Uniforms not only serve a functional purpose, they also help us to identify occupations. In the case of professional painters, they often opt for bright white apparel………but why? You would think that it would be counter-intuitive, given the colorful splotches of paint they’re likely to suffer. In the 1800s, union painters donned white uniforms to communicate professionalism. Non-union painters and moonlighting painters typically showed up wearing whatever they wanted. In that way, it was easy for consumers to determine which painters were professionals and which were semi-skilled laborers. Why did union painters choose white? That’s because work trousers were once repurposed from discarded ship sails. The material was durable as well as lightweight, making it a cheap and reliable choice for sailors. Other laborers soon adopted the practice, and pretty soon painters were donning white sails to head to work.
