Branded Waterproof Jackets: What to Look For Before You Order

Waterproof jackets are the most technical garments we brand, so it is vital you choose the right one. Two jackets in a similar price range can perform very differently in real weather. Below is what to check on the spec, which type of jacket suits which team, and how to add your logo without letting the rain in.

In this guide

• Waterproof Jacket Specs That Matter
• Four Types of Jacket Worth Branding
• Adding a Logo Without Letting Water In
• Sizing Waterproofs for a Team
• Looking After Branded Waterproofs
• Ordering Branded Waterproof Jackets
• How to Order Branded Jackets
• Branded Waterproof Jacket FAQs

Waterproof Jacket Specs That Matter

• Taped seams. Without them, water enters through the stitch holes regardless of how waterproof the fabric is. This is the first and most important thing to check.
• Hydrostatic head. A measure of water resistance in millimetres. Around 5,000mm handles typical British rain. 10,000mm and above copes with sustained downpours and wind.
• Breathability. A jacket that keeps rain out but traps sweat is not going to be comfortable to work in. If people are active, breathability matters as much as waterproofing.
• Lining. Fleece-lined jackets double as a warmer layer. Unlined shells are lighter and pack away, better for people who are in and out of the weather.
• Removable label. Lets us take out the manufacturer's branding and replace it with yours.

Four Types of Jacket Worth Branding

Fleece-Lined Waterproof Jacket

The all-rounder for UK winters. Waterproof and windproof outer with a fleece lining, so it replaces two garments. Typically the most popular choice for teams working outside year round. The Regatta Dover we pick in our guide to the best workwear to customise is another fleece lined option, with taped seams and a label that is easy to remove and rebrand with your own label if you wish.

Softshell

Water-resistant rather than fully waterproof, but a lot more comfortable to work in and much easier to brand. A good option where people are outdoors intermittently rather than all day.

Here is one of our recent prints. We printed these TRA628 Regatta Professional Ablaze Printable Softshells in bulk for Dairylea, with the logo on the left chest and their Set them free with Dairylea line across the back. The Ablaze is not a waterproof jacket. It is a 265gsm, 100% polyester warm backed woven softshell with a wind resistant membrane and a durable water-repellent finish, so it handles wind and light showers but is not designed for a full day in heavy rain. Where it excels is printing: Regatta design the fabric for screen, transfer and vinyl printing, which is why a large, two colour back print like this one sits so cleanly on it.

Hi-Vis Waterproof

When visibility is required, a hi-vis waterproof combines both jobs. Check the jacket meets the EN ISO 20471 class your site or client may ask for, then keep the branding within the plain panels rather than across the reflective strips, so the logo never covers the material that makes the garment compliant.

Three-in-One Jacket

A waterproof shell with a zip-out inner fleece, so it works across the seasons. A little bit more expensive per unit, but it can replace two separate garments in a uniform.

Adding a Logo Without Letting Water In

This is where waterproof jackets differ from everything else. Embroidery is the usual go-to and gives a sharp, permanent finish, but it puts needle holes through the fabric. On a genuinely waterproof garment that matters, so logos should stay on the chest and upper back, above the waterline, and away from any taped seam.

Where a jacket cannot be stitched without compromising it, a screen print transfer is the safer option. The logo is screen printed onto a transfer and applied to the jacket using a hi-tech heat press, so the membrane is never pierced and the finish is as crisp as a direct print. Our embroidery page covers the stitched option and our screen printing page covers how the transfers are produced. Send us the jacket you are looking at and the artwork, and our team will tell you which one it takes. Whichever method you use, keep logos off zips, pocket flaps and the shoulder seams, where taping and stitching meet.

Sizing Waterproofs for a Team

Consider ordering waterproofs a size up from the team's usual. They are worn over other layers, and a jacket that fits perfectly over a t-shirt will be tight over a fleece. Check whether the range offers matching male and female cuts, since a unisex-only range fits a mixed team badly. The same applies if the jacket goes over one of our work hoodies.

