How Many Company Uniforms Should You Order? Complete Quantity & Size Planning Guide Malaysia

One of the most common questions businesses face when ordering company uniforms is surprisingly simple:

How many uniforms should we order for each employee?

Should every employee receive 2 shirts?

3 shirts?

5 shirts?

Should the company order extra uniforms for new employees?

How many spare sizes should be kept?

And what happens when your company has 20, 100 or even 500 employees across different departments?

Ordering too few uniforms can create problems when employees need to wear the same company apparel every working day.

Ordering too many can leave the company with unnecessary stock, especially when employees leave, sizes change or the company updates its branding.

The best quantity therefore depends on:

How Often the Uniform Is Worn

Number of Working Days

Laundry Frequency

Employee Role

Working Environment

Staff Turnover

Uniform Type

Company Budget

Reordering Lead Time

In this guide, EVNIX explains how Malaysian businesses can plan company uniform quantities, employee sizes, spare stock, department requirements and personalised uniforms before placing a bulk order.

Quick Answer: How Many Uniforms Per Employee?

As a practical starting point:

Occasional Use

1–2 sets per employee

Suitable for employees who only wear company apparel during:

Events
Exhibitions
Meetings
Roadshows
Company Activities
Occasional Customer Visits

Regular Use

2–3 sets per employee

Suitable for employees who wear uniforms several days per week.

Daily Uniform

3–5 sets per employee

A practical range for employees who wear company uniforms almost every working day.

The exact number should depend on the employee's working schedule and how frequently uniforms can be washed.

Why One Uniform Per Employee Is Usually Not Enough

Suppose an employee works five or six days every week but receives only one company polo shirt.

That shirt must constantly be:

Worn
Washed
Dried
Worn Again

This is inconvenient and can increase wear on the garment.

Providing several sets allows employees to rotate their uniforms while others are being washed.

For employees wearing company uniforms daily, multiple sets are generally more practical.

2 vs 3 vs 5 Uniforms Per Employee

There is no universal number suitable for every business.

Each quantity serves a different purpose.

2 Uniforms Per Employee

Two sets may be sufficient when:

Uniforms are not worn every day
Employees work partly from home
Company shirts are mainly for meetings
Employees only wear uniforms on selected days
Budget is limited for the initial order

For example:

20 employees × 2 shirts

= 40 shirts

3 Uniforms Per Employee

Three sets provide more flexibility.

This can work well for:

Office Staff
Sales Teams
Retail Staff
Supervisors
Corporate Teams

For example:

50 employees × 3 shirts

= 150 shirts

Employees can rotate between the three garments during the working week.

4 Uniforms Per Employee

Four sets may be more practical for employees wearing uniforms regularly.

This is particularly useful for:

Factory Workers
Warehouse Staff
Technicians
Restaurant Employees
Retail Staff
Service Teams

For example:

100 employees × 4 shirts

= 400 shirts

5 Uniforms Per Employee

Five sets can provide a nearly complete weekday rotation for businesses operating on a standard five-day schedule.

This may be appropriate when:

Uniforms are compulsory every working day
Employees perform physical work
Garments require frequent washing
The company wants employees to have sufficient rotation

For example:

100 employees × 5 shirts

= 500 shirts

However, five sets are not automatically necessary for every employee.

Different Departments May Need Different Quantities

A common mistake is ordering exactly the same number of uniforms for everyone.

Different departments may use company uniforms differently.

For example:

Management

May require 2–3 corporate polo shirts.

Sales Team

May require 3 polo shirts because they regularly meet customers.

Production Workers

May require 4–5 T-shirts because uniforms are worn every working day.

Warehouse Employees

May require 4–5 sets depending on working conditions.

Technicians

May require 3–5 sets depending on how frequently they visit job sites.

Office Administration

May only require 2–3 company polo shirts.

The uniform plan should reflect actual employee use.

