Monday, February 17, 2014

Caring for Hi-Vis Clothing

There's nothing more ineffective than high visibility clothing that is faded and torn as it defeats the whole purpose of wearing it. Hi-vis clothing is often worn in harsh work environments so it needs some care to keep it looking at its brightest.

There are a number of hi-vis clothing regulations in Australia, and they include the categorising of the three types of clothing:

  • Class D: This is clothing for day-time wear, and is typically made of fluorescent fabric, which is not reflective but basically converts UV rays to visible light.
  • Class N: This is night-time clothing, and it's made from retroreflective material, which causes light to be reflected back to its source, for example, the headlight of a car. Retroreflective strips or retroreflective clothing lettering should be at least 50 mm wide.
  • Class D/N: This is clothing that can be worn during the day and night, and is a combination of fluorescent and retroreflective materials.

Can hi-vis clothing be washed?

It's important to keep high visibility clothing in good condition so that it fulfils its protective functions. The label in each item of clothing should be checked for care instructions. Generally, most hi-vis clothing, with or without hi-vis lettering, can be washed under the following conditions:
  • Machine wash warm
  • Use only a non-chlorine bleach or colour-safe stain removal spray
  • Air dry in the shade
  • Do not iron
  • Dry clean with a specialised provider

Waterproof hi-vis gear should be spot cleaned with a mild detergent and luke warm water.

The label on the garment may state how many washing and drying cycles it can undergo before the fabric begins to fade, remembering that normal wear and tear will also degrade the visual qualities of the fabrics.

General care

Hi-vis clothing should be checked regularly to make sure that it is not torn, stained, or damaged in any way. If repair is impossible, the garment needs to be replaced.

Everything Vibrant, Brisbane, supply hi-vis clothing and printed hi-vis clothing lettering for work and leisure environments. To find out more, contact them on (07) 3341 1194 or through their website.

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