Tabards

What is a tabard?

A hospitality tabard is a kind of overgarment designed to be worn over other clothing and protect it from spillages and stains. Most are the shape of an oversized bib and have a hole for the wearer’s head to slot over and open sides held together by fastening strips.

What are tabards used for?

Within the hospitality industry, tabards have traditionally been worn by housekeeping staff. However, their versatile range of applications means tabards have recently been incorporated into a broader range of roles within the hospitality industry.

The benefits of tabards include:

    Provide an effective barrier from cleaning chemical spillages staining other garments
    Protect clothes from the dirt of daily tasks
    Provide free movement for the wearer
    Keep the wearer cool during physical tasks while remaining protected
    Often come with pockets that help housekeeping staff keep their most used tools close to hand
    Are easy to slip in and out of, which means they can be changed frequently throughout the day should they get soiled

What is the difference between a tabard and an apron?

Tabards and aprons look similar and have similar functions, because both are a kind of garment worn over other clothing to protect it and the wearer from spillages and stains.

Tabards tend to be much shorter and cover the torso down to the hips, while aprons are longer and cover the torso down past the knees. 

Both often come with a front pocket allowing the wearer to store relevant equipment for the task at hand.

What materials are tabards made from?

Many tabards in CleaningProducts.net’s range are made from a 65% polyester / 35% cotton mixed fabric, which provides the perfect balance of practicality and comfort.

The natural cotton fibres give a softer skin feel and heightened breathability, which is strengthened by the synthetic polyester into a durable material ideal for many physical hospitality roles.

For roles that need a slightly hardier garment, our Big Check style is manufactured from a 67% polyester / 33% cotton fabric. This material mix gives somewhat more weight to the polyester and creates a tougher garment with an easier-to-wipe-clean finish.
CleaningProducts.net tabards GSM

GSM is an abbreviation for Grams per Square Metre (g/m2). It refers to the weight of the fabric if you weigh a one-metre-by-one-metre-square sheet of cloth in grams.

Tabards with a higher GSM are made from a thicker material. These are softer, so some colleagues may find them more comfortable to wear everyday,  and warmer, so you may wish to use different GSMs in the summer or winter months.