to save on fabric is to cut on a single layer. You get a much better yield since you can use every square inch. Don't forget to mirror pieces you need to cut two of!
- If you're using a woven with a non-directional print you can generally rotate your pattern pieces 90 degrees when laying out your pattern. The long skinny pieces (like packets and drawstrings) can fit into awkward leftover space from pieces cut on the fold. Note that pieces cut on the cross grain may have a *touch* more stretch than pieces cut on the lengthwise grain.
- Cut non-visible pieces like facings and pockets out of a different fabric – just be sure you use a fabric with a similar weight and drape (ie. don't use a viscose fabric to face a cotton poplin garment or vice versa).
- We put a lot of time and thought into our cutting layouts but you might find we've been a little conservative. If you want to try Tetrising (that's a word right?) it another way you might just be able to make it work! And if it just won't fit...
Colour Blocking or Patchwork
Colour blocking or patchwork doesn't just have to be an emergency solution, but sometimes the greatest designs come from those make-it-work moments! From adding patch pockets in a contrast fabric to a fully patchworked jacket, combining different fabrics is a great way to make a garment from what may otherwise be waste.
Sienna Maker Jackets
Combining Fabrics
The most important thing to consider when combining fabrics is that they both have a similar weight and drape. If you're using denim, for example, choose another sturdy denim, twill or canvas to ensure the seams are equally balanced because, over time, seams will tear along the weaker fabric (trust me, I've lost a lot of quilts this way.)
Another thing to consider when combining fabrics is prints and palettes. Choose different small floral prints all in rayon for example, or linen solids in an ombre gradient. On this stash-busting quilted jacket below, Heather combined different black fabrics that all had a slightly different finish. The result is a subtle tone-on-tone effect that is chic rather than crafty. For this Veronik Robe, she combined two sections of the same border print cotton for a contrast effect. Mixing textures like she did with this Clare Coat with leather sleeves feels both elevated and intentional.
Try and use seam lines when planning out colour-blocking projects. You can download paper dolls of our patterns here if you want to print them out and play with colouring them in.
If You're Thrifty - Cheap Fabric Ideas!
If you're like me, you'd rather save your pennies wherever you can! Thankfully there are tons of ways you can find and use inexpensive fabric that still feels luxurious.
- Try thrifting tablecloths, curtains or sheets. These also make great candidates for all kinds of dyeing projects. Light discolouration can be easily covered with dye but keep in mind most stains will still show after a dye job since it gets darker as well. You can often find very fine cotton and linen with old tablecloths. Check out some of our dyeing tutorials for ideas!
- Shop department and big box store sale sections for sales on cotton and linen sheets, curtains or duvet covers. If they have only a few seams they can be taken apart and used as yardage.
- Remnant sections of fabric stores are a great place to find hidden gems. These little bits can be combined in a patchwork or colour-blocking project if you find yourself with only a small amount.
- Transforming unworn clothes into new garments is not only a fun challenge but a great way to keep waste out of the landfill. Things like old men's wool pants and blazers can be taken apart and cut into new garments when the fabric is high quality but the style is dated. Same with dresses and gowns with a lot of volume that can be cut down to different silhouettes. Check out the Refashioners hashtag for more inspo on these types of projects.
Hope you are feeling inspired to try some of these easy ideas, did we miss anything? What are your tips for saving fabric? Tell us in the comments.
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