Choosing The Correct Apron Fabric For Your Uniform

Are you looking to update your staff aprons? Or maybe you’re starting from scratch and are in the design phase of creating a brand new uniform?

A wide variety of jobs require aprons, and this integral part of your uniform needs to combine functionality and comfort.

Besides picking the right style and cut, choosing the right fabric is also very important.

Purpose of an Apron

An apron serves many purposes, but the most important one is that it protects your uniform from spills, dirt, debris, and the like.

Aprons can also sometimes be used to indicate employee positions, setting them apart using different colors.

In some industries, like housekeeping, aprons come with pockets that allow the wearer to put cleaning supplies or a pad of paper inside. In other industries, an apron’s only job is to protect its wearer from spills and stains.

Choosing the Right Fabric for an Apron

Your apron fabric must align with your line of work.

For example, if you frequently deal with liquid spills, your apron should be easy to wipe with a towel. Or, it should at least be machine washable.

So, here are a few key factors that you should consider to pick the correct apron material:

• Whether or not you want a lightweight material
• Durability
• How easy it is to clean
• How waterproof the fabric is
• How quickly the color fades

Popular High-Quality Fabrics for Aprons

Here’s an overview of the best apron material options on the market. 

1. Canvas

Natural canvas aprons are heavy-duty and offer you impressive resistance to spills and dirt.

Aprons made from canvas can be an excellent choice for chefs and servers, especially if they’ve been treated with wax.

2. Denim

Denim aprons are your best option for casual, relaxed settings. For example, they’re perfect for coffee shops, bakeries, and diners.

One way to wear a denim apron is to pair it with a banded collar oxford shirt and khakis. 

However, while denim is one of the comfiest apron materials, its color usually fades the quickest.

3. Twill

If you’re unfamiliar with twill, it’s a special cotton weave best known for its diagonal lines.

Twill is extremely sturdy, making it another great choice for chefs, kitchen workers, and even gardeners.

4. Cotton

Cotton aprons work for almost everything.

They’re especially useful for people with sensitive skin because cotton is a gentle material. It is also great at absorbing liquid which is why you’ll often see it in restaurants, diners, and cafes.

Besides being breathable and lightweight, cotton aprons handle abrasions well.

Cotton aprons are easy to clean. Washing cotton in cold water will ensure the fabric doesn’t shrink.

5. Linen

Linen is a hard-wearing material that’s both hypoallergenic and antibacterial. We recommend linen aprons for general kitchen jobs, bakers, and florists.

Linen is lightweight and comfortable making it a nice fit for long shifts.

One downside to linen is that its color fades the more you wash it.

6. Polyester 

One of the benefits of polyester aprons is that they're extremely durable.

Polyester is a synthetic fabric that is great at wicking moisture making it a perfect apron for servers and bartenders. 

Its color doesn’t fade with washing, and it holds up well to repeated use and cleaning.

Whether you’re a chef, barista, baker, or florist, this material is a great option for your apron.

7. Nylon

Nylon aprons are perfect for messy jobs like butchers or cleaners because they’re waterproof and stain resistant.

8. Leather

Leather is an extremely durable apron material. 

It’s cut-proof and heat-proof, which makes it ideal for occupations such as welding, metal working, blacksmithing, wood-working and glass-blowing.

9. Mixed Materials

Most of our aprons are a mix of polyester and cotton. This blend is durable, easily washable, and well-suited to a multitude of job duties.

They’re great for coffee houses, restaurants, and similar settings.

Polyester and cotton aprons combine the affordable price of polyester and the breathability of cotton.

Style and Color Options

Different jobs need different apron styles and colors. Take a look at the following apron designs and the job positions that suit them most:

Apron style	Job position
Full apron (The Bib)	Chefs, bakers, butchers, florists, and gardeners
Bistro	Restaurant chefs, butchers, and cafe workers
Waist	Chefs, barbers, hairdressers, waiters, and florists
Tabard	Nurses, food retailers, and bakers

 

Specific apron colors are also common across various industries. For instance, butchers usually wear white and blue, while chefs and line cooks prefer black, white, or black and white.

In more relaxed coffee shop settings, you’ll find a barista wearing other color hues that often give off homey vibes. Shades of brown, tan, beige, and sometimes black, based on the aesthetic of the coffee house.

Do Different Jobs Require Different Types of Apron Fabric?

Absolutely! Let’s give you a few examples:

Chefs spend long hours every day in front of heat sources, dealing with spills and such. So, they need sturdy, moisture-absorbing fabrics like linen, twill, and cotton blends to fulfill that role.

In a similar sense, heavy-duty materials like leather are suitable for industrial jobs to prevent exposure to chemicals and rough, jagged objects.

Breathable linen and cotton aprons are essential for gardeners and florists because of their functionality.