PCIAW® ROUND TABLES
Trusted Members of PCIAW® can join special interest round tables and drive progress in areas that are important to their businesses.
PCIAW® WORKING GROUPS
PARTICIPANT STATISTICS
PARTICIPANT TESTIMONIALS
"The PCIAW® round table events I attended were a fantastic way to meet and collaborate with other industry colleagues and subject experts. We were able to focus on a set topic that was relevant to us all, deepen our understanding, and ultimately take that knowledge back into our own businesses. […] I look forward to joining the next set of round table events."
"Even as a newcomer to the workwear industry I felt included in the discussions, [and] through well prepared agendas and concise summaries I was able to grasp new ideas. PCIAW® Roundtables were uniquely supportive in helping my procurement process and helped me understand some specific workwear industry nuances. Combined with the PCIAW® Summit panel discussions, I feel I understand more of the bigger picture. The Roundtables were also very well prepared and moderated, giving everyone the chance to participate."
ROUND TABLES 2025
The PCIAW® Round Table on Protecting the Emergency Services with Blue Light Uniforms will bring together stakeholders to address uniform performance, fit, security, and sustainable solutions, helping the sector meet net-zero obligations.
Emergency services rely on blue light workers' professional uniforms to ensure identification, protection, and functionality. It’s crucial that these uniforms and PPE are ergonomic, properly fitting, and resilient, particularly in times of geoeconomic or geopolitical instability, which can disrupt supply chains and cause delays, as seen during the pandemic. Effective management of textile waste is also vital to avoid security risks, such as uniforms being intercepted or impersonated.
The PCIAW® Round Table Series on ‘The Skills, Training and Education Gap in the Professional Clothing Industry’ will bring together stakeholders across the supply chain and academic institutions to address the growing disconnect between industry needs and graduate readiness, aiming to strengthen the future workforce through collaborative solutions.
The professional clothing industry relies on specialist knowledge to design and manufacture functional uniforms, workwear and PPE. PCIAW® is seeking to bridge the skills gap by fostering engagement between education and industry, promoting the sector as a hub for innovation in sustainable design, and ensuring a pipeline of talent equipped with practical, technical expertise.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that firefighting as an occupation is carcinogenic. Protective clothing is the immediate line of defence.
Fire Chiefs must balance and prioritise the various requirements of protective clothing, from thermal and particulate protection to light weight mobility, whilst considering new elements from garment interface, female-fit PPE and chemistry applications.
People are the backbone of every business. Designing professional clothing to cater for specific needs can help to boost productivity and employee retention.
Employees in all walks of life go to work every day and may be silently suffering from various conditions or impairments, or due to natural biological processes such as the menopause. The quality of life of these employees can improved by a thought-out uniform design.
Sustainable and circular textile regulations are going to mandate changes in the way textiles – including uniforms, workwear and PPE – are designed, made and recycled.
It is the view of PCIAW® that policy recommendations are being decided with a consideration of the fashion industry, and that the upcoming regulations are overlooking the impact that they will have on professional clothing.
As regulations tighten and buyers demand more transparency, fashion suppliers are being asked to disclose product origins, material content, and environmental impact data — across uniforms, workwear, and PPE.
It is becoming clear that while the appetite for transparency is high, many businesses — especially SMEs — lack access to the internal systems, product data, and verification tools needed to meet these expectations. From chemical composition to end-of-life planning, the fashion supply chain is under pressure to evolve — but is the infrastructure in place to support it?
ROUND TABLES 2024
Rapidly evolving technologies in military applications are making current defence clothing solutions become outdated, with a greater need than ever for PPE innovation.
It is the view of PCIAW® that military procurement must not underestimate the role of defence clothing in shielding against thermal imaging and infrared-detection technologies that are identifying soldiers on the ground.
The importance of wearing high quality footwear should not be underestimated whilst at work, as supportive shoes help maintain health and posture.
Employees working in hotels or on construction sites spend the majority of the day on their feet and bad quality shoes can increase the risks of accidents – and can become more expensive if they need to be replaced more often.
Professional clothing functions to help keep people safe and comfortable at work; it can be challenging for procurement teams without specialised textile knowledge to keep up with textile innovation.
It is the view of PCIAW® that buyers motivated to operate responsibly due to ESG reporting will need to adapt their tenders to achieve a desirable and balanced outcome for sustainable alternatives that also meet their required technical specifications.
The pandemic highlighted the problems in relying on single-use medical PPE. It is riskier in terms of security of supply, whilst adding significantly to textile pollution.
Procurement teams for healthcare organisations must consider its responsibility to ensure resilient PPE sourcing operations and the impact on net zero strategies. Shifting mindsets to consider total contract costs over unit costs will expand what’s possible.
