The UK Workwear Cost Index 2026: What It Really Costs to Kit Out a Team

Last reviewed: 17 August 2026 · Written and reviewed by the Xcel Print & Promotions team

Kitting out a UK worker in branded workwear in 2026 starts at around £84 per person (excluding VAT) for an office or hospitality starter kit, and climbs to around £131 for a full hi-vis site kit. These figures come from our own analysis of 7,661 workwear products from 172 brands in our catalogue.

Every business that hires staff hits the same question. What does it actually cost to put a team in decent, branded kit? Rather than guess, we pulled the average listed prices across our full catalogue in August 2026. Here’s what the data shows.

What the average garment costs in 2026

Average listed prices, excluding VAT and before any embroidery or printing:

What it costs to kit out one worker, by trade

Fold those averages into realistic kits and you get the true per-person cost of getting a team ready for work:

Office, retail and hospitality, from around £84 per person (ex VAT)

A branded starter kit of three polo shirts (£58) and one hoodie (£26) comes to roughly £84 excluding VAT. It’s the cheapest way to put a customer-facing team in a smart, consistent look.

Trades and site work, from around £131 per person (ex VAT)

A working hi-vis kit of one hi-vis garment (£32), work trousers (£38) and safety boots (£60) averages around £131 excluding VAT. Call it the practical minimum for a compliant, hard-wearing site outfit.

Outdoor and all-weather, from around £210 per person (ex VAT)

Add a fleece (£34) and a waterproof jacket (£79) to the site kit and you’re at roughly £210 excluding VAT per person. Sensible for groundworkers, landscapers and anyone stuck outside through a British winter.

How much does branding add?

The garment is only part of the cost. Adding a logo through embroidery or printing is quoted per job and depends on design size, quantity and placement. As a rule, though, it’s a modest addition per garment that turns ordinary clothing into a proper uniform. Because we embroider and print in-house with no minimum order, small teams aren’t penalised on price. You can see live, garment-specific costs in our online designer.

Why kit costs vary so much

The ranges behind these averages are wide, and for good reason. A £12 polo and a £30 performance polo are built for different jobs. Entry-level safety boots and specialist footwear sit at opposite ends of the same category. Buying on headline price alone is usually a false economy. A heavier, better-made garment lasts longer and looks better branded, which drops the real cost per wear. Our guide to the best UK workwear brands breaks down where each brand fits.

Methodology

This index is based on the average listed prices (excluding VAT) of published products in the Xcel Print & Promotions catalogue as of August 2026: 7,661 products across 172 brands. Averages exclude embroidery and printing, which are quoted per job. Some categories include premium and specialist items that lift the average, so read the figures as typical mid-market costs rather than the cheapest option out there. Journalists and researchers are welcome to cite this data with a link to this page. For a breakdown by trade or region, contact us.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to kit out a worker in the UK in 2026?

Based on average listed prices across our catalogue, a branded office or hospitality starter kit (three polos and a hoodie) works out at around £84 per person excluding VAT, while a full hi-vis site kit (hi-vis, work trousers and safety boots) averages around £131 per person excluding VAT.

How much does a branded polo shirt cost?

Across 454 polo shirts in our catalogue the average listed price is £19.34 excluding VAT, before any embroidery or printing. Prices run from budget team polos to premium performance styles.

What is the average cost of safety boots?

The average listed price of safety boots and footwear in our data is £60.13 excluding VAT across 437 products, ranging from entry-level protection to specialist safety footwear.

What data is the Workwear Cost Index based on?

It’s based on the average listed prices (excluding VAT) of published products in our own catalogue as of August 2026: 7,661 products across 172 brands. Figures exclude embroidery and printing, which are quoted per job.

Written by Andy · Founder, Xcel Print & Promotions

Xcel Print & Promotions is a family-run UK workwear, branded-clothing and print company with over 20 years' experience. We embroider and print in-house from our base in Haverhill, Suffolk, with no minimum order, so this advice comes from kitting out real teams every working day, from single tradespeople to large sites and schools.

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