Nothing tops the list of essential chef clothes or kitchen uniforms like an apron. Many different styles and fabrics exist, however. The best fabric for aprons is not really about fashion or style, however. It is a matter of safety and hygiene. Cooking clothes must protect from splatters and spills and even offer some safety from the heat of a commercial kitchen. Choosing the right fabric aprons is a crucial decision that can impact both comfort and functionality.
Different materials offer varying degrees of durability, resistance to stains, comfort, and style. Besides standard chef uniform options and simple cooking apparel, you might also want to consider protective, flame-resistant fabrics for those working with open flames. Seasoned professionals and brand-new chefs alike should know their options when it comes to the best fabric for an apron.
What Type of Fabric is Best for Aprons?
When choosing from the options at a quality chef clothing store, take the specific needs and environment of the wearer into consideration. For heavy-duty use in commercial kitchens, you may want a sturdier fabric. These will stand up to frequent use and regular washing very well. Of course, you should take appearance and style into consideration when it comes to buying uniform pieces for employees who interact with the hungry public.
Cotton Aprons in Multiple Fabric Types
Choosing cotton offers many advantages. It is more breathable and will thus help kitchen staff stay cooler and more comfortable. Since it is quite popular in the kitchen uniform world, you should be able to find quite a few colors and styles to choose from.
Cotton chambray is one of the lightest choices that provides a stylish look and minimal protection. This unique fabric has a distinctive heathered appearance in many cases that can contribute to a more down-home or relaxed ambience in your restaurant.
Cotton canvas, twill, or denim offer different degrees of comfort, coolness, and protection. In general, the thicker the fabric, the more protection it offers against spills and fire. Canvas and denim are popular as they offer a sturdy, tightly woven surface that more easily resists stains from splatters and similar common kitchen events. They also stand up well in the laundry and may even become softer and more comfortable over time.
One advantage of heavier fabrics is that the aprons made from them often come with more robust hardware as well. Instead of simple stitching, you can expect reinforced threads, metal grommets, stronger buckles, and more. This not only helps these pieces last a very long time, but they also add a distinctive style to your dining establishment. Denim and canvas are reliable and fashionable choices for seasoned chefs and busy kitchen workers. They even look great on servers and other members of the FOH team.
Do not mistake any of these chef clothing options for safety gear, however. In order to take advantage of these things, you will need to choose a specialty apron that is treated with certain chemical solutions or has an extremely sturdy layer that resists damage. They are highly functional, important parts of the overall outfit work by kitchen staff at all levels.
Cotton-Polyester Blends Offer Options
Many other options exist. Cotton-polyester blends are popular with those who do not work with open flames. They generally come at a lower price point than some of the more specialty fabrics. Find more information about polyester aprons below.
Are there other fabric options for commercial kitchen aprons? Yes. You might ask if linen is a good material for uniforms and aprons. It is a stylish choice, although it may require more careful laundering and ironing or pressing to look best for front-of-house employees. Some restaurants may choose other fabrics for sheer style. Unfortunately, most of these fail to last long because they are not durable or easy to wash.
Are Cotton or Polyester Aprons Better?
This is a question that is difficult to answer. There is no definitive winner in the debate about the best materials for aprons. It all depends on the wearer, the setting, and other factors. Off-the-rack and custom aprons should suit the particular needs of the person who will use them every day. Take things like durability, sustainability, washability, longevity, style, comfort, and more into account before making a mass purchase for your business.
Cotton aprons offer a high degree of breathability to help keep employees cooler and more comfortable in the heat of a busy kitchen. They launder quite well and will stand up to a lot of wear and tear over time. For those interested in sustainability or natural materials, cotton also ticks all the right boxes there. As mentioned above, cotton also offers multiple weights and thicknesses to choose from. All of them work for a variety of reasons.
Pure polyester aprons are less common, but cotton-polyester blends are frequently seen in restaurants and other commercial eateries. These have some of the durability of cotton with a lightweight, comfortable feel. They also tend to be more stain resistant than some other fabrics. You never have to worry about pressing wrinkles out of them to look your best either. They are truly a wash and go option when it comes to quality cooking apparel. One of the other major benefits of this type of cooking apparel is cost. They tend to be the least expensive option, which can make sense for large establishments.
