Last September, the procurement manager of an electronics factory in Suzhou Industrial Park contacted us. The "anti-static workwear" they had previously ordered from another supplier showed significant static attraction after 3 months, and the production line yield dropped.

After testing the sample, we found out: the supplier used ordinary TC fabric pretending to be anti-static workwear — there was no conductive thread at all.

This experience made me realize: workwear fabric is far more complex than imagined. The same "anti-static workwear" can range from ￥80/set to ￥300/set, and the difference is in the fabric.

HUMTUN has been making workwear for 18 years, serving 600+ companies in Suzhou Industrial Park. Today we explain the 6 main types of workwear fabric, their prices, lifespans, and application scenarios to help you avoid pitfalls in procurement.

6 Main Types of Workwear Fabric

| Fabric Type | Unit Price (￥/set) | Average Lifespan | Main Application | Key Standard |

| TC 65/35 | 80-120 | 1.5-2 years | General workwear, machining | GB/T 2664-2009 |
| Pure Cotton 100% | 100-150 | 1-1.5 years | Food processing, pharma | GB/T 2660-2009 |
| Flame Retardant | 180-280 | 2-3 years | Welding, steel, chemical | GB 8965-2009 |
| Anti-Static | 150-250 | 2-3 years | Electronics, semiconductor, pharma | GB 12014-2019 |
| Oil-Water Repellent | 160-260 | 2-3 years | Petroleum, chemical, repair | GB 12799-2018 |
| Multi-Functional | 250-400 | 3-4 years | Special industries (anti-static+FR etc.) | Multiple standards |

Key insight: Lower unit price is not always more cost-effective. TC 65/35 has a low unit price but short lifespan, and 3-year cumulative cost is actually higher than flame retardant fabric.

Type 1: TC 65/35 — The General Workwear Mainstay

TC 65/35 is the most common workwear fabric: 65% polyester + 35% cotton. Advantages:

• Low price: ￥80-120/set (jacket + pants)
• Wear-resistant: High polyester content, 3x more wear-resistant than pure cotton
• Wrinkle-resistant: No ironing needed

Application scenarios: Machining, auto assembly, logistics, general manufacturing.

Not suitable for: Food processing (cotton sheds short fibers), pharma (cannot have short fibers).

Suzhou Industrial Park typical case: An auto parts company, 800 workers' workwear, TC 65/35, average ￥95/set.

Type 2: Pure Cotton 100% — Food & Pharma Industry Specific

Pure cotton fabric is 100% cotton, higher price but has compliance requirements. Advantages:

• No short fiber shedding: Will not contaminate food or drugs
• Sweat-absorbent & breathable: Natural cotton properties, comfortable for summer work
• Complies with food GMP: Can contact food

Application scenarios: Food processing workshops, pharma GMP workshops, cosmetics production.

Not suitable for: Oily work (cotton absorbs oil and is hard to wash), chemical (acid/alkali corrosion).

Key reminder: Pure cotton workwear should be combed cotton, not carded cotton. Combed cotton has fewer short fibers, lint loss reduced by 70%.

Type 3: Flame Retardant Fabric — Mandatory for Welding/Steel/Chemical

Flame retardant fabric has two categories:

Post-finishing flame retardant: Ordinary fabric dipped in flame retardant. Cheap but FR effect degrades after 50 washes.
Inherent flame retardant: Fibers themselves are FR (e.g., Nomex, Aramid). Expensive but permanently FR.

Core Standard GB 8965-2009:
- After-flame time ≤ 2 seconds
- Afterglow time ≤ 2 seconds
- Damage length ≤ 100mm

Application scenarios: Welding, steel smelting, petrochemical, gas stations.

Pitfall warning: "Flame retardant workwear" quoted below ￥200 is mostly post-finishing FR, and loses FR after 30 washes.

Type 4: Anti-Static Fabric — Mandatory for Electronics/Semiconductor/Pharma

Anti-static fabric has three grades:

Class A anti-static: Conductive fiber spacing 5mm. Strictest, mandatory for semiconductor workshops.
Class B anti-static: Conductive fiber spacing 10mm. Commonly used, electronics assembly workshops.
Class C anti-static: Conductive fiber spacing 20mm. Basic requirement.

Core Standard GB 12014-2019:
- Point-to-point resistance ≤ 1×10? Ω (Class A)
- Charge amount ≤ 0.6 μC/piece

Key inspection methods:
1. Check the fabric: Black or dark gray visible conductive threads (5mm-spaced fine black lines)
2. Measure resistance: Use a megohmmeter to measure point-to-point resistance
3. Check report: Require supplier to provide third-party test report (SGS, CTI)

Major misconception: Some suppliers use carbon powder coating to fake conductive threads — it fails after 3-5 washes. Choose embedded conductive thread (polyester + carbon fiber blend).

Type 5: Oil-Water Repellent Fabric — Petroleum/Chemical/Repair

Oil-water repellent fabric is treated with fluorocarbon on polyester or TC. Advantages:

• Oil does not penetrate
• Water does not stain
• Resistant to industrial detergents

Core Standard GB 12799-2018:
- Oil repellency grade ≥ 4
- Water repellency grade ≥ 3

Application scenarios: Petroleum, chemical, repair, auto repair.

Key reminder: Oil-water repellent treatment has a lifespan (about 30-50 washes), needs re-treatment or replacement at end of life.

Type 6: Multi-Functional Fabric — One Garment, Multiple Functions

Multi-functional fabric meets 2 or more standards simultaneously, common combinations:

• Anti-static + flame retardant (electronic welding workshops)
• Anti-static + oil-water repellent (repair)
• Flame retardant + oil-water repellent (chemical)

Advantages: Reduces clothing changes, improves compliance.

Unit price: ￥250-400/set, 1.5-2x of single-function fabric.

Application scenarios: Complex work conditions (welding+repair), multiple compliance requirements (e.g., electronics factory + chemical plant adjacent).

2026 Suzhou Industrial Park Procurement Recommendations

1. Industry-to-fabric mapping:

| Industry | Recommended Fabric | Budget (￥/set) |

| General Manufacturing | TC 65/35 | 80-120 |
| Food/Pharma | Pure Cotton 100% (combed) | 100-150 |
| Electronics/Semiconductor | Anti-Static Class B | 150-250 |
| Welding/Chemical | Inherent FR Fabric | 200-300 |
| Repair/Auto Repair | Oil-Water Repellent | 160-260 |
| Complex Conditions | Multi-Functional Fabric | 250-400 |

2. Third-Party Testing:

All workwear orders require third-party test reports. Recommended labs: SGS, Intertek, CTI (Centre Testing International), Pony Testing.

3. Lifespan Management:

• Quarterly sampling 5% of workwear: Check wear, discoloration, thinning
• Flame retardant workwear: Test FR performance every 6 months
• Anti-static workwear: Test resistance every 12 months
• Replace immediately when lifespan is reached

HUMTUN's Commitment

We are HUMTUN, a Suzhou Industrial Park-based team uniform service provider with 18 years of experience and 600+ enterprise clients. Workwear fabric is our core business. All orders come with a third-party test report guarantee.

Next steps:
- For questions, contact HUMTUN's process engineer online consultation
- For samples, view Anti-Static Workwear, Flame Retardant Workwear, Pure Cotton Workwear, High-Vis Workwear
- Existing customers can also read Softshell Jacket Decisions, Suit Measuring, School Uniform
- Product line: Suit Blazer, School, Workwear, Polo