Wearing the right clothing, the one that makes us feel good in a certain climate, also determines how we perform a job.
Sweating or suffering from the cold is a distracting element that can certainly make us lose focus on what we are doing and, for certain jobs, even a small distraction can be fatal.
Workwear: comfort and protection
That is why it is important to understand that work wear not only has to be safe, but also comfortable enough to ensure that we work without discomfort.
The clothes we wear at work are, in many cases, also Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and should be considered as such.
This means not only paying attention to the workwear you choose, but also to the way you use it.
In addition, it must be understood that there is no such thing as "generic" work wear, there are items of clothing for every type of work.
Working as a lumberjack, outdoors and in the mountains, in winter, requires winter workwear that is certainly different from those who work in a workshop.
This does not necessarily mean that the clothing worn by those who work outdoors must be warmer and heavier, perhaps the constant movement and fatigue of a lumberjack means, on the contrary, that he needs lighter and more breathable clothing than a workshop worker who, remaining more static, tends to suffer more from the cold.
Whether it's pants, jackets, overalls or anything else, we should always choose clothing that is tailored to us, and I'm not just referring to size.
Generally speaking, when it comes to winter workwear, you should follow the rules also adopted by hikers.
Do you want to know what they are?
The "onion principle": layered clothing
It is necessary to adopt the so-called "onion" clothing, that is, to try to wear several garments, relatively light, on top of each other, rather than a single layer of heavy garments.
In practice we speak, for the torso area, of wearing a T-shirt, light fleece, a possible vest and jacket with detachable sleeves, always light, and then, at the end a jacket that must be chosen according to the climatic characteristics.
All this clothing should possibly be breathable, to let our body disperse the sweat, and at the same time warm, to avoid that also the heat, together with the sweat, is dispersed.
It is evident that a hike, no matter how demanding, will never need all the technical work wear that some jobs require, especially in winter.
In the same way, it is evident that a jacket with a protective function, for example because it is cut-resistant, cannot simply be removed because the heat is too intense.
At work, to a certain extent, clothing that can create some discomfort must necessarily be tolerated.
But let's summarize a few points that should be considered when choosing winter workwear:
- Quality
- Fit
- Quality/price ratio
- Color
Quality
Once upon a time, workwear was referred to as garments that had become unpresentable for "social" wear.
"It's good for work," they used to say. Yes, maybe for do-it-yourself work it can be done, but if we are talking about professional work even the clothing must be adequate and of quality.
Therefore, we must pay attention to materials, fabrics, seams, everything that makes a piece of work clothing durable and efficient.
Fit
Fit falls under the "comfort" issue I mentioned in the introduction.
Winter Workwear should be neither too tight nor too loose-fitting; in the first case it would restrict movement, in the second it would risk hindering it and could even become a potential hazard if you get caught in gears or the like.
In the case of winter glare, breathability is an important aspect, since perspiration that would stagnate at the level of the epidermis would contribute to increase the feeling of cold and, perhaps, even make us sick.
Value for money
Not always what is more expensive is also more valuable.
What is difficult to disprove is that a garment sold at a bargain price can also be of quality.
Quality has a cost that is determined by the details, as written above, the price can also be determined by the brand alone. Knowing how to choose the best quality/price ratio is therefore a task that is far from easy but necessary.
Color
It seems irrelevant but, on the contrary, the color of workwear is important for safety.
If our job is not that of a hunter, adopting clothing that camouflages itself with the place where you work is anything but a good choice.
Fairly bold colors, if not exactly garish, help to make us visible and, consequently, prevent us from being an obstacle difficult to see for fellow workers or other operators.
In short, choose your winter work wear with care because (also) you have to rely on it to perform your duties, whether pants, jackets, shoes or gloves, these and all other clothing accessories must ensure efficiency and durability.