Peter Lawson, Brand Manager for Overland Shoes, explains how wholesalers can help close the PPE gender gap and, in turn, reap the financial benefits.

Imagine the scene. It’s early morning on a new jobsite. You have eight hours ahead of you, most of which will be spent on your feet on hard, unforgiving surfaces. You pull on your safety boots and immediately feel it – they’re too wide, poorly shaped and uncomfortable. You’d ask for a better option but you already know there isn’t one because, as always, the only choice is a generic, male-designed safety boot. So, you make-do with footwear that was never designed for you and, worse still, may actively compromise your safety.

Sounds absurd, doesn’t it? Yet for many female electricians and other tradeswomen, this is the norm. For decades, safety footwear design has centred almost exclusively on the male workforce. When women have been considered at all, it has often been through a superficial ‘shrink it and pink it’ approach, rather than addressing the genuine anatomical differences between men and women. The result is a market saturated with products that simply don’t fit a significant and growing portion of the workforce.

The irony in this is that, instead of protecting the worker, poorly-fitting safety footwear can become a danger in itself. To put this into perspective, electricians and other trade workers walk an average of 10,393 steps per day. That’s nearly five miles every shift, or up to 25 miles each week. Most people wouldn’t dream of attempting that distance in poorly fitting footwear so it’s inconceivable that many women on site are expected to do so week in, week out, operating in sectors that are already considered high-risk.

And it’s not just a comfort issue. Beyond fatigue and reduced concentration, research shows that ill-fitting boots increase strain on the body, heighten the risk of slips and trips and can contribute to long-term musculoskeletal injury. Studies also demonstrate that women forced to adapt to male-designed footwear may alter their gait or posture, further compounding the risk of injury.

Comercial imperative

For wholesalers, as key suppliers of PPE, this represents both a responsibility and an opportunity. As the number of women entering electrics and other trade roles continues to rise, demand for properly designed, female-specific safety footwear will only increase. In this way, addressing the PPE gender gap is no longer a niche consideration but a growing commercial imperative.

The good news is that solutions are already emerging. This is seen in the recent arrival of the all-new Bobcat Safety Footwear women’s collection which has been purposefully designed to deliver the optimal balance of safety, comfort and style for women across all industries.

Engineered with insights from leading sports footwear technology and extensive research into the needs of working women, the dedicated women’s range – built across five distinct design handles – uses anatomically correct, gender-specific lasts to deliver true fit, real protection and all-day wearability.

At the heart of the range is comfort that works as hard as the wearer. Every model carries the signature Bobcat design language, with safety features tuned for real-world jobsite environments and the unique comfort advantage of Redbacks Leaf Spring Technology at the core. Unlike foam or gel inserts, which simply soften the impact, Leaf-Spring Technology helps promote better posture, balance and alignment and reduce strain on the lower body. This technology is particularly effective in reducing the risk of plantar fasciitis, a condition all too common among tradespeople who spend hours on unforgiving surfaces.

No sacrifice

Meanwhile, features such as lightweight materials, composite safety toe caps, metal-free construction and puncture-resistant midsoles ensure maximum protection without sacrificing flexibility or comfort.

Style is accounted for too with the collection spanning four distinctively bold, sharp contemporary styles, shown across 5 SKUs, designed to provide a tailored solution for the full spectrum of real-world requirements. For ultimate versatility, the Akron, available in sleek All-Black or on-trend Sage, brings all-day comfort with a trendy hiker-inspired look, breathable lining and triple-density outsoles. The Rockford adds a sportier edge, pairing a lightweight build with advanced safety features ideal for logistics and light assembly. Rounding out the range, the athletic Clinch keeps feet protected through tough shifts, while the Virginia steps up for high-heat environments with waterproof leather, heat-resistant soles and supportive wedge insoles.

The range also delivers a strong margin opportunity. With RRPs from £85 to £125, wholesalers can capture higher spend while offering a product that women in the trades genuinely want, need, appreciate and value. This is supported by a robust trade marketing strategy that proactively drives customers to the counter – from social media and influencer activity to targeted PR – boosting awareness, footfall and sales.

Closing the safety footwear gender gap is no longer a question of if, but who will lead the way. Those who recognise this shift and stock products that genuinely meet the needs of all workers won’t just be doing the right thing – they’ll be positioning themselves a step ahead of the rest of the market.

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