An Post Delivery Staff Step Out in Style

3 January 2011

Gone are old-style fabrics, ties, jumpers and hard peaky caps in favour of contemporary cargo trousers, shorts and shirts, baseball caps and beanies, gilets, jackets and all-weather gear. The versatile, machine-washable garments are made from hardwearing, high-tech fabrics engineered to regulate temperature and ensure comfort, whatever the weather or workplace.

“The new kit is comfortable and easy to wear and the different layers are light but very warm in the really cold weather,” commented Naas Postman, Larry Byrne . “And of course it looks great on us – sure we‘re the world’s best looking Postmen…and Postwomen!” he added.

Navy and blue are still the predominant base colours, but in different hues, with company logos prominent on the pockets required by modern-day delivery staff for their barcode and postbox scanning equipment, mobile phone, keys etc…

Following an EU-wide Tender process, Derry-based uniform specialists Hunter Apparel Solutions were awarded the contract for production of the new kit. A joint An Post staff - management working group, including representatives of the Communications Workers Union, has been working on the project since 2009. Design and fabric specialists (including Irish Designer Paul Costello who designed the old uniform more than 20 years ago) provided expert advice at various stages of the process. 

The new uniform is more hard-wearing and has been extensively tested by a team of foot, bicycle and van postmen and postwomen in a variety of rural and urban locations. A number of adjustments to elements such as collars, pocket size and buttonhole positioning were made to the initial designs, based on their feedback.

An Post spends approximately €1m annually on replacement kit for mails collection and delivery staff, including shirts, trousers, safety boots and raingear. The new kit is more cost effective as the various parts are more versatile, the fabrics more durable and all fully machine washable.