Workwear Uniforms: Rent or Buy?

We love workwear uniforms at Alsco. In fact, nothing is more pleasing to us than delivering clean, fresh uniforms to a client who truly appreciates what a good-looking uniform does for the company image. Of course, companies can buy their own workwear rather than renting from us. But is that a wise idea?

We would not be so bold as to say it is always better to rent from us than to buy your own. But we do encourage you to run a comprehensive analysis comparing the two options. Note that for any analysis to be truly comprehensive, it has to cover more than just bottom-line costs. There is more to workwear uniforms than the actual cost of the clothing.

Initial Outlay for New Uniforms

The initial outlay for new uniforms is the first thing most companies consider. Even if outfitting just a handful of employees, the outlay could be significant. There is the cost of the garments themselves, plus additional costs related to branding. Do you want the company name embroidered on shirts? Do you want branded hats and jackets too? Both will cost extra.

Renting workwear uniforms eliminates most of that initial outlay. You are not buying uniforms, so the amount you pay to start service should be a lot more affordable.

Replacement and Repair Costs

Every piece of workwear, regardless of its quality, wears out over time. So your analysis should include replacement and repair costs. These are costs you would encounter when when you buy your own uniforms. Where repairs are concerned, that means hiring someone or assigning the task to a current employee.

When you rent from us, repair and replacement become our problem. We repair damaged garments when possible; we replace them with new garments when repairs are not possible.

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UNIFORM LAUNDERING

Renting workwear uniforms from Alsco includes complete uniform laundering. We pick up soiled uniforms and replace them with clean ones as part of our service. You never have to worry about in-house laundering. And, of course, that means your employees do not have to take uniforms home to be laundered.

This is one part of a comprehensive analysis that a lot of companies do not think of. It’s easy to assume employees don’t mind washing their own uniforms, but that’s not always a safe bet. Some workers resent the fact that they have to spend the time and effort doing something they believe is the responsibility of their employer.

MAINTAINING THE COMPANY IMAGE

One last part of a comprehensive assessment that may escape you lies in the value you attach to maintaining your company image. If you buy your own uniforms, you are likely to have your employees keep wearing them for as long as humanly possible—even when they start looking old and worn.

Renting from us gives you the opportunity to update your workwear as needed. Updating uniforms keeps both them and your company image fresh.

What we have described in this blog post just scratches the surface of the benefits of renting workwear uniforms from Alsco. We would love the opportunity to speak with you about it in person. If you are interested in a cost analysis, we would be happy to provide one.

Renting workwear uniforms may be a better way for you to outfit your workers at a lower cost. If so, we have a variety of workwear for you to choose from. We can outfit your entire workforce in uniforms that look good and offer your workers the protection and utility they need.

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