A comfortable uniform that enables you to perform at your very best during long and busy shifts is worth its weight in gold for any healthcare professional. And at Grahame Gardner, we’ve had 114 years of experience in creating long-lasting workwear that not only moves comfortably with your body thanks to quality fabrics but also adheres to important safety requirements.

With so many varied styles, designs and materials on offer, we thought we’d compile a simple guide to make sure that your uniform fits perfectly. There are some key requirements to consider for your uniform, from comfort, protection and security, to reflecting your professional identity and enhancing the image of your team or organisation.

Comfort

Could you work comfortably throughout a busy shift in this clothing? One way to be sure about this is to move around and  ensure you have enough space and durability in the uniform for movement and handling. A uniform that is too tight will restrict movement, while a uniform that is too loose may get in the way as you perform tasks.

A well fitting tunic will hang in a relaxed manner over the hips and as you raise your arms, the tunic will rise and move freely with you. Make sure that when you raise your arms, the tunic should not rise above your trouser waistline. All of our hard-wearing garments are manufactured with features to allow for appropriate movement, and extra room is included when the clothing is made to further assist with this. If you feel you fall between sizes, we recommend to always choose the larger of the two.

When it comes to trousers, try crouching in them and if they are a good fit, they shouldn’t pull on the waist or thighs. Our trousers are designed as a working garment and are not intended to have narrow legs, the reason being to maintain ultimate comfort while you work.

Effective tailoring

At Grahame Gardner, we include two pleats on the back of each tunic. The purpose of these pleats is so that when your arms are outstretched, these will move with the body to prevent any shoulder restriction. They should revert back to the original shape when your arms are relaxed.

Side vents are also positioned in each side of the tunic to ensure that the garment will sit properly on the hips in a normal standing position. Trousers are supplied with handy belt loops and the waist band should sit clearly above the hips. If you look for this type of quality tailoring it will make all the different when searching for a great fitting uniform.

Hemming

1. Turn trousers inside out
2. Lay out your hemming web
3. Measure the length of hemming against the bottom of your trousers and cut a large enough piece. Snip the length and then snip a second length for the other side.
4. Turn the trousers up to the required length, making sure each crease is the same on both sides. Just before you apply the hemming web, try the trousers on once again to make sure you’re happy with the length you’ve chosen. Once the hemming isapplied, you cannot undo them.
5. Once your happy with the length, insert the piece of hemming into the fold that you’ve created
6. With a hot iron, push down firmly and steam for 20-30 seconds. This will secure the hemming web to that side of your trouser.
7. Turn over the trouser and repeat on the opposite side by sliding the hemming into the fold, making sure it’s flat and applying the hot iron.
8. The trousers are now fully hemmed on one side. Now repeat with the other leg.

In addition to perfectly fitting uniform for comfort and style, we always recommend taking a few moments to look at the care instructions for your uniform garments. By following these care instructions it will help to maintain its appearance and prolong its life, saving you money and helping the environment.

We hope that you have found our guide useful - for further information on both uniform fitting and trouser hemming visit the  Grahame Gardner YouTube channel for our easy to follow  ‘How To Guides’