What Makes a Good-Quality Apron?
Many factors besides material or fabric choice go into making a chef uniform or restaurant staff apron great. Look for these essential qualities when you are ready to purchase them for your new location or upgrade older, worn-out ones.
Durable Fabric – Choose materials that will last a long time, resist stains, and stand up well to frequent washing. Nothing goes to the laundry more often than a commercial kitchen apron or other uniform pieces. You want them to look and feel just as good after the hundredth time they are washed.
Stain and Water Resistance – This matters a lot for people in the kitchen and wait staff who have customer-facing positions. Nothing makes your eatery look worse than employees with dirty aprons. Choose the right fabrics and consider treatments to make them less likely to soak in stains.
Full Coverage – The more an apron covers, the more the clothes beneath are protected. Full-size aprons with sufficient chest coverage are best, although half aprons work well in some situations.
Comfortable, Adjustable Fit – People of many different sizes and shapes will need to wear the aprons every day. It makes sense, therefore, to choose styles that work for all of them. Adjustable neck straps and long waist ties make this easier.
Breathability – You might think this would not matter very much since aprons do not provide full coverage front to back. However, those that cover the chest and thigh areas still get in the way of ventilation. Add in the super-hot environment of a busy kitchen, and you have a recipe for overheating. Breathable fabric for aprons makes a lot of sense. It can help keep your staff cooler and more energetic.
Secure Fastenings – Although many kitchen aprons have simple ties to close them at the neck and back, you might want to consider buckles, metal snaps, or hook-and-loop closures in some cases. These make it easier to adjust the apron, keep everything securely in place, and might also look neater in some cases.
Professional Appearance – Looks matter for front-of-house workers, but chefs need an air of professionalism about them, too. Well-designed aprons contribute to a more polished appearance. Choose those with neat lines, colors that match your brand, and quality materials.
Fabric Aprons Offer Protection in the Kitchen
Commercial kitchens are very busy places, and protective aprons are essential parts of a chef’s uniform or cooking apparel for other staff members. These simple pieces of clothing serve as a first line of defense against hazards that frequently occur in these settings. An apron protects against hot oil splatters, burns from steamy pans, errant utensils pokes or cuts, and more. While fire-resistant and extreme padded aprons exist, they are not usually required in a restaurant or dining hall kitchen. The fabric options listed here will do a good job.
Specialty Fabrics for Fire and Cut-Resistant Aprons
True protective aprons have additional fire-retardant treatments and anti-cut fabric options. They may also have features like reinforced straps, shorter ties with buckles instead of loose ends, and specialty coatings that help with preventing stains and oil accumulation that may cause additional hazards. These types of custom chef apron options are specialty purchases that are usually not needed for regular use. Skilled staff and a well-organized, clean kitchen help keep things safe.
Choosing the Best Material Chefs Aprons from the Best Source
The best fabric for chef aprons comes down to taste in the end. Material affects the quality, style, durability, washability, and protective qualities of the apron. Of course, it also makes a difference when it comes to style. Choosing different colors, strap and tie designs, and addons like embroidering or printed names or logos can make a difference to the overall appearance. Whether you choose pure cotton, a cotton-polyester blend, denim, linen, or chambray, you will make the right choice for your kitchen.
In the hands of a professional chef, a top quality side towel (or cloth) is one of the most versatile and important tools in the kitchen. It is used for everything from drying your hands and grabbing hot pans, to covering greens and crushing ice...
An extremely vital kitchen tool!
– Per Renhed, former chef at The Restaurant, London, and sous chef at Restaurant F12 in Stockholm.
Clean and white
Professional chefs don’t want their towels patterned or colored. It should be easy to spot flecks and other stuff such as food bits, herbs and the like that stick to the towel. The weave should make the towel easy to hold and safe to use and it shouldn’t become ‘knotty’ after numerous washes.
Use often
Always have a pile of clean, dry side towels lying ready when you get going in the kitchen. In professional kitchens it’s not unusual to store them in the fridge so that they are in a hygienic, protected and easily accessible place.
