Your uniform provider affects more than how your team looks. It shapes your weekly routine, your safety compliance, and the impression you make on customers. Choosing a local partner puts those details in the hands of people who know your business and your region.
CLS has provided uniform rental, garment care, and facility services to Michigan businesses since 1899. Here are ten reasons companies across food and beverage, healthcare, and industrial settings choose CLS as their local uniform provider.
Quick look: 10 reasons to choose CLS
10 benefits of choosing CLS as your local uniform provider
1. Local service, backed by a statewide Michigan footprint
CLS is headquartered in Kalamazoo, with branches in Grand Rapids, Cadillac, Saginaw, Alpena, and Livonia that cover the entire lower peninsula. When you call, you reach people who know your area and can respond quickly. Six branches across the state mean your service is never routed through a distant, out-of-state hub.
2. Family-owned and operated since 1899
CLS has been family-owned for more than 125 years, built on relationships, integrity, caring, and commitment. That continuity shows up as steady service and long-term partnerships, rather than decisions driven by quarterly targets at a national headquarters.
3. A dedicated route representative who knows your account
Your assigned route service professional handles your facility week after week. They learn your par levels, your sizing, and your people by name, so requests and adjustments get handled without you starting from scratch each time.
4. Reliable, on-time weekly delivery
Consistent delivery keeps your team stocked and your operation moving. CLS builds its service around on-time, accurate deliveries, and maintains a 98.5% client retention rate that reflects that reliability.
5. Hygienically Clean certified laundering
CLS is Hygienically Clean certified, which means an independent auditor has verified its laundering against documented cleanliness standards. For food service and hospitality operations especially, that third-party certification offers measurable peace of mind.
6. The right uniforms for the job, laundered to match
Different jobs call for different garments, and each one only protects you and your work if it’s laundered to preserve what makes it work. In addition to everyday uniforms for Michigan businesses, CLS launders specialized workwear to keep it doing its job:
- Food processing: smocks and gowns cleaned to third-party verified hygienically clean standards that support food safety.
- Roadside and high-traffic work: high-visibility and enhanced-visibility garments laundered to keep them bright, reflective, and meeting ANSI 107 standards.
- Electrical and industrial safety: flame-resistant and arc-rated workwear laundered using care practices aligned with NFPA 2112, 2113, and 70E, so protective ratings hold up wash after wash.
7. Custom embroidery, logos, and branding
CLS applies company logos, employee names, and department color coding to your garments. A consistent, branded look makes roles easy to identify on the floor and puts a professional face in front of your customers.
8. Flexible programs that scale with your headcount
Staffing shifts through the seasons, and your uniform program should keep up. CLS adjusts par levels and garment counts as your team grows or shrinks, so you avoid both shortages and paying for inventory you’re not using.
9. More than uniforms: mats, towels, restroom, and linen service
A local partner can cover more of your facility under one relationship. Alongside uniforms, CLS provides floor mats, shop and kitchen towels, restroom supplies, and linen service, which means fewer vendors to manage and one familiar team handling it all.
10. Hassle-free, all-inclusive rental
With a rental program, CLS handles laundering, inspection, repairs, and replacements for a predictable recurring cost. You skip the upfront investment in garments, the in-house laundry labor, and the tracking, so your team stays focused on the work that matters.
The local advantage adds up
Each of these benefits points to the same idea: a local uniform provider can give you service that’s more responsive, more accountable, and easier to manage. CLS pairs that local presence with more than a century of experience and the certifications and safety practices Michigan businesses rely on.
Ready to see what a local partner can do for your team? Request a free quote or explore our uniform services to get started.
FAQs
What areas of Michigan does CLS serve?
CLS is headquartered in Kalamazoo and operates branches in Grand Rapids, Cadillac, Saginaw, Alpena, and Livonia, covering the entire lower peninsula.
What does a CLS uniform rental program include?
A program covers garments plus laundering, inspection, repairs, replacements, and weekly pickup and delivery, all for a predictable recurring cost.
Is CLS certified for cleanliness?
Yes. CLS is Hygienically Clean certified, an independent, third-party verification that its laundering meets documented cleanliness standards, which is especially valuable for food service and hospitality operations.
Can CLS handle flame-resistant and industrial workwear?
Yes. CLS launders flame-resistant and arc-rated garments following care practices aligned with NFPA 2112, 2113, and 70E, so protective properties are maintained over time.
Does CLS offer more than uniforms?
Yes. CLS also provides floor mats, towels, restroom supplies, and linen service, so you can consolidate multiple facility needs with one local partner.