The story of

INDUSTRIAL UNIFORMS

1. The New Approach. Do waiters necessarily have to look like a lot of old black crows in their generally dingy black tuxedos and not so-gleaming white shirt fronts? Not so, says the man who runs the Hotel Astor's famed Hunt Room. Why not a uniform that does something for the self-esteem of the waiter as well as contributes to the colorful character of the surroundings? And that is the story back of the bright scarlet hunting coats made of Cramerton Army Cloth worn by the men who serve you lunch while you look down on Times Square.

There you have the two extremes: the depressing black garment that is a badge of servility, contrasted with the gay red coat that is the symbol of smartness. But there's more to it than that. The old costly, easy to get dirty, expensive to dry-clean; the new is relatively low in cost, easy to keep spick-and-span.

For all its air of departed grandeur, the waiter's musty black attire is a sort of industrial uniform that is many generations old. Other trades have their characteristic costume details that reach far back into the past. Sailor's bell-bottom trousers are a relic of the square-rigged ships. For all we know, the chef's ca[ and cobbler's apron may go back to medieval guilds.

Today there are more and different kinds of industrial uniforms than you can shake a stick at; they're worn by band musicians, ushers, park attendants, delivery men, bottling coompany employees, nurses, waitresses, and others too numerous to mention. They range from simple, functional, coverall types to the elaborate regalia of the Park Avenue doorman and the keader if the circus band. In many cases the industrial uniform represents ome of the major procuremet activities of the modern purchasing agent. The total fabric requirements involved run high into hundreds of millions of yards annually and consitute a major portion of America's business in industrial fabrics.

2. The Economics of Uniforms. The underlying philosophy is aptly expressed in a slogan used by McCampbell & Company way back in 1934: "A Workman Is only as Smart as He Looks." Old clothes do not make for pride. Slapdash appearance begets slapdash performance, the question of uniforming employees has a direct bearing on the balance sheet.

Every employee who comes in contact with the public is an advertisement for his employer but only the well-dressed employee is a good advertisement. It pays to put employees into smart uniforms for the same reason that it pays to buy good office furniture and smart stationery. And don't forget that the customer wants to be proud of the big corporation which sells him gasoline, groceries bread, and milk. People would rather pay their money to smartly togged attendants.

This is a modern merchandising fact which alert industrial leaders are turning into an advantage against their more old-fashioned competitors. Smart attendants in natty service suits are making and holding customers for gasoline stations. Waitresses in colorful frocks are swelling restaurant patronage. Spick-and-span operators in all sorts of manufacturing enterprises are reaching a new high level of efficiency. Shirt sleeves are OUT. Uniforms are IN - because they PAY.

An evaluation of the impact of industrial uniforms on the textile world is certainly in order. You find yourself all over the lot in no time, because industrial uniformings ( there should be no word) range from winter-weight woolens and worsteds to sheer seersuckers; and some functional fabrics, like fireproof asbestos and Fiberglas, to material chosen mostly for eye appeal that you see in highly stylized tearooms.

3. Fabric Fundamentals. Getting down to cases, however, you do not have to pursue your inquiry very far before you unearth abundant evidence that the most important industrial uniform fabrics are made of cotton. You will also find out that there are some famous as well as semi-famous fabrics in the field which merit special mentions.

The first is the famous Type 1 Army Cloth, originally developed for officers' cotton uniforms and still the official fabric for this purpose. It is the deluxe all-purpose industrial uniform fabric. The best-known of this type are Reeves Army Twill and Cramerton Army Cloth, both nationally advertised.

Then you have your Type 4 or Type 6. It is really a carded adaptation of Type 1 and combines a high degree of eye appeal with excellent wearing qualities at a popular price. In this category Stevens Twist Twill, Cone Captain Twill, Springs supratwill and Wellington Sears Columbus Twill are the branded advertised fabrics.

Next come the poplins, which have served as the basic industrial uniform shirting for many years. The name fabrics in this department are Simpson's Soulette Poplin, Reeves Glengarrie Poplin, and Burton's Irish Poplin. The last named, the oldest on the list, has been acquired by Reeves Brothers.

