A construction crew's uniform has four jobs: keep the sun off, stand up to rough work, make people easy to see where the site needs it, and keep the rain out. That usually means a work shirt (hi vis if the site asks for it), tough pants or shorts, a hat with real shade and a wet weather layer. Whatever the site's own rules say overrides anything here, so get a copy before you order. Here's what to look for in each piece, with examples from our range.
The kit at a glance
| Item | Look for | Example on our site |
|---|---|---|
| Work shirt | Fabric weight, vents, tape if required | Bisley BS1433, FXD LSH-4T |
| Pants | Reinforced knees, stretch, women's sizes | Hard Yakka Y02880, Ritemate RM8080 |
| Shorts | Fabric weight, pocket set | FXD WS-6 |
| Sun hat | Neck cover, stated UPF | Legend Life 4057A |
| Wet weather | Sealed or taped seams, a hood | Bisley BJ6966T, Syzmik ZJ352 |
Shirts: drill, ripstop and when to add tape
For a plain work shirt, cotton drill is the long-standing choice. The Bisley BS1433, a short sleeve shirt in our photos, is listed as "100% Cotton Preshrunk Drill 190gsm", with two pleated button down chest pockets and a centre back box pleat, in black, khaki, bottle or navy. Drill at this weight is sturdy but still breathes, so it suits trades on sites that don't need hi vis. Limits: no reflective tape, and our listing quotes no UPF rating. All four colours run S to 6XL. If your crew works in full sun, long sleeves cover more skin; our summer work shirts guide goes through sleeve length, fabric weight and UPF ratings, so we won't repeat it here.
Where the site asks for hi vis, the FXD LSH-4T is one taped option. It's listed as "150gsm stretch cotton ripstop (97% cotton, 3% elastane)" with a mesh vent across the back yoke and "50mm segmented reflective tape in hoop pattern", in orange/navy or yellow/navy, both listed XS to 5XL, though some sizes may be unavailable. The stretch and vent help with overhead work in the heat; at 150gsm, expect cooler rather than tougher. Check the garment's label against your site's requirement before it goes on site. For a side-by-side look at taped and untaped drill shirts, see our Bisley shirt comparison or our Pilbara and Ritemate comparison.
Pants and shorts: where they wear out
Construction pants usually wear first at the knees, the pockets and the seat. When you compare listings, look for reinforcement in those places and enough stretch to kneel and climb without the pants pulling.
- Hard Yakka 3056 Stretch Canvas Cargo Pant Y02880: "Stretch canvas for comfort and freedom of movement", a "Reinforced double layer knee" and reinforced internal pocket bags, in 260gsm cotton, Repreve polyester and elastane. It's listed as a "Slim and articulated fit, tapered from knee to hem", in regular and stout size runs. It suits crews who kneel and climb. Watch for: the slim cut won't suit everyone, and the listing doesn't mention knee pad pockets. All four colours share the size runs.
- Ritemate Light Weight 8080 Cargo Trousers RM8080: a lighter "190gsm - 100% Cotton Twill" pant with a "UPF 50+ Sun Protection - AS 4399:2020" line, listed in men's sizes and ladies sizes 6 to 24, which helps when you want one style across a mixed crew. It's cooler than heavy canvas, but the listing mentions no stretch or knee reinforcement. Sizes vary by colour: the smallest (67R, ladies 6) and largest stout (132S) are navy only, and ladies sizes share options with men's waists (for example 72R-W8), so check the size chart. Our women's fit guide covers what else to check.
- FXD WS-6 Stretch Cargo Shorts: 255gsm stretch ripstop with zip-secure cargo pockets and nylon and polyurethane reinforcements. Zipped pockets help keep keys and phones in when you bend or climb. Black, khaki and navy are listed in waists 28 to 44.
Shorts are a site-by-site call: some sites want long pants regardless of the weather, so ask first. Our work shorts guide covers lengths and fabrics if shorts are allowed.
Sun: hats and neck cover
On sites where hard hats aren't required, a legionnaire shades the face and covers the back of the neck. The Legend Life Poly Viscose Legionnaire 4057A lists a UPF rating of 50+ "Excellent Protection" and "Meets Australian Standards AS/NZS 4399", in navy, bottle, red or royal. The neck flap covers skin a cap leaves bare, and the listing names no colour exclusions. The limit: it can't be worn with a hard hat. Our broad brim and sun hats and bucket hat guide cover more options.
Where hard hats are compulsory, the shade should come from the hard hat itself or accessories made for it. Our hard hats guide covers full brim hats and the accessories we list.
Rain: jackets and pants
For wet days, look for sealed or taped seams, because rain finds its way in through stitching, and a hood that suits the way your crew works.
- Bisley Taped Hi Vis Rain Shell Jacket BJ6966T: listed with a "Waterproof rating: Up to 20,000mm H20", "All seams are seam sealed", a taped H pattern and a hood that stays concealed until you need it, in orange/navy or yellow/navy. It's a mesh-lined shell, not insulated, so layer up underneath in winter.
- Syzmik Hi Vis Taped Storm Pant ZJ352: listed as "Fully seam sealed" with a "Waterproof rating 5,000mm", an elasticated waist and an ankle zip opening, in orange, yellow or navy. Navy isn't a fluoro colour, so choose orange or yellow if your site wants hi vis rainwear.
- Under a hard hat: the Syzmik ZJ620 heavy duty waterproof jacket lists an "Adjustable hood made to fit hard hats".
Browse our full rainwear range for more, and check whether your site wants rainwear in hi vis colours.
Branding the crew's kit
Your company name on the shirts and outer layers helps a site manager tell your people from the other trades on site. With hi vis, keep logos and names off the reflective tape, and confirm placement with your safety officer or principal contractor first. To choose between embroidery and print for each piece, see our embroidery or printing guide; for collecting sizes across a crew, see our ordering guide. If you also kit out a warehouse or yard team, our warehouse and logistics kit list covers their gear.
Ready to kit out the crew? Send us the head count, the trades on site and the site's clothing rules through our custom workwear enquiry form, and we'll come back with a shortlist for each item.
