Short answer
The main difference between ordering 50, 100 or 500 corporate uniforms is how much is custom. Around 50 pieces, most buyers brand ready-made stock garments; around 100, a mix of stock and custom options opens up; at several hundred pieces, custom fabric, colour and fit become realistic, but size collection, approvals and delivery planning need far more structure. Minimum quantities and lead times for each route are confirmed at quotation.
A buyer who knows roughly how many uniforms they need and wants to understand how the ordering process, options and workload change with quantity.
Why quantity changes the whole route, not just the price
Uniform orders broadly follow one of two production routes. In the first, a supplier takes ready-made stock garments (a polo, shirt or T-shirt already produced in standard colours and sizes) and adds your branding by embroidery or printing. In the second, the garment is custom-made: fabric is selected or dyed to order, cut to an agreed pattern and sewn, with branding added during or after production.
Custom production has fixed costs and minimum fabric quantities, so it becomes practical only above a certain volume. Stock garments have no such minimum on the garment itself, but you are limited to the colours, fabrics and fits that exist. The quantity you order largely decides which route is open to you, and that in turn shapes timelines, approvals and the amount of internal coordination involved.
| Aspect | Around 50 pieces | Around 100 pieces | Around 500 pieces |
|---|---|---|---|
| Usual garment route | Branded stock garments | Stock garments, sometimes with custom details | Stock or custom-made, depending on requirements |
| Colour options | Supplier's stock colour range | Stock range; custom colour may be possible for some items | Custom dyeing or colour matching becomes more realistic |
| Branding | One design, one or two placements | Possibly different designs per department | Several designs, role-based variations, custom labels |
| Size collection | Simple list or quick fitting | Structured form per department | Formal process with deadlines and a size set for try-on |
| Approvals | Logo mock-up and sewn-out sample | Mock-up, sample, colour check | Full pre-production sample, lab dip if custom colour, written specification |
| Delivery | Usually one delivery | One delivery, sometimes split by site | Often staged by site, role or start date |
Ordering around 50 uniforms
At this level, the efficient approach is to choose a well-made stock garment and brand it carefully. The work is mainly in selecting the right garment and getting the logo right.
- Choose the garment type for the role, for example custom polo shirts for office and front-of-house staff or corporate shirts for client-facing teams.
- Select fabric and colour from the available stock range, checking that the colour works with your logo.
- Supply a vector logo and agree size and placement. See how to prepare a logo file.
- Approve a digital mock-up and, for embroidery, a sewn-out sample on the actual garment.
- Collect sizes from each employee and add a few spares.
- Confirm the quote, payment terms and delivery date in writing.
Set-up costs such as embroidery digitising are spread over fewer pieces, so they form a larger share of the unit price. Keeping to one design and a small number of placements helps.
Ordering around 100 uniforms
At around 100 pieces, orders often cover more than one department or role, and the coordination burden grows. Different teams may need different garments, for example polos for operations and shirts for management, and some buyers start to ask for small custom details such as contrast tipping or a printed neck label.
- Standardise where you can. One garment style in two colours is easier to manage than four styles.
- Assign a coordinator per department to collect sizes and chase missing replies.
- Use one size chart for everyone, and share it with the size form. The size guide explains how to measure.
- Agree the branding hierarchy: which logo goes on which garment, at what size, in which position.
- Ask about custom details early, because some options carry their own minimums and add time.
Illustrative example (not a customer case): a company orders 100 polos for two departments. Department A replies to the size request within a week; department B takes three weeks because the request reached shift staff late. The whole order waits for department B. Setting one deadline and one named contact per department avoids this.
Ordering around 500 uniforms
At several hundred pieces, the order is a small project. Custom fabric, exact brand colours and dedicated fits become realistic, but each choice adds approval steps. Errors also become expensive: a wrong logo size or a size chart misunderstanding repeated across 500 garments is a serious problem.
What to add to the process
- A written specification for each garment: fabric, GSM, colour reference, fit, trims, branding positions and sizes
- A lab dip or colour approval if a custom colour is requested
- A full pre-production sample for each garment type, approved in writing
- A size set available for staff to try on before sizes are collected
- A size collection deadline with a named owner in each department or site
- An agreed quality check approach before dispatch. See quality control.
- A packing plan: by size, by department, or by named employee
- A delivery schedule if sites or start dates differ
- A reorder plan for new joiners and replacements
The bulk uniform orders page sets out how larger orders are planned, and our process describes the steps from brief to delivery.
Spares, staged delivery and reorders
Whatever the quantity, plan beyond the first issue. Staff join, leave, change size and damage garments, and a reorder of a handful of pieces can cost far more per piece than the original order because set-up work is repeated.
| Need | Smaller orders | Larger orders |
|---|---|---|
| Spares | A few pieces in the most common sizes | A planned allowance per size, based on expected staff turnover |
| Issue quantity per person | Often two or three pieces per person | Set by role, shift pattern and laundering arrangements |
| Staged delivery | Rarely needed | Useful for multiple sites, phased openings or seasonal hiring |
| Reorders | Record the exact garment, colour and logo file used | Keep the approved sample and specification as the reference |
Ask whether the same stock garment and colour are likely to remain available for future reorders. Stock ranges change, and a discontinued colour can leave new staff in a visibly different shade. The size planning guide covers spares in more detail.
Approvals that matter at any quantity
Some steps should never be skipped, regardless of order size.
- Approve the logo mock-up with exact dimensions and placement measured from a reference point, such as the shoulder seam or collar
- See the logo on the actual garment and colour, not only on screen
- Confirm thread or ink colours against your brand references
- Confirm the size chart and the size breakdown in writing
- Confirm what is included in the price: set-up, packaging, delivery and VAT
- Keep written records of every approval
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum order for custom-made uniforms?
It depends on the garment, fabric and whether a custom colour is needed. Custom-made garments generally need higher quantities than branded stock garments. Minimums are confirmed at quotation for your specification.
Can I order 50 uniforms in our exact brand colour?
Usually the practical option at this quantity is the closest available stock colour. Exact colour matching normally means dyeing fabric to order, which carries its own minimum. Ask for the stock colour options alongside a quote for custom colour if it matters.
How many uniforms should each employee get?
It depends on shift patterns, the work environment and who launders the garments. Many organisations issue two or three pieces per person for daily wear, and more for roles where garments get dirty quickly. Decide this before finalising the quantity.
Can a large order be delivered in stages?
Staged delivery is often useful for multiple sites or phased start dates. Discuss it at quotation, because it affects production planning, packing and delivery costs.
Is it cheaper per piece to order 500 instead of 100?
Generally the per-piece share of set-up costs falls as quantity rises, but the total depends on the specification. Ask for prices at more than one quantity level to see the difference for your order.