Tell us where the jackets will be worn and what is going underneath, and we will recommend something that suits the conditions rather than just the budget. If the jackets are part of a wider uniform, our guide to the best workwear to customise covers what else to put alongside them. Embroidered beanies are a popular addition for teams working outside through the winter, as you can lose up to 10% of your body heat through your head.

Looking After Branded Waterproofs

A waterproof keeps working for longer if it is washed the way the care instructions ask, which normally means a gentle cycle at a low temperature. Skip fabric softener, which clogs the fabric and strips the water repellent finish, and reproof the jacket with a wash in or spray on treatment once rain stops beading on the surface. Our wash care guide covers how to keep the print or embroidery looking sharp at the same time.

Ordering Branded Waterproof Jackets

Custom waterproof jackets start at a minimum order of eight units embroidered, or twenty screen printed. The standard turnaround is six to seven business days, and express delivery is available on request. Our guide to keeping printing costs low has more ways to stretch the budget. You get a free visual proof within 30 minutes of placing the order, so you can see the logo at the size and position it will sit before anything is decorated. Mixed sizes across one order are fine and cost no extra. What moves the dial most in terms of price is the jacket itself, since a 3 in 1 or a high hydrostatic head shell will cost more than a softshell, followed by the number of logo positions and the size of each one.

Most of the branded waterproofs we produce go to construction and groundworks teams, facilities and maintenance companies, event and festival crews, groundstaff at sports clubs, and hospitality venues with outdoor areas. If your team are regularly outside in British weather, the jacket is the garment they will be wearing most, which is why it is worth spending more time on than the polo shirts. The full range of jackets, softshells and fleeces we brand is on our branded outerwear page.

Send us your logo and a rough idea of quantity and we will come back within 15 minutes with two or three jackets that suit the conditions, the decoration method each one takes, and pricing. If you are not sure which spec you need, tell us what the team does and we will work it out from there.

How to Order Branded Jackets

Four steps from first enquiry to delivered order, with one point of contact the whole way through.

Get a branded waterproof jacket quoteor call 0208 064 1315

Branded Waterproof Jacket FAQs

Can you embroider a waterproof jacket without ruining it?

Yes, so long as the placement is right. Embroidery puts needle holes through the fabric, so on a genuinely waterproof garment the logo stays on the chest or upper back, above the waterline, and away from any taped seam. Placed there it does not affect how the jacket performs in the rain.

Should I choose embroidery or a screen print transfer?

Embroidery is the usual choice and gives the sharpest, most permanent finish. A screen print transfer is the safer route on a lightweight shell, a jacket with a laminated membrane, or anywhere the artwork needs to sit somewhere that cannot be stitched. The logo is screen printed onto a transfer and heat applied, so the membrane is never pierced and the finish stays crisp. Send the jacket and the artwork over and we will tell you which one suits it.

What is the minimum order for branded waterproof jackets?

Eight units for embroidery, or twenty if the jackets are screen printed. After that the more you buy the cheaper the unit price gets, because the setup work is the same whether it covers eight jackets or eight hundred.

What hydrostatic head rating do I actually need?

Around 5,000mm handles typical British rain and suits most teams. If people are outside through sustained downpours and wind, look for 10,000mm and above. Check the seams are taped either way, because water comes through the stitch holes regardless of how waterproof the fabric itself is.

Can you brand hi-vis waterproof jackets?

Yes. The branding needs to sit within the plain panels rather than across the reflective strips, since covering the reflective tape defeats the point of the garment. That usually means a chest logo and a wider mark across the upper back.

What size should we order for a team?

A size up from what people usually wear. Waterproofs go over other layers, and a jacket that fits well over a t-shirt will be tight over a fleece. It is also worth checking whether the range offers matching male and female cuts, because a unisex only range fits a mixed team badly.

How long do branded waterproof jackets take?

Six to seven business days as standard, with express delivery available on request. Getting print ready artwork over early is the best way to keep an order on schedule, because digitising happens before anything is stitched.

Can you print on a softshell jacket?

Yes. Printable softshells are made for it. The TRA628 Regatta Professional Ablaze, for example, uses a fabric designed for screen, transfer and vinyl printing, and we printed a chest logo and a full back design on it in bulk for Dairylea. Screen printed orders start at 20 units.