You must also reckon with a formidable yardage of herringbone twills and drills, as well as shirting jeans. The advertising of these fabrics has been negligible; but do not minimize their importance. Incidentally, it is interesting to note that some of the uniforms manufacturers compensate for the lack of eye appeal of this cloth by using trimmings of brightly colored Type 1 Army Cloth.

Another industrial fabric that is breaking into the better end of the business in the 9-ounce sateen. This, too, has an Army background. When first adopted by the military in 1943, it was described by the Quartermaster Corps as "probably the toughest, most versatile cloth on record." Among the better fabrics, too, we must not overlook the all-cotton gabardines with their sharp, knife like twill and rich luster.

At this juncture someone may say, "Isn't denim a greater fabric for work, by far, than all the others?" Yes, but it is a work clothing fabric for garments generally purchased by individuals. You might call denim the uniform fabric of the farmer and the railroad engineer and the sailor, and many other groups of workers; but they buy their denims individually. You rarely hear of denim uniforms purchased by a company for their employees. On the other hand, it should be noted that denim is one of the featured fabrics in some of the smarter new industrial uniforms for women.

No discussion of cotton uniform fabrics would be complete without mention of the extravagant variety of brilliant colors which mills have been developing in the basic cotton uniformings. Part of this can be explained by style-up uniforms especially for women. Part is attributable to the use of brighter colors generally. But there are also more serious motivating forces involved. for example, brilliant scarlet is becoming more and more the uniform color for hazardous road work and construction work, where safety is dependent on visibility.

The Navy device of distinguishing between different types of key personnel on the carriers, by means of giving each type an identifying color in a brilliant shade, has had its impressions on industry and its repercussions on mill operation. Similar color schemes for protective purposes, as well as reduction of the margin of error, have been adopted in some of our great atom projects. So you see these gold and scarlet and purple uniform fabrics are used for something besides circus bands.

From the Fashions for Industry wardrobe coordinated by Tina Leser: a one piece fitted dress

Wellington Sears Armada, a cavalry twill with a frosted effect obtained by the use of acetated and cotton, weighing 10 0z. finished. For work and semi-dressy clothes, it is also well adapted to uniforms, odd trousers, caps, and Eisenhower-type jackets. Graniteville Super Twill, a type 4 specification U.S. Army uniform twill which weighs 8.5 0z.- plus per square yard. It is vat dyed, fully mercerized and sanforized, with resin finish for firm hand. For dressy work pants and matched suits. Cone Mills, Captain Twill, an 8.5 oz. type Army twill, vat-dyed, sanforized, and mercerized. A four-leaf twill weave for men's trousers and slacks and for pants to match suits, it has good breaking strength, yet is a dressy work fabric with carded yarns. Reeves' Army Twill, a cloth made to meet government specifications for all army uniforms, is a high luster, 8.2 oz, 2 x 2 exceedingly durable combed cotton twill which has wide use in transportation, trucking, milkmen's, and all types of uniforms. Galey and Lord, Klondike, a 9-oz. brilliant luster sateen of combed 2-ply cotton in warp and filling. Durable for outdoor wear, snag-proof, with a high degree of natural wind resistance and good breaking strengthm due to additional ends and picks. Simpson's Soulette, an industrial uniform shirting fabric woven of fine combed cotton poplin. For uniforms for policemen, municipal and county employees, letter carriers, firemen, airline personnel, transit operators, Army, Navy, and Air Corps.

Sweet-Orr & Co. carefully tailors the official Hot Point Uniform from a durable vat-dyed fabric.

 

4. Merchandising Considerations. There are three broad classifications of industrial uniforms: first, the unbranded types which are purchased by individuals, mostly employees of small companies. Then there is the intermediate type of industrial uniform where a retail store may make the arrangement with the company and stock a supply of uniforms together with the firm's emblem or insignia. Finlly, you come to the uniforms purchased on strict specifications by large companies, such as the famous beverage companies, oil and municipal services.

The manufacturers in this intersting business about which, curiously enough, little has been written heretofore, range from general cutters of work clothes who set up a special uniform section, to large specialized manufacturers of industrial uniforms. In some instances these big uniform people likewise go in for policemen's and firemen's uniforms and regalia for lodges and fraternal organizations.

