The Best Workwear for Visibility: Comparing Hi-Vis & Reflective Clothing

Quality hi-vis clothing & reflective clothing are nothing short of essential. In fact, they save lives. And while safety should be the highest priority in any workplace, there are certain environments—such as construction sites, warehouses, transport and logistics hubs, and areas involving road or traffic management—where they become even more critical. Being clearly seen by others, whether it is by fellow workers, drivers, or heavy machinery operators, can often mean the difference between a safe shift and a serious accident.

To help address this need, two of the most widely adopted solutions are high-visibility (hi-vis) clothing and garments that incorporate reflective materials. Both are designed to make the wearer stand out in their surroundings, but they are not identical in how they function or in the situations where they are most effective. This naturally raises important questions: what separates hi-vis apparel from reflective workwear, and what should you consider when deciding which type is best suited for your role or industry?

Hi-Vis & Reflective Clothing: What’s the Difference?

• In a nutshell, high-visibility workwear is made from brightly coloured fluorescent fabrics which stand out in daylight and low-light conditions to make the wearer more noticeable. 

• Reflective tape workwear, on the other hand, uses strips of retroreflective material that bounce light back toward its source, making the wearer highly visible in darkness when illuminated by headlights or other light sources. 

In practice, hi-vis is most effective during the day, while reflective tape is crucial for night-time or low-light safety, and many garments combine both for round-the-clock protection.

High-Visibility (Hi-Vis) Workwear

Hi-vis workwear is specifically designed to make workers stand out in bright or daylight conditions, where visibility is essential for safety. These garments are commonly made in fluorescent shades such as vivid yellow, orange, or lime green, colours that naturally contrast with most environments to ensure the wearer is easily seen. They are widely used across industries where employees work outdoors or in high-risk areas during the day, including construction, roadworks, and general maintenance.

Featured Hi-Vis Workwear at WorkArmour:

Men’s Hi-Vis Industrial Long-Sleeve Shirt – 170gsm

• Crafted from 100% mid-weight cotton twill

• Ventilated design with mesh inserts under the arms and across the upper back

• Reinforced with triple-stitched seams for added strength and long-lasting wear

• Functional storage with two chest pockets, including a pen divider

• Extended curved back hem for improved fit and coverage

• Meets AS/NZS 4602.1:2011 standards (Day Use Only)