It's one of the most common questions we get: how many shirts should I order per person? Order too few and shirts get worn ragged before they can be washed. Order too many and you've got shirts sitting in a closet. Here's how to think through it.
The baseline: 3-5 shirts per employee
For most businesses, 3-5 shirts per employee covers a full work week with enough rotation to keep shirts clean and presentable. Here's how to refine that number for your specific situation:
Factors that push you toward more shirts
- Physical, dirty work: Contractors, landscapers, HVAC techs, and plumbers go through shirts faster. Aim for 5-6.
- Customer-facing roles: If your crew is at customer homes or businesses every day, presentability matters more. More rotation means cleaner shirts.
- No access to laundry mid-week: Some employees — especially those traveling for work — may not do laundry until the weekend. 5 shirts minimum.
- Summer/hot conditions: Shirts get sweatier and need washing more often. Go higher in summer.
Factors that let you order fewer
- Office or light-duty roles: Estimators, office staff, and customer service reps who aren't doing physical work can rotate 2-3 shirts comfortably.
- Employees who do their own laundry frequently: Some people do laundry every day or every other day. They don't need 5 shirts.
- Part-time staff: 2-3 shirts is plenty for someone working 3 days a week.
Don't forget the buffer
Always order 10-15% extra beyond your crew count. You'll have new hires, shirts that get damaged or lost, and the occasional visitor or vendor you want to represent well. Having a few extras in common sizes (M, L, XL) on hand saves you from having to place a small rush order every time someone joins the team.
How to handle sizing
Collect sizes from your employees before ordering — don't guess. A quick text or a line on your onboarding paperwork is all it takes. The most common sizing mistake is ordering too many smalls and not enough XLs and 2XLs. When in doubt, bias toward larger sizes — people can wear a slightly loose shirt, but a too-tight shirt gets thrown in a drawer. See our guide on branded polos for new hire onboarding for more on building a repeatable ordering process.
💡 Field crew: 5 shirts. Office/light duty: 3 shirts. Add 10-15% buffer across all sizes. That's the formula.
When to reorder
Most businesses reorder work shirts every 12-18 months as shirts wear out or the team grows. Set a reminder and do a shirt audit once a year — pull the worn ones, count what's needed, and place the order before you're scrambling. Read our guide on what to look for in a custom uniform vendor to make sure your reorder process is dialed in.
Ready to place your order? Call 855-TSHIRT-5 or request a quote online.