6 Simple rules for having a sustainable branded uniform

Looking for ways to make your leisure brand greener in 2026? Sustainable uniform supplier, Taylor Made Designs, shares six simple rules for keeping branded uniforms as environmentally friendly as possible

Go organic where possible

If sustainability is a core value of your leisure brand, consider getting all your staff uniforms made with organic cotton. It costs slightly more than non-organic alternatives, but organic cotton has a much smaller carbon footprint, needs no synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, and supports biodiversity and soil health. It’s also biodegradable. Organic cotton is not a performance fabric; if you need your uniform to wick sweat away or face regular submersion in water, then you need polyester.

Go recycled where possible

Polyester is a very popular fabric choice for leisure brands. It hangs well, wicks moisture away from the body and holds vibrant colour beautifully. Polyester is made from fossil fuels, so it’s best to opt for recycled polyester if possible. Recycled polyester can be made from almost any post-consumer plastic, and there are lots of cost-effective options on the market.

Be aware of microfibres

Polyester clothing wicks moisture away from the wearer and holds colour beautifully, but it also releases microfibres. Polyester does contribute to global microplastics pollution – there’s no getting away from it – and brands have a responsibility to face this challenge head-on. The good news is that, by making the right decisions at the very start of the uniform creation process, microfibre release can be reduced.

Research from the University of Plymouth shows that woven polyester releases fewer microfibres than non-woven alternatives. There is also research to suggest that the newer a garment is, the fewer microfibres it sheds. By retiring old uniforms effectively, and opting for woven polyester wherever possible, brands can help reduce microfibre pollution.

Provide at least a week’s worth of laundry Taylor Made Designs recommend giving full-time staff at least one week’s worth of uniform items. Every laundry load costs energy and water, so helping team members stick to a weekly laundry cycle can cut each garment’s carbon footprint significantly. Research from the National Research Council of Italy shows that it’s best to load up your washing machine. When a washing machine is part-loaded it can release up to 5 times more microfibres than when it’s fully-loaded. It’s another reason to give staff a decent number of garments up-front.

Have a recycling and disposal plan When garments reach the end of their use, they need to be disposed of in a sustainable way. Taylor Made Designs have partnered with a textiles recycling company and now recycle tonnes of end-of-use uniform garments every year. “Polyester is made from fossil fuels, so anything brands can do to recycle the raw materials – rather than drawing more fossil fuels out of the ground – is worth doing,” says James Taylor, Global Sales Director of Taylor Made Designs.

Polyester is made from fossil fuels, so anything brands can do to recycle the raw materials – rather than drawing more fossil fuels out of the ground – is worth doing

Recognise that it’s a journey, not a destination Sustainability is a constantly moving target. It’s impossible to get it all right. Sometimes, function has to come first. “Take poolside garments like swim teacher tops and lifeguard uniforms, for example,” Taylor says. “These need to be vibrant, colour-fast and very quick to dry. Organic cotton won’t work on this kind of garment. It has to be non-woven polyester. It’s all about taking a balanced view and doing your best.”

Find out more: [https://www.taylormadedesigns.co.uk](https://www.taylormadedesigns.co.uk/)