Wherever you look on the world map, every sector seems to have been given a colour. Most people have heard the comparison between white collars and blue collars, but the palette is far wider than that – and each shade says something about the work, the pay and, not least, the clothes people put on to do the job.
White and blue collars: the classic pair
White collars is the metaphor used for doctors, office workers and administrative staff. As a rule these are highly qualified, well-paid, full-time employees: accountants, business-service and consulting professionals (marketing, legal services, information technology), B2B sales people, bankers and so on.
Blue collars goes back to the blue uniforms of police officers, firefighters and public-transport inspectors, and today covers a large share of people working in retail chains, construction and building maintenance. The dividing line between blue and white runs through formal education and pay rather than through effort.
Pink, golden and grey collars
Pink collars are worn mostly in the social sphere, where the majority of the workforce is female. It is worth noting that just as many women have moved into engineering, quite a few men are now drawn to the more caring professions. At the top of this group are nurses and carers, followed by waiters, the broad family of teachers, gardeners and hotel staff. They usually earn less than white and blue collars, yet their importance to society is enormous.
Golden collars is a playful label for people who accept lower pay in exchange for freedom – deciding how much and when to work, working for themselves, or simply enjoying what they do. Typically they are highly qualified specialists who started out as white collars and then went into business or private practice: scientists, doctors, programmers, market analysts.
Grey collars, in spite of what the phrase suggests, have nothing to do with the grey economy. They are entirely respectable people who sit somewhere between white and blue – often those who carry on working after retirement age. IT specialists, police officers and technicians frequently fall into this group.
Orange, black and red collars
Orange collars is a newer term for people working in extraction industries (metals, inert materials and the like), in prisons, or at remote sites such as meteorological stations. Whatever the job or the rank, they are usually recognisable by bright orange polo shirts and jackets.
Black collars traditionally means the coal and oil industries – but not only. The group has grown to include specialists who simply prefer to work in black: graphic designers, television producers and camera operators.
Red collars are the people employed in the government sector, whatever their actual duties may be.
Every colour of collar needs a different fabric
The metaphor is more than a play on words. Each group works in different conditions, so the material behind the collar has to be different too. Office and front-desk staff need a fabric that looks crisp all day and survives frequent washing, which is what a poplin for shirts or a poplin with spandex is made for. In healthcare and hospitality, where people are on their feet and constantly bending and reaching, a stretch fabric such as MEDIFLEX makes the difference between a shift that is bearable and one that is not.
Industry raises the stakes. Welders, foundry workers and energy crews need flame-retardant protection of the kind provided by PROBAN FR, while fuel handling and electronics call for a permanent antistatic fabric. Teams that work outdoors in any weather need something waterproof yet breathable, such as ORBITA WATERPROOF. If you are about to choose a uniform for your own team, our guide to the six key factors in choosing workwear sets out the criteria in order.
Fabrics for every colour of collar
Astra Commerce supplies the fabrics behind white, blue, pink, grey, orange and black collars alike. We build long relationships with clients and partners, which is what makes us a dependable supplier for made-to-measure uniforms, and we deliver the agreed quality within the agreed time and budget. Have a look at our range of workwear fabrics, read more about the company, or tell us what your team does and we will suggest the right article from stock.