Work Pants

Fabric weight decides the life

Work trousers are specified by fabric weight in grams per square metre, and it is the single number that best predicts how long a pair lasts.

• Around 245 g/m²: a durable twill that is tough without being heavy. Good for general site and workshop work, and more comfortable in summer.
• Around 260 g/m²: the middle weight, and where most hi-vis work trousers sit.
• Around 270 g/m²: canvas weight, for trades that are hard on clothing and want the trousers to outlast the season.

The cotton and polyester ratio does the rest. More polyester gives abrasion resistance, quicker drying and less shrinkage. More cotton breathes better and is more comfortable against the skin in heat. A 65/35 polyester-cotton twill leans towards durability, while a 54/46 cotton-polyester leans towards comfort.

Where reinforcement belongs

Trousers fail at the knees, the seat and the pocket edges, in that order. Reinforcement panels in Cordura or Oxford polyester across those three areas are the difference between a pair lasting a year and lasting three. Triple-stitched seams matter in the same places.

When comparing two pairs at similar weights, look at where the reinforcement is rather than how much there is. A heavy trouser with a plain knee will still go at the knee.

Knee pad pockets

An internal kneepad pocket is a pocket, not protection. It only becomes knee protection when the correct pads are fitted, and the pads are what carry the certification, not the trousers.

Check two things: that the pocket loads from inside or from the top so the pad cannot work its way out while you are kneeling, and that the pad sits where your knee actually lands. A pad that has slipped an inch above the knee is worse than none, because you kneel on the hard edge of it.

Buy the pads with the trousers. Trousers with empty knee pockets are what most people are wearing when they complain about kneeling on site.

High-visibility trousers

Hi-vis trousers carry their own class under EN ISO 20471 based on the area of fluorescent fabric and retroreflective banding. They are not a substitute for a hi-vis upper garment, and the two are usually assessed together.

Where trousers are part of the visibility requirement, look for retroreflective bands sewn rather than heat-applied, an elasticated waist on both sides for movement through a shift, and a fit that keeps the lower band clear of the boot rather than tucked into it.

General requirements

EN ISO 13688 is the base standard for protective workwear, covering sizing, marking, ergonomics, ageing and harmlessness of the materials. A garment that carries a protective claim should carry this alongside it. It does not by itself mean the trousers protect against anything specific, which is why it appears with other standards rather than on its own.