How Often Should You Replace Reflective Apparel?

Reflective and high-visibility apparel tends to be sturdier than most clothing so that it can withstand the conditions that people usually wear it in. However, those same harsh conditions mean that your hi-vis clothing might start to break down or fade much sooner than you might expect. Despite its sturdiness, you’ll likely need to replace your reflective apparel regularly if you work in it every day. We’ll answer the question, “How often you should replace reflective apparel?” so that you can ensure you’re still remaining safe.

Average Replacement Time

The average time it will take before you need replacement apparel will vary based on few factors. Generally, your reflective clothing can likely go about six months before you need to replace it. That estimation assumes that you wear these clothes every day for work. Your reflective clothing can last much longer than six months if you only wear it occasionally. Working in reflective apparel for a typical work week will wear it down much faster.

Conditions That Affect Replacement Time

When you need to figure out how often you should replace reflective apparel, you must consider the kinds of conditions you normally wear it in. For most workers who wear reflective clothing outside for long periods, the wear and tear will start to show much sooner. If you work in extreme temperatures on either end of the spectrum, your apparel can also take extra damage over time. Working in even more hazardous conditions means you need to be vigilant about your reflective apparel each time you inspect it before putting it on for the day.

Signs It’s Time To Get a Replacement

It will likely be quite obvious when you need to replace your reflective apparel. The most important thing to keep an eye out for is whether the reflective characteristic of the clothing starts to fade away. You can wear reflective apparel that’s become a bit dirty over time as long as its reflectiveness is intact. Rips and tears are bigger issues, and you don’t want to continue wearing clothes with these for much longer after you’ve spotted the damage.

When it’s time for a replacement for your old reflective apparel, you can get far more fashionable hi-vis clothing by checking out our store here at SafetyShirtz. We specialize in hi-vis clothing that you’ll be happy to wear and keeps you safe on the job.