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What to Wear Under Your Workwear to Remain Safe and Comfortable
Safety clothing is often bulky, heavy, and not very pleasant to work in, especially where fire resistant and chemical splash clothing are concerned. Even when safety gear includes ventilated clothing, comfort is an issue. Without the right base layer, you risk being too hot, too cold, or sweating profusely. Sweat proof undershirts, fire resistant underwear, and even the right type of socks make wearing protective outerwear much more comfortable.
Undershirts for Men
Unless your job requires fire resistant clothing, the best sweat proof undershirts for men are athletic wear. Athletic undershirts are designed to wick moisture away from the body to the outer side of the shirts, where sweat can then evaporate. This ability is limited somewhat when shirts are used as base layers, unless outerwear includes ventilated clothing to allow evaporated sweat to escape. Even if sweat cannot escape the outer layer of clothing, athletic undershirts for men help maintain a comfortable environment near the skin. Examples of sweat proof undershirts for men include:
- Under Armour’s Men's Locker T-Shirt 2.0 is made from quick-drying, ultra-soft 100% polyester UA Tech™ fabric with anti-odor technology and Under Armour’s Moisture Transport System.
- The Dri-FIT Cotton/Poly Tee by Nike features moisture-wicking fabric, and works well as both an outer and undershirt.
Undershirts for Women
Undershirts for women wearing protective clothing must meet the same standards as base layers for men: they must be comfortable, wick away moisture, and help the wearer avoid getting cold or overheating. Possible choices for non-fire resistant base layers include:
- Under Armour’s Ladies’ Locker T-Shirt 2.0. Made from the same materials as its male counterpart, this moisture-wicking shirt resists the growth of odor-causing bacteria and offers excellent mobility.
- The Ladies’ Dri-Fit Cotton/Poly Scoop Neck Tee from Nike wicks away sweat and doubles as stylish athletic wear.
- SPORT-TEK’s Ladies’ PosiCharge Competitor Tee is a breathable, lightweight tee that’s ideal for wearing under overalls or heavy outerwear.
Fire Resistant Underwear and Undershirts
Undershirts for men and women are often made from polyester, nylon, rayon, spandex or cotton/synthetic fabric blends. Such materials cannot be worn in situations where fire-resistant clothing is required, as they ignite in high temperatures, burning or melting against the skin.
Fire-resistant clothing must the standards set by the National Fire Protection Association. This includes all forms of clothing, including underwear and socks. Examples of fire-resistant clothing suitable for use as base layers include:
- The Flame Resistant Base Layer Long-sleeved Tee by Caterpillar features Merino fire-resistant wool and can be worn as either a base or outer layer when fire-resistant clothing is required. The shirt wicks sweat away from your body while providing warmth and anti-odor technology.
- Caterpillar's Flame Resistant Long Johns are fire-resistant underwear that also provides warmth in cold conditions.
- Carharrt’s Flame-Resistant Force® Cotton Short-Sleeve T-Shirts are sweat proof undershirts for men who need a light base layer in the warmer months and a breathable extra layer in the winter.
- The Women's Flame Resistant Force Cotton Crewneck T-Shirts by Carhartt are undershirts for women who need snug, odor-fighting fire-resistant , odor-fighting base layers.
The Best Socks for Work Boots
Socks are as important for comfort as any other item of base layer clothing. For dryness and comfort, look for socks made from odor-absorbing and moisture-wicking fabric such as Merino wool, polyester, and specialty fabrics such as DuPont’s Coolmax. Like other clothing, fire-resistant socks must meet NFPA 70E standards.