B&Q

Murray designed a bespoke uniform range for B&Q’s stores, Tradepoint and distribution centres, built around the retailer’s existing black-and-orange identity rather than replacing it. The brief was to modernise comfort and fit while keeping the look instantly recognisable to customers.

Instead of asking B&Q to discard what it already had, Murray incorporated the retailer’s existing uniform stock into the rollout plan, phasing colleagues into the new range as old stock was used up. The result was a changeover that didn’t require a hard cut-off date or leave any usable stock wasted.

Several fabric options were trialled directly in B&Q stores before a final composition was chosen, based on what worked in a real retail environment rather than in a lab. The chosen fabric is lower-maintenance for colleagues day-to-day and was specifically selected with menopause-related comfort in mind.

Murray built an end-of-life recycling pathway so returned uniforms are diverted from landfill entirely and backed it with internal communications to get colleagues actually using it. Uptake has grown more than tenfold since the scheme launched, which lines up with B&Q’s own long-running environmental commitments as a founding member of the Forest Stewardship Council.

Through a combination of tighter ordering controls, more durable fabric and manufacturing efficiencies, B&Q has reduced uniform spend by more than £100,000 across three years of the contract. Longer garment life has also cut down how often items need replacing in the first place.

The range was extended to include a female fit stretch trouser and a maternity option with an elasticated waistband, addressing a gap in the previous uniform offering. These additions were designed so colleagues across different body types and life stages can wear the uniform with the same comfort and confidence.