Hi-Vis Workwear Has a Compliance Lifespan
High-visibility workwear doesn’t just age cosmetically — it ages functionally. The retroreflective strips that make garments visible at night and in low light conditions degrade with washing, exposure, and general wear. A hi-vis vest that was ENISO 20471 compliant when new may not be compliant after a year of heavy use.
This is a safety issue, not just a presentation issue. Here’s how to care for hi-vis workwear correctly and when to replace it for continued compliance.
Washing Hi-Vis Garments Correctly
Hi-vis fluorescent fabrics are dye-sensitive. Washing at too high a temperature causes colour bleed and fading that reduces the fluorescent effectiveness of the fabric. Maximum wash temperature for most ENISO 20471 hi-vis garments is 40°C — check the care label on your specific garment. Use a standard non-biological detergent without bleach. Bleach destroys fluorescent dye rapidly.
Do not dry clean hi-vis garments — dry cleaning solvents damage the retroreflective strip coating. Tumble dry on low only, or air dry.
Checking the Retroreflective Strips
Retroreflective strips lose their effectiveness when: the surface becomes scratched or cracked, the strips are folded along the same line repeatedly (causing the retroreflective material to break), or the strips become contaminated with oil, paint, or other materials that can’t be fully cleaned. Inspect strips regularly — if they no longer reflect brightly when caught by a light source, they’ve lost effectiveness and the garment needs replacing.
Embroidery on Hi-Vis: Compliance Considerations
Embroidered workwear on hi-vis garments must not cover or obscure fluorescent panels or retroreflective strips. ENISO 20471 specifies minimum areas of each that must remain unobstructed. Our embroidery team checks every hi-vis design against compliance requirements before production — no guesswork.
Browse our hi-vis range in our workwear shop or contact us for compliant embroidered hi-vis workwear.