Analysis of the Western European Workwear and Uniforms Market, finds that the market earned revenues of €6.77 billion in 2012 and estimates this to reach €7.43 billion in 2017. The research covers general workwear, corporate workwear and uniforms, and market revenues for both direct and rental channel are analysed.

Keeping up with emerging fashion styles and leveraging novel fabric technologies have enabled workwear manufacturers to witness revenue growth in the Western European workwear and uniforms market.

"For instance, sports and fashion trends have prompted workers to look for workwear fashionable enough to be worn outside working hours, and manufacturers must address such requirements to stay competitive," said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Aparna Balasubramanian. "Understanding various fabric preferences and offering a broad range of cost-effective fabric choices are crucial for succeeding in the competitive market."

In fact, cost-effectiveness is a huge success factor in this price-sensitive market, as the uncertain European economy renders customers highly cautious in their purchases. The perception that workwear is a needless expense has hindered adoption in several industries.

The slow acceptance of performance fabrics and the wide use of basic, low-cost polyester further hamper price growth. Nevertheless, the market in the region is witnessing slow entry of high performance materials like anti-microbial fabrics, which have been employed in the food industry to prevent contamination and in the healthcare sector to avoid bacterial infections.

"Since awareness on end-user specifications is key, strong customer relationships and superior service support are necessary for growth in the workwear and uniforms market," recommended Balasubramanian.

Although many small- and medium-sized rental companies usually collaborate with workwear manufacturers for their manufacturing needs, rental companies in Western Europe are increasingly aiming to attain self-sufficiency in garment manufacturing. Thus, timeliness of service is crucial to retain customer loyalty when direct and workwear rental firms compete for the same customer base in the future.

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