The more you become acquainted with the marketing and merchandising of industrial uniforms, the more you will be impressed by the important part played by the companies who make the emblems and insignia. This type of identification may take the form of a monogram, or an initial letter, or the company's name, or a trade name, or a trademark, or a combination of two or more of these. Whatever the type of identification, it is the frosting of this particular cake. The merchandising of the emblem is certainly an intergral part of the merchandising of the garment besides being the focal point of advertising value and pride in the organization.

Another merchandising consideration of the greatest importance has loomed up during the last few years; and that is the keen interest some of the labor unions take in proper imdustrial iniforms for their members. This is obviously altogether too large a subject for more than the briefest mention here, and it is still far too early in the game to know to what extent the influence of unions on industrial uniforms will grow. Suffice it to say that to date the attitude of the unions has been to insist upon top quality fabrics, workmanship, and styling.

5. The New Fibers. All this should not be taken to mean that Old King Cotton has a virtual monopoly on the industrial uniform business. It is only necessary to point to the large number of nylon waitresses' and nurses' uniforms that have come into prominence during the last few years. And the Orlon-blended suits crowding into the businessman's wardrobe, can Orlon-blended policemen's uniforms be far behind? Obviously not. Astute textile observers are likewise watching with great interest the development of carded cotton twills blended with nylon. Here it is thought that the appearance value of nylon, plus its tremendous wearing qualities, can make a notable contribution without exceeding the practical price requirements of the market. This is precisely the type of fabric that may well establish itself alongside of the great all-cotton fabrics which are the backbone of the industrial uniform fabrics.

You hear a lot about some of the new fibers for industrial apparel, where resistance to various chemicals is of first importance. fabrics made of Dynel are gaining wide acceptance, not only because of the protection they afford the wearer, but also because they greatly increase the life expectancy of the garment. A special point should likewise be made of the fact that jackets, trousers, work aprons, and socks made of Dynel possess the important added advantage that they may be cleaned or decontaminated in acids without harm.

Orlon one-piece work suits have likewise been developed for protection against noxious chemicals and for various other benefits conferred by the characteristic properties of this particular acrylic fiber. Leading mills are reported to be concentrating an important part of their fabric development programs on new fibers and blends for the primary purpose of improving fabrics for industrial workers.

6. The Feminine Contingent. Before World War II, practically the only women's industrial uniforms that amounted to anything were for nurses, waitresses, maids, ushers, and girl bands. The girls used to rebel against this regimentation.

From the moment the first WAC appeared on the streets in her smart new uniform, a new era was unostentatiously ushered in. None can deny that the ladies in our armed forces like the uniforms and were just as proud of them as the men. In the meantime, the girls who were replacing men in industry were getting used to overalls, dungarees, jumpers, and other specialized working apparel.

These influences did not suddenly cease to exist when the fighting was over. Quite the contrary. The WAVES and WACS are still walking advertisements for the uniform business, as are the nattily attired hostesses of the airlines. They have brought glamour with a vengeance to the industrial uniform.

In the meanwhile, women who have worked their way into occupations formerly filled by men have found it increasingly necessary to wear some kind of protective and functional clothing. The result is that we have a new army of uniformed workers in the making. Girls in uniform have come a long way from the men's overalls they used to wear when they first went to work in factories and farms right after Pearl Harbor.

It is still too early to evaluate the consequences. The resulting swing to bright colors has already been noted. In addition, feminine uniforms have emphasized the smart tailored details, like piping, contrasting trimming, smart pocketing, and general sprucing up. And now the stylists are being called in, not merely to give women's industrial uniforms a beauty treatment, but to redesign them from the feminine point of view, so as to be suitable for wear between home and the factory, as well as for ease and comfort on the job. There's a lot of smoke... and quite a lot of fire too.

