The quickest way to make someone feel left out is a swag box with nothing in their size.
Inclusive corporate apparel is clothing branded with your company logo ordered in a size range and a set of cuts that fit every person on your team. When the box arrives, can everyone find something they can actually wear and want to wear?
You have three decisions to make: (1) look at which sizes you offered last time and determine what was skipped, (2) decide whether people get unisex cuts, fitted cuts, or a choice of both, and (3) order extended sizes up front instead of scrambling later. For fabric, decoration, and budget, see our guide to custom apparel for business.
Key Takeaways
- Inclusive corporate apparel means ordering a size range and cuts that fit everyone.
- Audit your last apparel order before the next one: which sizes did you offer, and who got skipped?
- Unisex styles cover the most people with one cut, but offering fitted options alongside them respects how clothes actually fit different bodies.
- Plan extended sizes (often through 4XL or 5XL) at order time, since they can carry longer lead times.
- Recipient-choice ordering removes the sizing guesswork entirely by letting each person pick their own size and style.
What is inclusive branded apparel?
Inclusive branded apparel covers three things at once: extended sizes so larger and smaller bodies are included, fit options so people are not forced into one silhouette, and styles people across a diverse team genuinely want to wear. Inclusive sizing is a required pillar of a quality swag program.
Why inclusive corporate apparel pays off
Inclusive corporate apparel pays off because apparel only does its job when people wear it. When someone cannot get their size, the message they receive is that the program was not built with them in mind.
Diverse team swag works when the cuts, colors, and styles reflect a range of people rather than one default body and taste. Epoch Connect saw it with their own logo tees: wearing one made people feel more important and part of something bigger.
How do you audit your apparel program for inclusivity?
Auditing your apparel program for inclusivity means looking at your last order and asking who it actually fit. You do not need a survey to start. Pull the order history and work through five checks.
- Check the size range. Did you offer extended sizes, or did the run stop at XL or 2XL and exclude anyone larger?
- Count the fit options. Was there only one cut, or did people have a choice between unisex and a more fitted style?
- Read the leftovers. Which sizes went unclaimed, and which ran out first? Both signal a mismatch between what you ordered and who is on the team.
- Track the opt-outs. Who skipped the apparel entirely? People often decline rather than ask for a size you clearly did not stock.
- Test reorder friction. When someone needed a different size after the fact, how hard was it to get one?
Should you order unisex or fitted styles?
Order both when you can, and lead with unisex when you have to pick one. Unisex cuts cover the most people with a single style, which keeps ordering simple and avoids singling anyone out. Offering a fitted option alongside them respects that one silhouette does not flatter or fit every body the same way.
In practice that means pairing a unisex staple with a fitted alternative in the same style and color, so the set looks like one program. Our custom t-shirts and branded polos both come in unisex and fitted cuts, and the same logic carries into sweatshirts and hoodies and jackets and outerwear. Let people pick the cut, and far more of them end up wearing it.
How do you plan for extended sizes?
Plan for extended sizes by deciding the full size run before you order, since extended sizes are an ordering decision, not an afterthought. Four habits make plus size company swag work.
- Decide the full run at order time. Many of our apparel styles run well beyond the standard range, often through 4XL or 5XL depending on the style, and the largest and smallest sizes can carry longer production or restock lead times. Put them in the original order rather than scrambling for them later.
- Ask for sizes instead of guessing. A quick size poll handles it in a day and beats estimating from a headcount.
- Build in a buffer of extended sizes. Running short on them sends exactly the exclusionary message you are trying to avoid.
- Confirm the range on the specific style. When you are unsure whether a style carries the sizes you need, check the size options on the product page or ask us, and we will confirm before you commit.
Inclusive apparel staples that fit a whole team
These are the kind of size inclusive branded merch staples we reach for when the goal is one program that fits everyone: a unisex Gildan tee, a Sport-Tek performance polo, and a Gildan hoodie, all cuts that wear well across body types. Browse the full range in branded apparel, and pair any of these with a fitted alternative for people who prefer one.
Gildan Unisex Softstyle T-Shirt
- Soft preshrunk ringspun cotton, unisex crew cut
- Runs XS through 4XL so the whole team is covered
- An easy everyday staple people reach for
Sport-Tek Unisex Dry Zone Raglan Polo Shirt
- Unisex performance polo that runs XS through 4XL
- Moisture-wicking knit comfortable across body types
- Polished enough for client meetings and event booths
- Double-lined hood and roomy pouch pocket
- Unisex pullover that fits across body types
- The layer people keep wearing off the clock
If apparel sizing feels like too much to coordinate, you can sidestep it. One-size branded items like custom hats and branded drinkware make strong inclusive employee gifts that fit everyone by definition, and they pair well with apparel in a kit.
What is the easiest way to get every size right?
The easiest way to get every size right is to stop guessing: order across the full range in one go, or push the size choice to each recipient. At Swag.com, we support both, and we will confirm the available sizes on any style before you commit.
With recipient-choice gifting, each person picks their own size and style from a set you curate, so nobody is stuck with a guess. For new hires, a pre-built welcome kit can collect sizes during onboarding and ship the right fit to each person. That is the same approach we cover in our guide to new hire welcome kits for remote employees.
When apparel sizing has to stay consistent across many locations and recurring orders, the operational load grows. For ongoing programs, our enterprise solution, Swag Pro, keeps the whole size run stocked and shipping, extended sizes included, so nobody’s size is the one that ran out. If you are new to all of this, our primer on what branded merchandise is and why it’s important sets the foundation.
FAQs About Inclusive Branded Apparel
What does inclusive corporate apparel mean?
Inclusive corporate apparel means the whole team can find their size and a fit they like in the company’s clothing. In practice that takes extended sizes for larger and smaller bodies, a choice between unisex and fitted styles, and options people across a diverse team actually want to wear. Browse the range in branded apparel.
What sizes do you offer for plus size company swag?
It depends on the style, and the exact range is listed on each product page since it varies by brand and cut. Plenty of options extend well past the standard run. The reliable approach to plus size company swag is to confirm sizes on the specific style first, then order the full run up front, because the largest sizes can carry longer lead times. Check the size options on any item in custom t-shirts or ask us and we will confirm before you order.
Should I order unisex or fitted styles for a diverse team?
Offer both when you can. Unisex cuts cover the most people with one style and keep ordering simple, while fitted options respect that one silhouette does not fit every body the same way. Matching the two in the same color makes the set one program and gets more of your diverse team into the apparel. Our branded polos and sweatshirts and hoodies both come in unisex and fitted cuts.
How do I collect sizes without making it awkward?
Use recipient choice so you never have to ask for or guess a size. With recipient-choice gifting, the person selects their own fit and style from a set you curate, which keeps the process private and gets it right. For new hires, a welcome kit can capture sizes during onboarding. This removes the single most common reason people opt out of company apparel.
What are good inclusive employee gifts beyond apparel?
One-size items make the easiest inclusive employee gifts because they fit everyone by definition. Branded drinkware and custom hats are reliable picks that sidestep sizing entirely, and they round out a kit nicely. When you do include clothing, keep it size inclusive branded merch by offering the full range and a fit choice so the gift works for the whole team.
Ready to build an apparel program that fits everyone?
Inclusive branded apparel comes down to offering the full size range, a real choice of fit, and styles people want to wear. We can help you source branded apparel across cuts and sizes and get the right fit to each person, starting with a size run you decide before the order goes in.
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