Example: Uniform Planning for a 20-Person Company

Imagine a small company with:

5 Office Employees
5 Sales Employees
8 Technicians
2 Managers

A possible plan could be:

Office:
5 × 2 Polo Shirts = 10 pcs

Sales:
5 × 3 Polo Shirts = 15 pcs

Technicians:
8 × 4 Work Shirts = 32 pcs

Management:
2 × 3 Polo Shirts = 6 pcs

Total:

63 uniforms

This is more practical than automatically ordering four identical shirts for every employee.

Example: Uniform Planning for 50 Employees

Suppose a company has:

25 Production Employees
10 Warehouse Employees
5 Sales Employees
5 Supervisors
5 Management Employees

A possible plan:

Production:
25 × 4 = 100 pcs

Warehouse:
10 × 4 = 40 pcs

Sales:
5 × 3 = 15 pcs

Supervisors:
5 × 3 = 15 pcs

Management:
5 × 3 = 15 pcs

Total:

185 uniforms

The company can then add spare stock if required.

Example: Uniform Planning for 100 Employees

Consider a factory with:

60 Production Workers
15 Warehouse Employees
10 Engineering / Maintenance Employees
10 Supervisors
5 Management Employees

A possible uniform structure could be:

Production

60 employees × 4 T-Shirts

= 240 pcs

Warehouse

15 employees × 4 T-Shirts

= 60 pcs

Engineering / Maintenance

10 employees × 4 Workwear / Polo Shirts

= 40 pcs

Supervisors

10 employees × 3 Polo Shirts

= 30 pcs

Management

5 employees × 3 Polo Shirts

= 15 pcs

Total:

385 garments

The company may then add suitable spare quantities based on its hiring and replacement requirements.

What About a 500-Employee Factory?

Large uniform orders require more structured planning.

Do not simply calculate:

500 employees × 5 shirts = 2,500 shirts

and place the order immediately.

First separate employees by:

Department
Position
Garment Type
Uniform Quantity
Size
Personalisation

For example:

Production
Warehouse
Engineering
Maintenance
Quality Control
Logistics
Supervisor
Management

Some employees may require T-shirts.

Others may require polo shirts.

Technicians may require workwear.

Outdoor staff may require safety vests.

Management may require embroidered corporate apparel.

The final quantity should be calculated after these groups are confirmed.

How to Calculate Your Total Uniform Quantity

A simple formula is:

Number of Employees × Uniforms Per Employee = Base Quantity

For example:

80 employees × 3 uniforms

= 240 garments

Then consider:

Spare Stock
New Employees
Replacement Stock
Size Exchanges
Special Departments

Your final quantity might therefore be slightly higher than the base quantity.

Should You Order Spare Uniforms?

In many cases, yes.

Spare uniforms can be useful for:

New Employees
Damaged Garments
Lost Uniforms
Emergency Replacements
Temporary Staff
Size Changes
Unexpected Hiring

Without spare stock, the company may need to place a small repeat order every time a new employee joins.

How Much Spare Stock Should You Keep?

There is no universal percentage.

A stable office with low staff turnover may require very little spare stock.

A factory, restaurant, warehouse or retail business that regularly hires new employees may benefit from keeping more.

As a starting point, businesses might consider approximately:

5–10% additional stock

depending on the organisation.

For example:

Main Order:
300 pcs

5% Spare:
15 pcs

Total:
315 pcs

Or:

Main Order:
300 pcs

10% Spare:
30 pcs

Total:
330 pcs

This is only a planning guideline rather than a fixed rule.

Which Sizes Should Spare Uniforms Be?

Do not divide spare stock equally across every size automatically.

Look at your existing employee size distribution.

Suppose your company currently uses:

S – 10%

M – 30%

L – 35%

XL – 20%

2XL – 5%

Your spare stock should generally reflect the sizes employees actually wear.

Keeping ten 3XL shirts when almost nobody in the company uses 3XL may not be useful.

Use Your Previous Uniform Orders as Data

If your company has ordered uniforms before, your previous size breakdown can become valuable planning information.

