Safety Shirts & Sweatshirts
When a vest is the thing that gets taken off.
A polo, a sweatshirt and a hoodie where the reflective element is part of the garment, so visibility does not depend on a layer the wearer can remove.
What we supply
Most high-visibility failures are not material failures. They are behavioural: the vest goes in the van because it is too hot, or it comes off because it catches on the harness, or it never gets put on over a hoodie in the first place. The answer is not a better vest, it is a garment where the reflective element is already part of what the wearer wants to put on. The three builds here cover the temperature range: piqué for heat, brushed fleece for cool, hooded fleece for cold and wet. The polo carries piping rather than wide banding deliberately, because piping keeps the shirt wearable — and that trade is stated plainly rather than hidden.
Looks like clothing, still seen
Hi Vis Polo Shirt
RS-C-SH-01
Piqué knit polo with reflective piping on the shoulder seams and sleeve hems — wearable in heat, visible at close range.
- Fluorescent yellow-green piqué knit
- Reflective piping on shoulder seams and sleeve hems
- Ribbed collar, two-button placket
- Short sleeves, side vents at the hem
RS-C-SH-01 · specifications
| Code | Knit | Reflective | Sleeve | Collar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS-C-SH-01 | Piqué | Piping | Short | Rib + 2 buttons |
Warmth and banding in one
Hi Vis Sweatshirt
RS-C-SH-02
Brushed-back fleece with a reflective chest band and a band around each sleeve, so there is no vest to take off separately.
- Brushed-back fleece knit
- Reflective band across the chest
- Reflective band around each sleeve above the cuff
- Ribbed collar, cuffs and hem
RS-C-SH-02 · specifications
| Code | Knit | Bands | Sleeve | Trim |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS-C-SH-02 | Brushed fleece | Chest + both sleeves | Long | Rib collar / cuffs / hem |
For the shift that stays outdoors
Hi Vis Hoodie
RS-C-SH-03
Same banding as the sweatshirt with a drawcord hood and kangaroo pocket — for cold outdoor work that does not stop when the weather turns.
- Fluorescent knit with drawcord hood
- Reflective band across the chest
- Reflective band around each sleeve
- Kangaroo pocket, ribbed cuffs and hem
RS-C-SH-03 · specifications
| Code | Knit | Bands | Hood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RS-C-SH-03 | Fleece knit | Chest + both sleeves | Drawcord | Kangaroo |
FAQ | Safety shirts and sweatshirts
What buyers ask before specifying hi-vis shirts and sweatshirts — what piping can and cannot do, and how these differ from a vest.
Why is the polo piping rather than a wide reflective band?
Because a polo is worn in heat, and a wide band across the chest stiffens the shoulder and traps warmth exactly where a polo is supposed to be the light option. Piping keeps the garment wearable but carries far less reflective area than a band. The polo is for roles that have to look like clothing and be seen at close range — not for roles that must satisfy a formal class after dark.
Does the sweatshirt replace a vest?
For many roles, yes — that is the point of it. The warmth and the reflective banding are the same garment, so there is no separate vest to remove. Whether it satisfies a specific standard still depends on the fluorescent and reflective area the garment carries, which is confirmed at order stage for the class required.
Why does the sleeve band sit above the cuff rather than at the edge?
A band at the very cuff edge is where a sleeve abrades fastest and where the reflective surface gets folded and cracked by the wrist. Moving it just above the cuff keeps it flat, and it is still in the part of the arm that swings into a headlight when someone walks.
Is the hoodie suitable where a hard hat is required?
Worn with the hood down, yes. A hood over a hard hat is a hazard, and in that setting a banded sweatshirt is the cleaner choice. The hood is there for cold and rain on sites where head protection is not the controlling requirement.
Can these be worn under a jacket or coverall?
Yes, and they are cut to allow it. Layering a reflective top under a jacket does hide the banding, so if the outer layer is also high-visibility the layering works; if the outer layer is dark, the reflective element is covered and the garment stops doing its job.
How do the three builds differ in warmth?
The polo is a single-layer piqué for heat. The sweatshirt is a brushed-back fleece for cool weather. The hoodie is the same fleece weight with a hood and pocket, which adds wind protection at the head and neck rather than much insulation. None of them is a windproof or waterproof outer layer.
Can they be branded?
Yes. Printing and heat-applied marks are specified per order with vector artwork and marked placement. On a high-visibility garment, keep large marks off the fluorescent and reflective areas — a big mark reduces the visible area and can change the class of the garment.
How do they wash?
Wash performance is confirmed per build against the wash programme supplied with the order. Abrasion is the main risk to piping and banding, so on garment areas that see contact — shoulders, cuffs, chest — the stitching matters as much as the reflective material. Industrial laundering is a separate specification.
Reflective area differs by build: the polo carries piping, the sweatshirt and hoodie carry wide bands. Which build satisfies a formal standard class is confirmed at order stage against the actual garment, because piping and banding do not contribute the same reflective area. Reflective material returns light toward its source and does not glow on its own.
Tell us the temperature and the role.
Send the working temperature, whether the garment has to meet a formal class, and the quantities, and the answer comes back with the build and a price.