CASE HISTORY INDUSTRIAL UNIFORMS get a BEAUTY TREATMENT When women invade industry, can fashion be far behind? Not as long as Tina Leser has anything to say about it. Unwilling to rest on laurels won in the haute couture, this gifted designer has decided that women on the job need something more than protection from poisonous dusts and acids, more even than functionally correct and comfortable attire. They need Style with the good old capital S- the kind of style that will make them want to wear their work suits for leisure time as well... That's the kind of work clothing coordinated by Tina Leser and featured by Fashions for Industry. It even includes specially designed straw baskets instead of the ancient lunch box, and such clever new touches as narrow pants legs that are safe around machinery and may be tucked under wrap-around skirts, so that Sister can look prettiest between shop and home. Wait till you see some of the striking fabrics, clever use of contrasting colors, and smart detailing generally. No wonder companies like Fairchild Aviation and Evins Shoes are choosing from these styles for their own industrial uniforms.

 

7. Competition of Sportswear.It isn't all plain sailing, by any manner of means. There are all kinds of currents and counter-currents at work behind the smooth surface of the industry. One strong trend, in particular, bears watching, and that is the adoption of sportswear on the job by many of the more highly salaried workers, especially those engaged in the cleaner manufacturing operations. Some of the photographs of the employees leaving spick-and-span modern plants show the kind of slacks, sport shirts, golf jackets, and sport coats previously associated with days off, not work days. To be sure, workers of this type never did wear industrial uniforms, but the example they never did wear industrial uniforms., but the example they are setting by appearing on the job in the clothes they used to wear week-ends may exert influence.

Pulling in the opposite direction is the increasing attractiveness and the practical advantages of the smarter and better types of modern industrial uniforms. At their best they can be real moral builders for their wearers, in addition to furnishing maximum comfort and protection on the job... not to mention the comfort and efficiency that come from functionally correct garments specifically designed and engineered for the job to be done. And let us not forget the identification value and advertising value to the company concerned. As long as there are smartly uniformed pilots and hostesses strutting around our great airports, you may rest assured that a large part of the working population of the United States will vote for industrial uniforms that are both comfortable and smart.

Sportswear in industrial uniforms.

8. Indispensable Factors. Before the American industrial uniform could possibly attain its present status of service and smartness, some very basic improvements had to be made in both the fabrics and the garments. To appreciate the far-reaching nature of these improvements, you have only to go back to the faded and ill-fitting cotton uniforms of World War I and the ditto industrial attire of the Twenties and early Thirties.

Above are two more photos from the Fashions of Industry wardrobe
coordinated by Tina Leser .. from Ramsey Sportswear Co.

The first indispensable ingredient in modernizing the industrial uniform was the development of fast vat colors. Color fastness is something pretty nearly everyone takes for granted nowadays, but if we were still restricted to the old faded fabrics we couldn't possibly have the new styles in uniforms.

The next improvement on the list was the invention of the Sanforized process of controlled shrinkage by Sanford L. Cluett. ( People are already beginning to forget the inventor after whom the process was named.) The part played by Sanforized speaks for itself. In the first place, washable work garments that shrink cannot possibly fit. In the second place, in the old days of shrinking work garments, it was necessary to buy them too large, so that they were a menace around machinery until they shrunk to size. From the point of view of style, it should be added that it was not until the manufacturers had adopted Sanforized fabrics right across the board that they developed tailored sizes and models proportioned to fit all shapes of wearers.

A host of other improvements and refinements in manufacturing soon followed. Better bar tacking methods were introduced, tool-proof pockets became standard equipment, tailoring details were adopted from the methods of manufacturers of business clothing.

By far the most important improvements, however, were the new mechanical closures that were introduced in the Thirties - the slide fasteners and snap fasteners. It is strange but true that slide fasteners had become the accepted closure in dress trousers for several years before they were introduced in work pants and uniform pants. Of course in the case of industrial attire, slide fasteners are even more important than they are in business clothing because they are used as closures for jackets and fancy pockets, as well as pants. And don't forget that slide fasteners as well as snap fasteners have a lot to do with the fit and fitness of garments.

All in all, you will find very types of clothing, if any, that have undergone a more complete improvement and modernization program than the industrial uniform. The gulf between today's uniforms and the old pre-improvement versions is wide indeed.