For example:

Previous 200-piece order:

S – 20
M – 55
L – 70
XL – 40
2XL – 15

Instead of guessing the next order, use this information as a starting point.

However, always update the list when employees change.

How to Collect Employee Sizes

For smaller companies, employees can simply provide their required sizes.

For larger companies, use a structured form or spreadsheet.

Recommended information:

Employee Name
Employee ID
Department
Garment Type
Size
Quantity
Personalisation

For example:

AMIR | ENG001 | ENGINEERING | POLO | L | 3 PCS

NURUL | ADM003 | ADMIN | POLO | M | 2 PCS

JASON | PRD021 | PRODUCTION | T-SHIRT | XL | 4 PCS

Do Not Guess Employee Sizes

One of the easiest ways to create unnecessary uniform costs is guessing.

For example:

"Most men probably wear L."

This may result in:

Too Many Large Sizes
Not Enough Medium Sizes
Missing 2XL / 3XL Sizes
Employee Complaints
Replacement Orders

Collect actual employee size information whenever possible.

Use a Size Sample Before a Large Order

For larger company orders, businesses may consider checking the garment sizing before finalising the complete size breakdown.

This is important because:

M in one polo shirt model may not fit exactly like M in another model.

Different brands and garment cuts may have different measurements.

Employees should follow the size chart for the actual selected garment.

Men's and Women's Uniform Sizes

Some companies use:

Unisex Garments

while others select separate:

Men's Cuts
Women's Cuts

If different garment models are being used, the size list should clearly identify which model each employee requires.

For example:

SARAH | WOMEN'S POLO | M | 3 PCS

AMIR | UNISEX POLO | L | 3 PCS

This prevents confusion during production.

Planning Uniforms for New Employees

Businesses with regular hiring should consider how uniforms will be supplied to new employees.

There are two main approaches.

Option 1: Keep Spare Stock

Keep common sizes ready.

Advantages:

Faster onboarding
Immediate uniform availability
Fewer small repeat orders

Disadvantages:

Requires inventory
Unused sizes may remain

Option 2: Reorder When Needed

Place additional orders when new employees join.

Advantages:

Less unused inventory

Disadvantages:

Employee may need to wait
Small repeat quantities may be less efficient
Colour or garment availability may change

Garment Availability Can Change

This is an important consideration when planning long-term company uniforms.

A specific:

Polo Shirt
T-Shirt
Jacket
Workwear Model
Colour

may not necessarily remain available forever.

Suppliers can:

Change Products
Discontinue Colours
Update Fabric
Change Sizing
Run Out of Certain Sizes

If uniform consistency is important, businesses should consider future requirements when selecting garments.

Standardise Your Company Uniform

Once a company approves its uniform, record the specifications.

For example:

Garment: Navy Polo Shirt

Main Logo: EVNIX

Logo Position: Left Chest

Logo Size: 8 cm Wide

Method: Embroidery

Employee Name: Right Chest

Thread Colour: Approved Colour

This becomes the company's uniform standard.

Why Standardisation Matters

Imagine ordering 100 polo shirts today.

Six months later, another employee places a repeat order but provides different instructions.

The new shirts might have:

Larger Logo
Different Position
Different Thread Colour
Different Employee Name Size

Over time, employees may be wearing several different versions of the same company uniform.

A documented specification helps maintain consistency.

Planning Personalised Uniforms

Personalisation can include:

Employee Name
Staff Number
Department
Position
Branch
Team

Personalised uniforms require more careful data preparation than standard company-logo uniforms.

Example Personalised Uniform List

Instead of sending:

"50 polo shirts with names"

prepare:

AMIR | L | SALES | 3 PCS

NURUL | M | ADMIN | 3 PCS

JASON | XL | ENGINEERING | 4 PCS

SARAH | S | MANAGEMENT | 3 PCS

The clearer the information, the easier the production process becomes.

Check Spelling Before Production

When employee names are customised, the customer should carefully verify:

Spelling
Capitalisation
Numbers
Departments
Sizes
Quantities

For example:

MUHAMMAD

and

MOHAMAD

are not interchangeable if the employee specifically requires one spelling.

