The global workwear market size was valued at USD 28.3 billion in 2018. The rising importance of workwear as a way of showing professionalism in the manufacturing and corporate sectors is expected to remain a key driving force in the market.
Furthermore, increasing occurrences of workplace accidents and fatalities at a global level are expected to promote industry growth. For instance, as per the report of ILO, every year, around 2.3 million people around the world die due to work-related accidents or diseases. Over the past few years, companies are offering advanced fabric technology with lightweight and adaptable fabrics and apparel that can be used for different work environments.
For instance, Scruffs is offering softshell jackets made with 100% polyester. This product is waterproof, fully wind resistant, and easily movable, which is attracting consumers to purchase this product. Similarly, U.K. based company, Mascot International Ltd. offers safety shoes and boots that are lightweight and made with a shock-absorbing sole.
It has been observed that leading companies are introducing the internet of things (loT) features and asset tracking systems. A microcontroller chip is fitted inside the internet of things wearable equipment that collects real-time data about the posture, toxic gas exposure, motion, breathing, heart rate of workers, and it is visible at the desktop of the in-charge person.
This technology enables the organizations to ensure worker safety by permitting the maximum supervision of worker’s health conditions. An Italy based organization, namely Eniday manufactures workwear with IoT features. Other key IoT workwear manufacturers include People People and Lindström Group.
Apparel products accounted for the largest share of more than 75.0% in 2018. As per the safety policies, the majority of the manufacturing companies provide workwear apparel. Furthermore, companies are coming up with advanced fabric technology to provide adaptable and lightweight fabrics and apparel, which can be used for different temperatures and work environments.
It has been observed that these workwear products are made to withstand and protect workers from the emission of explosive forces, plasma, plasma, hot liquids, plasma, and up to 12,000°C temperature. Some of the companies are also offering multi-functional clothing that can protect workers against many forms of chemical exposure in refineries, laboratories, petrochemical plants, and hazardous maintenance operations.
Footwear is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 6.3% from 2019 to 2025. Manufacturing industries are forcing their workforce to wear safety footwear to avoid slip and falls inside the premises. In the power industries, it has become essential to use footwear to avoid burns. Many pharma companies are situated in cold places, where work footwear can prevent health issues including frostbites and hypothermia to their employees.
The men category dominated the market, accounting for more than 55.0% share of the overall revenue in 2018. As per the World Bank report, in 2017, around 67% of the global working population were men. Furthermore, a high concentration of men workers in the manufacturing sector is expected to promote apparel and footwear for men. It has been observed that companies tend to purchase men's workwear in bulk.
The women category is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 6.1% from 2019 to 2025. The major factor contributing to the growth of this segment is the expansion of women working for the population at a global level. Gender discrimination towards heavy work is decreasing day by day, which is increasing women's workforce across the globe. By understanding these trends, companies have started offering fashionable women workwear. For instance, U.S. based company, Safety Girls is offering different colors, sizes, and styles in women fashion workwear.
The chemical segment generated a revenue of USD 9.9 billion in 2018 and is expected to witness significant growth soon. The high safety protocol of this industry is attributed to the growth of the chemical segment. The majority of the firms are concerned with their safety protocols, which is the major reason behind the demand of workwear in the chemical industry. Companies are creating awareness among their workforce about the ill effects of harmful chemicals, which is driving the employees to use workwear apparel and footwear.
Food and beverage are expected to be the fastest-growing segment, expanding at a CAGR of 7.0% from 2019 to 2025. Many companies are coming up with their food and beverage products to meet market demand. Some of the popular workwear in this segment are protective clothing, chefs gear, safety footwear, safety spectacles and goggles, safety gloves, hearing protection, and hard hats.
North America was the largest market, accounting for over 45.0% share of the global revenue in 2018. As per the U.S. government, the employees must wear fabrics with a flammable spread of 3.5 seconds or more for plain surface fabrics, more than 7 seconds for raised surface fabrics, and 0-7 seconds for raised surface fabrics with no ignition. Due to the implementation of government regulations, employees wear workwear in the manufacturing sector of the U.S. and Canada.
Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing market with a CAGR of 6.9% from 2019 to 2025. The strong presence of the working-class population in countries including China, India, and Japan is boosting the demand for this product in this region. Furthermore, companies from North America and Europe are setting up their manufacturing centers in this region due to cheap labor and availability of raw material.
Key players of the market include Carhartt Inc.; Alamark; Alsico NV; Alexandra; A. LAFONT SAS; ADITYA BIRLA GROUP; 3M; ANSELL Ltd.; Honeywell International Inc.; and Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. Companies are adopting various strategies such as mergers and acquisitions to expand their market reach.
For instance, in January 2018, AHLSELL acquired OUTLET within the workwear and personal protection in Västerås. Similarly, in 2018, HALO Branded Solutions, Inc. acquired a New Berlin-based distributor chain company, namely Caliendo Savio Enterprises, Inc. (CSE).
Report Attribute |
Details |
Market size value in 2020 |
USD 31.56 billion |
Revenue forecast in 2025 |
USD 42.09 billion |
Growth Rate |
CAGR of 5.8% from 2019 to 2025 |
Base year for estimation |
2018 |
Historical data |
2015 - 2017 |
Forecast period |
2019 - 2025 |
Quantitative units |
Revenue in USD billion and CAGR from 2019 to 2025 |
Report coverage |
Revenue forecast, company share, competitive landscape, growth factors and trends |
Segments covered |
Type, component, frequency band, platform, end use, region |
Regional scope |
North America; Europe; Asia Pacific; Central & South America; Middle East & Africa |
Country scope |
U.S.; U.K.; Germany; China; India; Brazil |
Key companies profiled |
Carhartt Inc.; Alamark; Alsico NV; Alexandra; A. LAFONT SAS; ADITYA BIRLA GROUP; 3M; ANSELL Ltd.; Honeywell International Inc.; Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. |
Customization scope |
Free report customization (equivalent up to 8 analysts working days) with purchase. Addition or alteration to country, regional & segment scope. |
Pricing and purchase options |
Avail customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs. Explore purchase options |
This report forecasts revenue growth at the global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2015 to 2025. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global workwear market report based on product, demography, application, and region:
Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2015 - 2025)
Apparel
Footwear
Demography Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2015 - 2025)
Men
Women
Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2015 - 2025)
Chemical
Power
Food & Beverage
Biological
Others
Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2015 - 2025)
North America
The U.S.
Europe
U.K.
Germany
Asia Pacific
China
India
Central & South America
Brazil
Middle East & Africa
b. The global workwear market size was estimated at USD 29.87 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach USD 31.56 billion in 2020.
b. The global workwear market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.84% from 2019 to 2025 to reach USD 42.09 billion by 2025.
b. North America dominated the workwear market with a share of 46.9% in 2019. This is attributable to the Strong presence of the working-class population within the region.
b. Some key players operating in the workwear market include Carhartt Inc.; Alamark; Alsico NV; Alexandra; A. LAFONT SAS; ADITYA BIRLA GROUP; 3M; ANSELL Ltd.; Honeywell International Inc.; and Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
b. Key factors that are driving the market growth include the increasing demand for lightweight and adaptable fabrics in apparel, and the rising occurrences of workplace accidents worldwide, thereby necessitating the use of workwear.
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The clothing, footwear, & accessories industry is anticipated to witness checkered growth throughout 2020, as a result of the unprecedented supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 outbreak worldwide. The expected decline in the global sales of clothing, footwear, & accessories is attributable to massive supply chain disruptions across significant export markets, including China and India. However, the industry is likely to recover over the forecast timeframe, given the rising popularity of online/e-commerce sales. From a manufacturing standpoint, the sustainable or ethical fashion trend is expected to favor market growth throughout the forecast timeframe. Luxury apparel is another lucrative space for prospective manufacturers to target, given the mushrooming number of affluent and fashion-conscious consumers across the globe. Our team is diligently working towards accounting these factors in our report with the aim of providing you with the up-to-date, actionable market information and projections.