ANSI/ISEA 107-2026: What Changed and What Safety Professionals Need to Know

The new ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 standard is officially published, bringing updated requirements for high-visibility safety apparel. For safety managers and PPE buyers, the question is what those revisions change about the apparel they're already using and the garments they'll purchase next. Updated sizing provisions, material testing, and manufacturer documentation can affect how products are evaluated, but a new standard doesn't automatically require replacing existing workwear.

Key Takeaways

• ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 clarifies sizing provisions for smaller Type R garments and updates design and testing guidance for retroreflective materials, including segmented and heat-applied configurations.
• Manufacturers must make a Declaration of Conformity available upon request for each style or model offered for sale, giving buyers a way to verify product-specific conformity claims.
• The new edition doesn't automatically require employers to replace apparel labeled under ANSI/ISEA 107-2020. Safety teams should review applicable requirements and consider the updated provisions when evaluating future purchases.
• The revision updates material performance testing and introduces an optional test for overall nighttime visibility. This new nighttime evaluation is not mandatory for every compliant garment.

What Is ANSI/ISEA 107-2026?

ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 is the latest edition of the American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel, published by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA). The standard establishes performance requirements for apparel designed to improve worker visibility around moving vehicles, equipment, and other workplace hazards.

It covers compliant fluorescent background materials, retroreflective materials, garment design, testing, labeling, and care. It also maintains the familiar garment classifications: Type O for off-road environments, Type R for roadway work, and Type P for public safety. Performance Classes establish minimum requirements for visible material and garment design. Together, these designations help employers specify apparel appropriate for the work being performed.

What Changed in ANSI/ISEA 107-2026?

The new edition includes changes across five major areas. Some primarily affect manufacturers and testing laboratories, while others have practical implications for safety managers, distributors, and organizations purchasing high-visibility apparel.

1. Updated Sizing and Garment Measurement Requirements

The 2026 standard clarifies when reduced fluorescent background-material requirements can apply to smaller Type R garments, through size M. The revision also addresses garment measurement methods and sizing consistency.

These provisions matter because the amount of visible material required by the standard must fit within the garment's dimensions. A design that comfortably accommodates the required material on a large vest may be more difficult to adapt to a smaller frame.

For safety managers, that design consideration carries through to garment selection. An oversized vest may have sufficient fluorescent and reflective material but still creates problems with movement, snagging, or how the garment sits on the worker. The appropriate ANSI classification and proper fit both matter.

2. Updated Design and Testing Requirements for Retroreflective Materials

Retroreflective material returns light toward its source, helping drivers and equipment operators recognize workers illuminated by headlights or other directed lighting. ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 updates design and testing guidance for several material configurations, including:

• Split-trim materials
• Segmented and non-continuous materials
• Heat-applied retroreflective materials

These updates help the standard better account for heat-applied reflective materials already widely used in high-visibility workwear, including designs with separated segments rather than continuous sewn-on tape. The appearance of reflective striping alone isn't enough to establish conformity. Two vests may carry the same ANSI Type and Performance Class while using different materials and construction methods.

3. Revised Material Performance Testing

High-visibility garments encounter conditions that can affect their appearance and performance, including sunlight, repeated laundering, abrasion, and daily wear. ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 updates test methods covering several material properties:

• Colorfastness: How well material retains its color when exposed to specified conditions
• Dimensional change: How fabric dimensions change after specified treatments, including laundering
• Tear resistance: The material's resistance to tearing under defined test conditions
• Laundering and retroreflective performance: How materials perform under applicable cleaning and evaluation procedures

Testing evaluates performance under defined conditions. It doesn't guarantee that a garment will remain suitable for use indefinitely or perform identically in every work environment. Consider a jacket used occasionally for site inspections compared with a vest worn daily by a road crew. Both may satisfy applicable ANSI requirements when new, but they face very different conditions in service. Their service life will depend on construction, working conditions, maintenance, and use.

4. Optional Test for Overall Nighttime Visibility

The 2020 edition introduced optional reporting of overall nighttime luminance. ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 builds on that provision with an updated optional test for evaluating overall nighttime visibility.