The approved list should be treated as the production reference.

Should Spare Uniforms Have Employee Names?

Usually, generic spare stock is easier to manage without individual employee names.

For example:

A company can keep:

5 × M
5 × L
3 × XL

with only the company logo.

When a new employee joins, the company can issue a uniform immediately.

If personalisation is essential, the employee's name can be handled separately depending on the production method and garment.

Department-Based Uniform Planning

Larger businesses should plan uniforms by department.

For example:

Office

Garment:
Polo Shirt

Quantity:
2–3 per employee

Branding:
Embroidered Chest Logo

Sales

Garment:
Polo Shirt

Quantity:
3 per employee

Branding:
Company Logo + Employee Name

Production

Garment:
T-Shirt / Workwear

Quantity:
4–5 per employee

Branding:
Company Logo + Department

Warehouse

Garment:
T-Shirt / Workwear

Quantity:
4–5 per employee

Branding:
Company Logo

Engineering

Garment:
Polo Shirt / Workwear

Quantity:
3–4 per employee

Branding:
Company Logo + Employee Name + Department

Management

Garment:
Corporate Polo

Quantity:
2–3 per employee

Branding:
Small Embroidered Logo + Name

Different Departments Can Use Different Garments

A company does not need to force every employee into the same shirt.

A complete uniform system may use:

Management → Embroidered Polo Shirt

Sales → Custom Polo Shirt

Production → Custom T-Shirt

Warehouse → Custom Workwear

Technicians → Custom Workwear

Outdoor Staff → Safety Vest

Management / Outdoor Team → Custom Jacket

The same company logo and colour identity can connect the entire uniform system.

Uniform Quantity for Restaurants

Restaurant employees may require frequent uniform changes because garments can become dirty during service.

A restaurant might consider:

Service Crew:
3–5 uniforms

Kitchen / Operational Staff:
3–5 uniforms

Supervisors:
3 polo shirts

Management:
2–3 polo shirts

Actual quantities depend on working schedules and laundry arrangements.

Uniform Quantity for Retail Staff

Retail employees may wear uniforms during every shift.

A practical starting range may be:

3–5 sets per employee

depending on:

Working Days
Shift Schedule
Laundry Frequency
Company Policy

Uniform Quantity for Factory Workers

Production workers frequently wear uniforms daily.

A practical starting range can be:

3–5 sets per employee

depending on:

Working Environment
Shift Schedule
Laundry
Garment Type
Company Policy

Employees working in environments where uniforms become dirty quickly may require more frequent rotation.

Uniform Quantity for Technicians

Technicians may require:

Polo Shirts
Workwear
Jackets
Safety Vests

rather than five identical garments.

For example:

3 Work Shirts
1 Jacket
1 Safety Vest

This creates a more complete uniform kit based on the actual job.

Uniform Quantity for Sales Teams

Sales employees may not require five identical company shirts.

A possible allocation could be:

3 Polo Shirts

•  

1 Corporate Jacket

This provides enough rotation while giving employees an outerwear option for events or customer meetings.

Uniform Quantity for Events

Event uniforms are different from everyday company uniforms.

For a one-day event, businesses may only require:

1 shirt per person

However, consider additional pieces for:

Replacement
Unexpected Staff
Wrong Sizes
Last-Minute Crew

For multi-day events, additional sets may be more practical.

Uniform Planning for Multiple Branches

Businesses with several branches should separate quantities by location.

For example:

Puchong:
120 pcs

Shah Alam:
80 pcs

Johor Bahru:
60 pcs

Penang:
40 pcs

Total:
300 pcs

The company can maintain one design while organising distribution by branch.

Create a Master Uniform Spreadsheet

For larger businesses, maintain one master spreadsheet containing:

Employee Name
Employee ID
Department
Branch
Garment
Size
Quantity
Logo
Personalisation
Order Date

This becomes useful for future repeat orders.

