High-visibility and reflective are terms that are often used interchangeably, but when it comes to technical fabrics, they describe two different things.

The easiest way to understand the difference is to picture a typical hi-vis vest.

The bright fluorescent yellow material is the high-visibility fabric, while the silver strips are reflective material.

They perform different jobs and are particularly effective when used together. 

What is high-visibility fabric?

High-visibility – or hi-vis – fabric uses an exceptionally bright colour to make the wearer or object stand out from its surroundings.

Fluorescent yellow is perhaps the most familiar example, but hi-vis fabrics are also available in colours including orange, pink and green.

The main purpose of these bright materials is daytime visibility.

They can make somebody easier to spot when working in potentially hazardous environments, for example, which is why fluorescent fabrics are so strongly associated with workwear, road workers and construction sites.

It’s important to remember, however, that simply being a bright or neon colour doesn’t automatically make a fabric certified high visibility.

Where a finished product needs to comply with a particular safety standard, the specification of the material and the design of the finished garment both need careful consideration.

What is reflective fabric?

Reflective material works in a completely different way.

Traditional reflective fabrics typically use glass-bead technology. When light hits the material, it is reflected back towards the source – a little like the effect produced by a road cat’s eye.

Under normal lighting, a piece of reflective material may simply look matte silver. Shine a torch onto it, however, and the difference becomes obvious.

That makes reflective fabric particularly valuable in the dark, when it can pick up light from sources such as vehicle headlights.

It’s why you’ll commonly see reflective detailing on clothing and equipment designed for cyclists, runners and people working around roads.

Do you need hi-vis or reflective fabric?

It depends on when and where the finished item needs to be seen.

Broadly speaking:

High-visibility fabric helps improve daytime visibility.

Reflective material helps improve visibility in the dark when a light source shines onto it.

Combining the two can therefore provide visibility across a wider range of conditions. This is why the familiar hi-vis vest uses both a fluorescent base fabric and reflective strips.

Are all hi-vis fabrics the same?

No. Hi-vis materials are available in different constructions, weights and technical specifications.

The right material will depend on what you’re making and the environment in which it will be used.

This becomes especially important with professional workwear and safety applications. Depending on the intended use, there may be additional requirements to consider beyond visibility, such as flame-retardant performance.

If you’re making something for a specific work environment, speak to your fabric supplier about the application rather than choosing purely on colour. They can help identify a material with the appropriate specification for the job.

What about ISO 20471?

EN ISO 20471 is an important standard associated with professional high-visibility clothing.

If you’re producing a garment that needs to meet a particular standard, it’s important to check the requirements of the finished item rather than assuming that using fluorescent fabric alone will make the completed garment compliant.

The amount and positioning of visible material, the specific fabric used and other aspects of the finished design may all matter depending on the application.

For non-certified projects, you may have considerably more freedom to select bright and reflective materials according to the requirements of your design.

Does hi-vis fabric fade in sunlight?

Hi-vis fabrics are commonly made using polyester and can hold their colour reasonably well, but prolonged UV exposure will eventually have an effect.

An item left permanently outside in strong sunlight may fade more quickly unless the material has been specifically treated for increased UV resistance.

Windsocks are a good everyday example: those positioned permanently beside roads or at airports can become noticeably faded over time.

If your project will spend long periods outdoors, UV exposure is therefore worth discussing with your fabric supplier when selecting the material.

Does washing affect hi-vis and reflective clothing?

Care matters too.

Workwear can be washed very frequently, and repeated exposure to harsh detergents or excessively hot washes can cause colours to deteriorate more quickly.

Always follow the appropriate care instructions for the fabric or finished garment. Maintaining that bright colour is an important part of maintaining the visibility the material was selected to provide.

Reflective fabric doesn't have to mean silver stripes

Reflective technology is also developing.

Some newer materials can look much more like conventional coloured fabrics during the day – appearing red, black or another colour – but become highly reflective when illuminated at night.

That creates interesting possibilities for applications such as running and cycling clothing, where designers may want nighttime visibility without the traditional appearance of silver reflective strips.

It can also have applications in children’s outerwear, particularly during the darker winter months when journeys to and from school may take place in low-light conditions.

Using reflective fabric creatively

Reflective material isn’t limited to straightforward strips on workwear.

At Point North Profabrics, reflective material is available as 25mm and 50mm reflective tape, as well as reflective fabric by the metre.

Buying the wider fabric opens up more possibilities for custom projects. It can be cut into shapes, logos or other designs and incorporated into jackets, bags, sportswear and equipment.

Whether you’re making practical workwear, adding visibility to cycling gear or experimenting with reflective detailing on a bespoke project, the starting point is understanding the job each material actually does.

Browse Point North Profabrics’ high-visibility and reflective materials to find the right fabric or tape for your next project.