10 Workwear Trends in 2026
Our account managers spend their days on warehouse floors, in cold stores and on loading docks. The same requests keep coming up, and because Badger designs and manufactures its own range, we can take that feedback straight to the pattern table. Here are ten of them.
1. Hi-vis that moves with the body
Rigid reflective tape pulls across the shoulders every time someone reaches or twists. Segmented tape flexes with the fabric and keeps its compliance. The Corex Hi-Vis D+N Long Sleeve Polo pairs it with BreezeTec moisture-wicking fabric, in men’s and women’s cuts.
2. Stretch waistbands
A fixed waistband is cut for someone standing upright, not squatting and lifting all shift. Corex trousers and shorts now have an elasticated section through the hips, so the band follows the body, holds its position and doesn’t dig in. The change came from sites already wearing Corex cargo trousers.
3. Zipped kangaroo pockets
An open pocket is where phones, scanners and box cutters fall out when someone bends over a pallet. The Corex 1/2 Zip Hi-Vis Jumper has a zipped kangaroo pocket to keep them secure.
4. Compliant pink hi-vis
Pink has been a compliant hi-vis colour since AS/NZS 1906.4:2023, and sites are using it to pick out visitors and contractors at a glance. Garments made before June 2023 may not meet the standard, so check the label. See the HiVis Zip D+N Safety Vest.
5. Women’s fit
A men’s small is not a women’s fit. Our women’s Corex range covers singlets, polos, jumpers and cargos, with curve-fit cargos from size 16 to 26. Our women’s Freeza and Chilla jackets, developed with Lineage Logistics, have shorter sleeves and body, narrower shoulders and more shape through the hip. See the Chilla Women’s Hi-Vis Taped Jacket.
6. Sizing for the whole team
Rollouts stall when a few people can’t find their size. We run up to 10XL in men’s and unisex and size 26 in women’s, so the whole crew can wear the same uniform, including the Corex Women’s Hi-Vis D+N Long Sleeve Polo.
7. Pockets placed for the task
Teams want pockets sized and positioned for what they carry, whether that’s a scanner, a docket book or a safety knife. Because we control the pattern, pocket placement is designed around the job, as on the Corex cargo shorts.
8. A longer bomber
A standard bomber rides up when someone reaches overhead or sits into a forklift, exposing the lower back. In a chiller, that’s the coldest point of the shift. We lengthened the Corex Hi-Vis Bomber Jacket so the hem stays below the waistband while people move.
9. Lighter freezer wear
Heavy jackets slow pickers down and get left unzipped when people warm up between the freezer and the dock. We’re redesigning a lighter weight version of our Freeza range in response, with more detail to come.
10. Recycled fabrics
Sustainability now appears in tender documents. Our polo micro mesh and hi-vis vests, including the Corex Hi-Vis Taped Vest, are made from 100% recycled polyester, and our gloves are packed in cardboard.
Why making our own range matters
Most workwear passes through a factory, a distributor and a retailer before it reaches a site, and customer feedback rarely makes the trip back. Badger designs, manufactures and distributes its own range, so what our account managers hear on site goes straight to our product team, then into sampling and testing with customers. That’s how the women’s freezer range was refined with Lineage Logistics, and how a pocket request becomes a production change.
Every change on this list started as a customer comment. Talk to your Badger account manager or contact our team on 1300 305 275.