Example Spreadsheet Structure

Employee	Department	Garment	Size	Qty	Name Required
Amir	Engineering	Polo	L	3	Yes
Nurul	Admin	Polo	M	2	Yes
Jason	Production	T-Shirt	XL	4	No
Sarah	Management	Polo	S	3	Yes

For very large orders, organised data can significantly reduce confusion.

Embroidery for Company Uniforms

Embroidery is particularly suitable for:

Company Logos
Employee Names
Departments
Job Titles

It is commonly used on:

Polo Shirts
Workwear
Jackets
Caps

For professional corporate uniforms, a small embroidered chest logo can provide a premium appearance.

DTF Printing for Company Uniforms

DTF Printing is suitable for:

Full-Colour Logos
Detailed Artwork
Gradients
Large Back Logos
Complex Designs

It is commonly used on suitable:

T-Shirts
Workwear
Polo Shirts
Other Apparel

A company may also combine:

Front Embroidery + Back DTF

on the same uniform.

HTV for Employee Personalisation

HTV can be useful for:

Employee Names
Numbers
Departments
Teams
Simple Branding

The appropriate method depends on the garment and required appearance.

Consider Reordering Before Stock Reaches Zero

If your company keeps spare uniforms, do not wait until every spare garment is gone before reordering.

Consider:

Current Stock
Employee Hiring
Expected Usage
Production Lead Time
Garment Availability

A simple internal reorder point can prevent situations where a new employee has no uniform available.

Avoid Excessive Uniform Stock

Keeping spare stock is useful.

Keeping hundreds of unnecessary uniforms is not.

Excess stock can become a problem when:

Company Logo Changes
Brand Colours Change
Garment Is Replaced
Employee Structure Changes
Sizes Are No Longer Needed

Balance availability with realistic future demand.

What Happens During a Company Rebrand?

If your company expects a branding change soon, avoid ordering excessive long-term uniform stock.

A new:

Logo
Colour
Company Name
Tagline

could make existing uniforms obsolete.

Order according to the expected branding timeline.

How Often Should Company Uniforms Be Replaced?

There is no fixed replacement schedule suitable for every company.

Replacement depends on:

Fabric Condition
Print Condition
Embroidery Condition
Colour Fading
Stains
Damage
Employee Role
Company Presentation Standards

Customer-facing staff may need replacement earlier if the garments no longer present a professional appearance.

Should You Order Everything at Once?

For established uniform programmes with confirmed:

Garment
Artwork
Sizing
Quantity

a larger coordinated order can simplify consistency.

For a completely new uniform design, businesses may prefer to confirm the garment and branding before committing to a very large quantity.

Planning first can prevent expensive mistakes.

Common Mistake: Ordering One Shirt Per Employee

This may be sufficient for an event but is often impractical for daily uniforms.

Employees need time to wash and rotate garments.

Common Mistake: Giving Everyone Five Shirts Automatically

Not every employee requires five sets.

A manager who wears the polo twice per week may not need the same quantity as a production employee wearing uniforms six days per week.

Common Mistake: Guessing Sizes

Always collect employee sizes whenever possible.

Large orders magnify small sizing mistakes.

Common Mistake: Forgetting Spare Stock

If your company regularly hires employees, keeping zero spare uniforms can create repeated small emergency orders.

Common Mistake: Ordering Too Much Spare Stock

Spare uniforms should reflect realistic future demand.

Do not buy excessive quantities simply because the initial order is large.

Common Mistake: Personalising Every Spare Shirt

Generic spare uniforms provide more flexibility because they can be issued to different employees.

Common Mistake: Mixing Garment Models Without Recording Them

If the company uses several polo or T-shirt models, record exactly which department receives each model.

Otherwise repeat orders can become confusing.

Common Mistake: Not Keeping the Approved Artwork

Keep the final approved:

Logo File
Logo Size
Logo Position
Print Method
Embroidery Specification

for future orders.

