A team workwear order can look complete on paper and still go wrong at the size-collection stage. The usual cause is treating a size label as if it means the same thing on every garment. It does not. A reliable first order records a wearer’s choice against the exact product, cut and colour approved for their role, then gives that person a simple way to check the relevant live size guide before the order is final.
This guide is for UK businesses collecting sizes for everyday branded workwear. It supports Alpha Clothing’s workwear range and embroidery service; it does not replace a wearer trial, product-specific fit advice or a task-specific PPE assessment. For the wider sequence of product, artwork and delivery decisions, see our team workwear order-timeline guide.
Collect a choice for each exact garment, not one “team size”
Start with an approved order-line list: product name, product URL, colour, role, decoration position and quantity. Only then ask for sizes. A useful response form gives each person one row per garment, such as “Pro polo, navy, S” and “Microfleece bodywarmer, charcoal, M”. Do not ask for a single S, M or L that somebody else will later apply across polos, layers and trousers.
Send the product link with every row. Alpha Clothing’s live product pages display their own size information and size-guide link, so the wearer can make their selection against the garment actually being ordered. Record the selected product and the selected label, rather than trying to convert chest or dress measurements into a universal house size. That creates a clean audit trail if a line changes before the order is placed.
Use the supplier guide for the specific product
Two polos make the point. At the time of checking, Alpha Clothing lists the Pro polo from XS 33/34" to 8XL 70/76", while its hard-wearing 60°C wash polo has a different size description and range. The labels overlap, but their measurement bands and available sizes are not identical. Use this as a prompt to check, not as a reason to assume that one is better for every team.
The two verified product listings below illustrate why each order line needs its own guide. They are examples for a size-collection method, not a default garment pair or a recommendation for every role.
Give people a discreet, time-bounded way to choose
Put the size-guide links and the response deadline in one private message or controlled form. Let the wearer select their own size from the approved choices and provide a named contact for a fit question. Avoid publishing a shared spreadsheet of personal measurements, and do not make a line manager guess a size from memory. If a person is between sizes, needs a different cut, or needs to check a particular layer over ordinary clothing, resolve that before the order is frozen.
Where the record links a name with an individual’s sizing choice, handle it as personal data. The ICO’s UK GDPR guidance sets out data-minimisation, accuracy, storage-limitation and security principles. In practical terms: collect only the information needed to place the order, restrict access to the people administering it, allow corrections before the deadline, and set a review or deletion point once the order and any agreed exchange window are complete. Read the ICO’s data-protection principles.
Keep different cuts and layers as separate choices
A well-run list offers only garments that the job genuinely needs, but it does not force every wearer into one cut or make a warmth layer automatic. For example, Alpha Clothing’s women’s Coolchecker piqué polo is listed in sizes XS 8 to 2XL 18, whereas the microfleece bodywarmer has its own S 37/38" to 2XL 46/48" size description. If both are in an approved role range, collect a choice for each line separately. If the bodywarmer is not necessary for that role, do not include it merely to create a larger order.
These product images show the two distinct decisions: a fit-specific base garment and an optional role-led layer. Check their live pages for current colours, availability and size guidance before using either in an order.
Run one order-line check before artwork approval
Before the final order is submitted, compare the size record with the approved lines: right product, right colour, right size label, quantity and wearer where relevant. Then separate size choices from the decoration proof. Alpha Clothing says that it provides a visual mockup for logo-embroidery orders; the person approving that proof should confirm the product, colour and proposed position as well as the artwork. Our embroidery-proof guide explains that approval stage in more detail.
Do not use a branded-workwear size list to select PPE
Everyday branded garments and PPE may arrive in the same workplace, but they are not the same decision. Where a risk assessment identifies PPE, it must be assessed before use to make sure it is fit for purpose, with the employer providing it where needed. A polo or bodywarmer size record is not evidence that high-visibility clothing, footwear, respiratory protection or any other PPE is suitable. Keep the PPE selection and fitting process separate. Read HSE’s PPE overview.
When the list is complete, use Alpha Clothing’s polo-shirt range or browse the wider workwear shop, then contact the team with the exact product links, colours, sizes, quantities and artwork requirements. That turns a vague “team sizes” task into an order that can be checked before personalisation begins.
Sources
- Alpha Clothing homepage — ordering process, visual-proof information and product categories, checked 8 October 2026.
- Alpha Clothing: Pro polo; hard-wearing 60°C wash polo; women’s Coolchecker piqué polo; and microfleece bodywarmer — product-specific size descriptions and image sources, checked 8 October 2026.
- ICO: data-protection principles — data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation and security.
- HSE: Using personal protective equipment (PPE) to control risks at work — PPE assessment and employer duties.
