Sure, folks wouldn’t mind paying more for Edwards, but that doesn’t mean they actually do. The workwear brand known simply as Edwards has been around longer than most folks realize.
This is part of the Edwards allure, but it’s also about the superior quality they’ve been delivering all these years. The two are inseparable facts of their business model.
For operators of service businesses like hotels and restaurants, nobody can deliver the reputation Edwards has, not with so many options, not with garments ready to ship once they’re ordered.
Upwardly mobile leaders working in the service industry follow the example of those before them. They order Edwards workwear because they know the clothes they order will show up on time, as promised, and will last as long as one should expect a garment to last.
This is the reason we keep a robust selection of Edwards workwear all year long. It’s also why we’re the top retailer of Edwards uniforms online. Edwards is a company we respect and enjoy working with.
As far as what they do, outfitting professionals in comfortable, well-cut, and reliable workwear, there is no competition for Edwards. No wonder we like them.
Edwards Garment has been around the block
In the late 1860s, a pants company emerged from Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Back then they went by the name Kalamazoo Pant Company. It wasn’t until the 1970s that they would change their name to Edwards when they start making clothing for working folks.
The man who became CEO of the renamed company at that time, Fred Reeves, remains with the company to this day as chairman. He’s like the glue tying the past to the present of this great brand.
Reeve’s role in Edwards’ story matter because it says something about how their values reflect an idea that eludes many newer brands: loyalty.
Their secret sauce to creating brand loyalty? Edwards isn’t a great brand because they’ve been around so long. They’ve been around so long because they’re a great brand.
In January of 2017, Edwards turned 150 years old, stacking them alongside legacy uniform brands like Red Kap, Carhartt, and Dickies.
It all started with Edwards menswear
When the Kalamazoo Pant Company opened doors, it was to sell pants for men and boys. Women, at that time, weren’t wearing pants all that often.
From that wellspring of that business, the Pant Company opened a department store called Redwood and Ross.
To this day, some of Edwards clothing lines still wear the name Redwood and Ross, a gentle nod to their history.
Fun fact: you can find vintage Redwood and Ross articles of clothing on Etsy if that’s your thing.
Eventually, of course, women started wearing pants, and Edwards was there to support them. In fact, by then they’d expanded their line to include dresses and skirts, polos, shirts, jackets, and even chef’s clothes.
Today, Edwards can completely outfit team members from the doorman to the front desk and cover the bellhops, and restaurant staff along the way.
It all started like getting ready, with pants.
There is no end to the selection of Edwards shirts
Edwards is now one-stop shopping, from legs to shoulders. In our catalog, you’ll find nearly 100 different styles of shirts, from long sleeve to short, collared and not.
One of our top selling garments is Edwards’ long sleeve easy care poplin shirt because it’s not only comfortable and reliable, it’s — per the name — easy to care for.
It’s so popular, they make a short sleeve version and that one is also a best seller. They even make shirts for the security team, so when we say completely outfit team members from the doorman to the front desk, we mean it quite literally.
The only thing Edwards doesn’t cover is the feet, but they make sharp-looking belts that last for a lifetime.
Edwards clothing reviews say a lot about them
As a distributor for Edwards, we’re something of an Edwards customer too so you can take our word for it, but we also know that we’re biased.
Of course, we like Edwards. We have skin in this game. So, don’t take our word for it. Read what front line customers have said.
Take a look at these real reviews pulled from online sales.
“My husband is a security guard and this shirt is perfect for him. Good quality. Washes nice and ready to wear right out of the dryer.”
“Probably my favorite aspect of these shirts is that if I neglect to fold them or they get thrown in a half hazard pile, I can pick them up and wear them with no worries about looking too wrinkled or disheveled.”
“Great professional work shirt that washes and irons nicely. Loved the Ed Garments Oxford so much that I ordered 6!! Great quality and price compared to the name brand store where I paid $$$$$ to much for one similar and it didn’t hold up! I am sold on Ed Garments shirts!”
“I’m skeptical about buying shirts online as they almost never fit right or look good once I’m wearing them. These shirts were perfect right out of the bag. I bought three and would make the same purchase again as I had no problems with the shirts or the delivery. Highly recommended.”
“I am extremely pleased with this purchase. I have been looking for mandarin collar shirts for quite a while and finally found one that is significantly better than what I expected. The fabric feels nice and soft on my skin, the collar gives an extremely elegant and very stylish look so I couldn’t be happier with this item… Certainly worth all FIVE Stars.”
The words might be different in each review, but the message remains the same: Edwards makes a comfortable product that isn’t too expensive and looks good even without ironing.
Of course, we didn’t tell you not to iron your workwear before reporting to work. That’s up to you and your employer.
Edwards uniforms versus the competition
So, who does Edwards have to look out for in the uniform business? Cutting to the chase, their main completion is Red Kap, starting with their main category of hospitality.
If you know your workwear brands, you know Red Kap is no slouch either. They’ve been at this business a long time too, but when push comes to shove, Edwards outperforms them in most categories.
Where Red Kap tends to attract business over Edwards is with industrial business executives, foremen and such.
In restaurant workwear, Edwards has even stiffer competition, again with Red Kap, but also with Chef Designs.
For businesses who are only outfitting a restaurant, they might consider a brand like Chef Designs, maybe even Red Kap, but for big name hotels and those who also have restaurants, the one-stop shopping of Edwards is irresistible.
Housekeeping is much the same. Housekeeping can sometimes be a stand-alone industry, like in large cities where boutique hotels might contract help over hiring in-house.
In those cases, Red Kap makes a decent showing, but Edwards is still the more popular brand across the board.
When push comes to shove, if a new client calls us asking for a recommendation, we’ll speak for all the brands we carry, but it’s easy to see the wide selection of Edwards.
When our customers ask who we recommend, we tell them the truth. Many go with Edwards for all the reasons listed above.
They’re all great brands. Otherwise, we wouldn’t carry them. But, Edwards makes it so easy for service operators to find everything they need from one brand.
That way their team members all present a similar appearance, and they know they can always upgrade or replace styles as necessary without having to overhaul the whole business.
About the Author
Nick Warrick
Nick Warrick is the Sales Manager at All Seasons Uniforms. With over 15 years of experience in the work uniform business, he has worked with hundreds of clients across 20 different industries. Holding bachelor’s degrees in both Business Administration and Information Technology, Nick revamped the company’s online presence, offering its customers a new uniform shopping experience.