High visibility clothing: what a brand needs to prepare before production

The reference standard: EN ISO 20471

In the European Union, high visibility clothing for professional use is assessed against EN ISO 20471, which replaced the former EN 471 in 2013 and was amended in 2016. It is the harmonised standard used to demonstrate compliance with Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on personal protective equipment.

The standard is built on two types of material:

• fluorescent background material, which makes the wearer visible in daylight. Only three colours are allowed: fluorescent yellow, fluorescent orange red and fluorescent red;
• retroreflective material, usually in the form of tape, which returns headlight beams towards their source and makes the wearer visible at night.

The three classes and their minimum areas

The standard defines three classes. Each one requires a minimum area of fluorescent material and of retroreflective material:

| Class | Fluorescent material | Retroreflective material | |---|---|---| | Class 1 | 0.14 m² | 0.10 m² | | Class 2 | 0.50 m² | 0.13 m² | | Class 3 | 0.80 m² | 0.20 m² |

Several design rules follow from these figures:

• Areas are measured on the smallest size. A size range that starts very small can therefore lower the class reached by the whole style.
• Retroreflective tape is at least 50 mm wide.
• On a garment covering the torso, the bands go around the body and over each shoulder, from front to back. A single horizontal band must sit at least 50 mm above the bottom hem, and several horizontal bands must be at least 50 mm apart.
• Class 3 in practice means covering the torso as well as the arms or the legs: a long sleeved jacket, a coverall, or a jacket and trousers combination.

These constraints are settled at the design and pattern stage. A patch pocket, a panel or a logo placed on the fluorescent fabric reduces the visible area and has to be accounted for from the start.

Who does what for CE marking

Regulation (EU) 2016/425 sorts PPE into three categories. High visibility clothing for professional use falls under category II. For this category, the procedure combines two modules:

• Module B, EU type examination, carried out by a notified body. It reviews the technical documentation and has the tests set out in the harmonised standard performed on the model submitted. It issues an EU type examination certificate, valid for a maximum of five years;
• Module C, conformity to type, under the manufacturer's responsibility, which ensures that production stays identical to the examined model.

Under the regulation, the manufacturer is the person who manufactures PPE or has it designed or manufactured, and markets it under their own name or trademark. When a brand has a hi vis vest produced by a garment factory and sells it under its own name, the brand carries the manufacturer's obligations:

• drawing up and keeping the technical documentation;
• obtaining the EU type examination certificate from a notified body;
• drawing up the EU declaration of conformity and affixing the CE marking;
• keeping the technical documentation and the declaration for ten years after the last item is placed on the market.

What the garment factory does, and what it does not do

The garment factory produces the garment as it was defined and examined. Its role is practical:

• following the approved specifications and patterns, without changing the position or width of the tape;
• applying the retroreflective tape with suitable equipment, for example a 4 needle tape setting machine;
• using the fabrics and trims listed in the technical documentation, with their references;
• checking the measurements and appearance of the pieces, at the inspection level set by the brand.

The factory, however, is not the body that certifies. It does not issue an EU type examination certificate and does not replace the notified body. Conformity of the model is a matter between the brand and that body; consistency of production is a matter between the brand and the factory.

The file to prepare before asking for a quotation

For a factory to cost a high visibility item, the tech pack should specify:

• the target class and the size range, stating the smallest size;
• the exact references of the fluorescent fabric and the retroreflective tape, with their data sheets;
• the tape layout: position, width, lengths, overlaps at the seams;
• trims (zips, hook and loop, threads) and planned branding;
• the labels and the information notice required by the regulation, which are the manufacturer's responsibility.

Changing a fabric or a tape after type examination can call conformity to type into question. It is better to freeze these references before the prototype.

At Vestra

At Vestra, high visibility garments run on the large production lines, those used for heavy items such as coveralls, trousers and jackets. The factory in Sidi Bou Ali, near Sousse, has a 4 needle tape setting machine and a prototype line. Vestra produces from the client's specifications and patterns, on a CMT or full package basis depending on the product family, from 200 pieces per style. Quality control follows 5 stages, from materials receipt to packing, with an AQL level set by the client for each order. Certification of the model remains the responsibility of the brand and its notified body.

To review your high visibility item, send your tech pack to sales@vestratextile.com.

FAQ

Can the factory provide the CE certificate for my vests?

No. For category II PPE, the EU type examination certificate is issued by a notified body to the manufacturer, meaning the brand that sells the garment under its own name.

Why does the smallest size matter so much?

Because the minimum areas in EN ISO 20471 are measured on the smallest size. If that size does not reach them, the style cannot claim the target class.

Can a logo be added to a high visibility garment?

Yes, as long as the fluorescent area it covers is taken into account. This is checked at the design stage.

Vestra Manufacturing, workwear manufacturer in Tunisia →

Sources

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