Jennifer Herb spends long hours beside railway tracks in all kinds of weather. As a shunting attendant at DB Cargo, she checks brakes, inspects undercarriages and couples and uncouples freight cars. Her clothing must move with every step—bending, climbing, turning and walking kilometers on uneven ground—while remaining visible day and night and protecting her from snow, wind, sun and rain.
Herb usually wears a high-visibility jacket and trousers in bright orange with reflective stripes that were made specifically for women and have a high stretch content. “The clothing works with me, like another colleague,” she wrote on the blog of Cologne-based workwear maker Bierbaum‑Proenen.
Historically, high-visibility workwear was stiff and heavy, and women were often expected to wear men’s designs in smaller sizes. Such garments could be too tight at the hips, leave jackets that wouldn’t close properly, or have sleeves that were so long they had to be rolled up. Tools felt awkward in chest pockets, trousers pinched at the thighs or sagged at the waist, and even safety shoes frequently failed to fit narrower female feet. A 2010 British study by the Women’s Engineering Society found more than half of respondents felt their personal protective equipment restricted them rather than kept them safe. Poor fit isn’t a fashion concern only: it can reduce concentration, increase mistakes and, in the worst cases, lead to workplace accidents.
Some outfitters and employers are changing that. Larissa Zeichhardt, an electrical engineer who runs LAT, a family firm that lays high‑voltage cables along railway tracks, remembers wearing men’s protective clothing that was impractical and unsafe. “I was constantly cold, and it was unsafe because I kept snagging on things. That can be life‑threatening, especially in tunnels if a train approaches and you can’t slip into a safety niche fast enough because your jacket gets caught,” she said. After switching to women’s designs from Bierbaum‑Proenen, she described the change as “a liberation.”
Heike Altenhofen, product manager for workwear at Bierbaum‑Proenen, says women long accepted poor fits in male‑dominated industries because there were few alternatives. The company, founded in 1788 and family‑owned for seven generations, has made medical garments for women for years; about 15 years ago it began tailoring high‑visibility clothing to the female body in collaboration with Deutsche Bahn. Female engineers and shunting attendants contributed ideas and trialled new designs. Often the improvements were small but crucial—bust darts, two‑way zippers, or an elastic waistband at the back—that preserved the look and materials of the men’s versions while improving fit and comfort.
Workwear must still meet workplace requirements: visibility, freedom of movement, temperature and humidity regulation, durability, or flame resistance where needed. Bierbaum‑Proenen and similar suppliers develop women’s fits alongside men’s designs and have them certified, allowing them to supply female garments quickly when requested. Sales volumes for women’s lines may be modest, but having them available matters: “Even if there’s just one woman on the job, she deserves properly fitting clothing,” Altenhofen says.
Employers are noticing the benefits. Some now specify women’s workwear in tenders, and companies that invest in gender‑equitable clothing can boost their image and strengthen employee identification. Works councils and large corporations are paying attention, and better, more appealing workwear can help attract women to traditionally male trades. Zeichhardt believes more fashionable, comfortable clothing helps LAT receive more applications from young women than typical for the sector. Sina Klein, a master roofer and social media influencer, also highlights well‑fitting and attractive workwear as a way to bring more women into the trades.
Manufacturers say comfortable clothing that people actually wear offers better protection in emergencies; bulky garments are more likely to be removed even in hazardous areas. Lena Hojland, product director at Danish workwear maker Fristads, notes that many large clients now want a single provider for their entire workforce. If a supplier can’t offer gender‑inclusive solutions, they risk losing contracts. Specialized women’s lines are becoming more common: Mascot, Kübler, Carhartt, Fristads and Diadora are among brands now offering dedicated women’s ranges.
Today, suppliers produce protective equipment for sectors such as construction, chemical, energy, transportation, waste management and recycling. While relatively few women work in some of these fields, the availability of well‑fitted, certified women’s workwear is increasingly viewed as essential—both for safety and for recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce.
This article was originally written in German.
