I see you: Use of reflective clothing

Over all safety of the workforce is always a concern of an organisation, and in several cases clothing plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the personnel are well protected. Fire fighters are equipped with special protective clothing; fabrics with aero-dynamic quality are used by sportspersons during their game plays; clothes for extreme weather conditions are specifically designed.

Personal safety through special garments is not a new perspective, but what fairly new is the manner in which such clothing is redefining the luxury that comes with modern textile. Protective measures vis-a-vis clothing are not confined to those involved in perilous work only; people need to ensure they are aptly dressed even during daily chores. Reflective clothing is an integral part of certain professions. Such clothing is required to increase the visibility of the wearers during dark hours.

The concept of reflective clothing is based on the fact that certain colours easily reflect light against a dull background thus highlighting the user. The wearer of such clothing becomes visible during the night when light from an oncoming vehicle hits the vest. The tentative use of reflective clothing began in 1964 on the Scottish Region of British Railways. Fluorescent orange jackets, known as 'fire-flies', were given to track workers in Glasgow; the jackets were then tried in other areas. Opinion of train drivers was taken regarding the effectiveness of the jackets. Later on in 1965, after some trials, such clothing was issued to engineering and other staff working on the electrified lines. It was thought to be more important due to the higher speeds of the newly electrified WCML route. The first version was worn as a jerkin and was visible at half a mile in normal weather conditions. Since then, features of reflective clothing have been enhanced significantly and today such clothing is more effective, even fashionable and much safer with reflective suits that are fireproof and waterproof.

Most experts agree that the industry of protective clothing that includes reflective garments has been growing at an annual growth rate in the range of 6 percent per year. Some niche areas or specialised sub-categories are stated to be growing up to 30 percent plus per year. Some countries like U.K. have reported that sales of high-visibility gear rose 22 percent in 2009 and 26 percent in 2010. Globally, the sale of reflective material including clothing is escalating, as the number of security personnel, fire fighters and even joggers have increased significantly.

Apart from those who require wearing reflective clothing for work purposes, motorcyclists, joggers and cyclists are also advised to wear reflective clothing. A case-control study was conducted in New Zealand which stated that, if the odds ratios of motorcyclists' accidents were analysed the population attributable risks were 33 percent for wearing no reflective or fluorescent clothing; one third of motorbike accidents might have been prevented by wearing high-visibility clothing. Another report revealed that very few motorcyclists involved in collisions wore high-visibility clothing.

The risk faced by the cyclists are similar to those faced by motorcyclists, with the main differences being that bicycling speeds are usually low, and bicyclists wear less protective gear. In a 2009 study, most U.K. cyclists and almost all motorists believed that high-visibility clothing would increase cyclists' visibility. Almost all drivers agreed that cyclists need to wear reflective clothing in low lighting environments.