The daily life of a side towel…
- At the start of a shift, the towel is clean and dry, one of several hygiene-promoting tools in a chef’s arsenal
- As the shift progresses, the towel becomes wet and spotted but – in the hands of a knowledgeable cook – not unhygienic
- Towards the end of the shift, the towel is used as a mop to clean workstations and tools that have done their bit
- The end of a shift – and often the start of a new one – sees the trusty towel sent off for washing.
Use correctly
Your chef’s towel should not get wet (unless you are using a humid towel to, for example, cover chopped greens). If it does, it will transmit heat when you grasp something hot. The towel should be clean and dry and at your side regardless of where you are in the kitchen or what you are doing. Ideally, you should have it hanging from your waste so it’s within easy reach. Attach to your apron’s fastener, your belt or in the belt hanger.
Chef's trick
A useful trick is to tie a knot at one corner of the towel so that it stays put at your waist – but is easy to release when you grab the towel with your hand.
Over your shoulder
It may look stylish having the towel draped over your shoulder as many TV chefs do. However, Per Renhed, once chef at The Restaurant in London, says he developed a bad posture and back problems by always having the side towel over his shoulder. Don’t do as Per did!
Side towel uses
Your side towel has more uses than any other tool in the kitchen. Here are some of them:
Drying hands
You’ve washed your hands, of course, but they’ll constantly get wet as you prepare the food. In a professional kitchen, it’s a matter of honor not to wipe them dry on your apron…
Wipe plates
Not the dishes, but the plates you’ll serve the food up on for your guests.
Get a grip
Your towel helps you get a firm, safe grip on everything, warm, cold, sharp or slippery.
Protect against splashes
For example, when you crack open a shellfish. And to protect your hands when opening oysters.
Pot holder
Experienced chefs ‘wrap’ the side towel around their hands so they get several layers of dry cotton between their fingers and the hot pot. Train your wrapping technique….
Pot coaster
Fold the cloth a few times to ensure a hot pot can stand on a surface without burning it.
Anti slip protection
Place the cloth under the cutting board, mortar, bowl and so on. If required, you can dampen the towel slightly.
Improvised apron
You should be as clean and attractive as your kitchen. Use the side towel to cover embarrassing flecks on your apron.
Instead of paper
With several side towels handy, there’s no need to use paper towels that litter and can get into food when you are mopping up water, meat juices, fat and the like.
Drying station
Before placing a ready rested bit of meat on the plate, place it for a couple of seconds on a double folded towel so that meat juice residues are absorbed.
Pommes frites station
Between the first fry (160 degrees Celsius) and the second fry (180 degrees Celsius) you can place french fries on a towel – which you then empty carefully into the fryer.
Protecting food
Place a clean, dry towel over dough, ready made bread, meat, food plates and other stuff that needs protecting in an airy environment.
Keep produce fresh
Slightly dampen a towel with cold water and place across vegetables that need to be kept fresh as well as over foodstuff that should not dry out when defrosting.
Don't throw away a used towel
Thin and heavily washed side towels are perfect as steaming towels, jar covers and to dry salads or wrap fresh meat in prior to cooking. The cloth is also perfect to produce a ‘ballotine’ (a filled roll of meat that is served in slices).
Best ice crusher
Make a bag with the towel, fill with ice and bang against the table or bash with a heavy frying pan. You can also crack open nuts this way!
First aid
A clean side towel stops bleeding and works great as a bandage. Make an ice pack with the towel to cool bruises and burns.
Clean up
Clean up with a towel that has been used for other jobs and is headed for the washing machine.
Side towel care
- Wash in 60 degrees Celsius. Washing at a lower temperature increases the risk of bacteria remaining on your towel and spreading in the kitchen.
- Do not use rinsing agents or starch. A side towel coming into contact with foodstuffs should not leave ‘tastes’ behind of any kind.
- Change the side towel frequently. A dirty towel should not come near any food. A damp towel does not insulate against heat. A clean and dry towel says a lot about you and your kitchen.