Company Uniform Ordering Checklist

Before confirming production, prepare:

✓ Employee Headcount

✓ Department Breakdown

✓ Garment Type

✓ Uniforms Per Employee

✓ Size Breakdown

✓ Spare Quantity

✓ Company Logo

✓ Logo Position

✓ Logo Size

✓ Printing / Embroidery Method

✓ Employee Names

✓ Departments

✓ Branches

✓ Required Completion Date

Simple Uniform Quantity Formula

A useful planning formula is:

Employees × Sets Per Employee + Spare Stock = Estimated Order Quantity

Example:

100 employees

×

3 shirts

=

300 shirts

•  

20 spare shirts

=

320 shirts total

However, department-specific planning will usually produce a more accurate result.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many company uniforms should each employee receive?

For occasional use, 1–2 sets may be sufficient. For regular use, 2–3 sets can be practical. Employees wearing uniforms every working day may require approximately 3–5 sets depending on working schedules and laundry frequency.

Is three uniforms per employee enough?

For many office, sales and corporate employees, three uniforms may provide reasonable rotation. Employees doing physical work every day may require more.

Should factory workers receive more uniforms?

Factory and production employees who wear uniforms daily may benefit from approximately 3–5 sets depending on their working environment and company policy.

Should companies keep spare uniforms?

Yes, spare uniforms can be useful for new employees, replacements and size changes.

How much spare uniform stock should we keep?

There is no fixed amount, but approximately 5–10% can be a useful starting point for some businesses. The correct amount depends on staff turnover and hiring frequency.

What sizes should spare uniforms be?

Use your actual employee size distribution rather than ordering equal quantities of every size.

Should spare uniforms have employee names?

Generic spare uniforms without individual names are usually more flexible.

How should we prepare employee sizes?

Use a structured spreadsheet containing employee name, department, garment type, size, quantity and personalisation requirements.

Can different departments receive different uniforms?

Yes. Production, warehouse, engineering, sales, supervisors and management can use different garments while maintaining consistent company branding.

Can EVNIX customise employee names?

Yes. Employee names, departments and other identification can be added using suitable methods depending on the garment and required result.

About EVNIX

EVNIX provides custom apparel printing, embroidery and corporate uniform solutions for businesses throughout Malaysia.

Our services include:

Custom Corporate Uniforms
Custom Polo Shirt Printing
Custom T-Shirt Printing
Custom Workwear Printing
Factory Uniform Printing
Custom Jacket Printing
Safety Vest Printing
Embroidery
DTF Printing
HTV Printing
Employee Name Customisation

Businesses can create complete uniform programmes for:

Office Teams
Factories
Warehouses
Engineering Companies
Technicians
Restaurants
Retail Businesses
Sales Teams
Events
Corporate Organisations

Conclusion

So, how many company uniforms should you order?

There is no single number that applies to every employee.

A useful starting point is:

Occasional Use → 1–2 sets

Regular Use → 2–3 sets

Daily Uniform → 3–5 sets

But the best approach is to plan uniforms according to the employee's actual role.

A management employee may need:

2–3 embroidered polo shirts

while a production employee may require:

4–5 work shirts or T-shirts

A technician may require a complete uniform kit such as:

3 Work Shirts + 1 Jacket + 1 Safety Vest

instead of five identical garments.

After calculating employee requirements, consider whether you need additional stock for:

New Employees
Replacement Garments
Size Changes
Temporary Staff

For some companies, approximately 5–10% spare stock can be a useful starting point, although the appropriate quantity depends on staff turnover and business requirements.

Most importantly, do not treat a large company uniform order as one number.

Break it down by:

Employee → Department → Garment → Size → Quantity → Personalisation

Then document your approved:

Garment + Logo + Logo Size + Position + Decoration Method

so future repeat orders remain consistent.

If your company is preparing a bulk uniform order in Malaysia, send EVNIX your employee quantity, department breakdown, garment selection, size list, company logo and personalisation requirements.

EVNIX can help customise company uniforms using Embroidery, DTF Printing and HTV for corporate teams, factories, warehouses, technicians, restaurants, retail businesses and organisations throughout Malaysia.