Traditional retroreflective material testing evaluates specified properties of the material itself. The evaluation provides an additional way to assess nighttime visibility more broadly, accounting for how reflective materials are arranged and distributed across a garment. 

Importantly, this test is optional. It does not establish a new universal requirement that every ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 garment must pass an overall nighttime visibility evaluation.

5. Declaration of Conformity Requirements for Each Style or Model

Declarations of Conformity were already required under earlier editions of ANSI/ISEA 107. The 2026 revision clarifies that a Declaration must be available upon request for each style or model offered for sale.

This document gives buyers a way to verify a manufacturer's claim that a specific product meets the applicable standard. That becomes particularly useful when organizations purchase several styles from the same supplier, each potentially carrying different classifications or standard editions.

What Does ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 Mean for Safety Professionals?

The publication of ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 does not automatically establish a universal deadline to replace garments labeled under ANSI/ISEA 107-2020. ANSI/ISEA 107 is a voluntary consensus standard, although its requirements may become mandatory through applicable regulations, contracts, or other specifications.

For example, OSHA recognizes high-visibility apparel as necessary protection for certain employees exposed to roadway and construction traffic hazards. Other requirements may come from transportation authorities, government contracts, or project-specific PPE specifications.

Employers should evaluate the requirements applicable to their work before making replacement decisions. Garments must also remain suitable for their intended use, regardless of which edition appears on the label.

What Should Safety Managers Consider When Purchasing New Apparel?

Consider an organization adding a new high-visibility jacket to its approved PPE list. The safety manager needs to confirm which ANSI edition the manufacturer identifies, whether the Type and Performance Class match the intended application, and whether the available sizing works for the employees who will wear it.

The manager can also request the manufacturer's Declaration of Conformity for the specific style or model. Once those requirements are satisfied, other selection considerations remain. A garment's construction, comfort, durability, and functional features can affect how well it serves workers throughout their shifts.

How Kishigo Helps Safety Teams Choose the Right High-Visibility Workwear

For more than 50 years, Kishigo has specialized in high-visibility workwear. The company also participates in the ANSI/ISEA 107 standards committee, bringing firsthand knowledge of the standard into its approach to garment design and development.

That combination of technical knowledge and practical design helps safety teams:

• Make more informed apparel decisions. Kishigo's involvement in developing high-visibility standards provides valuable insight into the requirements behind garment classifications, helping customers look beyond general compliance claims when comparing workwear.
• Find a better fit for their workforce. Kishigo's range of sizes, fits, and garment designs gives employers more options for outfitting workers of different body types while supporting comfort, mobility, and functionality.
• Choose workwear suited to actual job conditions. From roadway, construction, and public safety to wet-weather and low-light work, Kishigo offers garments designed around different applications, helping teams consider visibility, comfort, and durability alongside ANSI requirements.

If you're reviewing your existing specifications or evaluating new high-visibility workwear, request a quote through Kishigo's partner network to connect with a distributor and find apparel suited to your team's work and visibility requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions About ANSI/ISEA 107-2026

Did ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 Change Class 2 and Class 3 Requirements?

The familiar Type O, Type R, and Type P designations and Performance Classes remain in place. However, the 2026 edition updates certain design and testing provisions, including expanded background-material allowances for smaller Type R Class 2 and Class 3 garments. Employers must still select the appropriate Type and Performance Class based on their workers' exposure.

What Colors Meet ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 Requirements?

ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 retains three approved fluorescent background colors: fluorescent yellow-green, fluorescent orange-red, and fluorescent red. Other bright colors, such as pink or blue, do not satisfy these background-color requirements. Color alone also doesn't establish compliance. Garments must meet the applicable requirements for retroreflective materials, visible surface area, and design.

What Changed About High-Visibility Garment Labels in ANSI/ISEA 107-2026?

The updated standard requires garment markings to remain legible throughout the garment's duration of use. This matters because safety managers and workers rely on labels to identify a garment's classification and applicable standard. Worn or unreadable markings can make it difficult to verify whether apparel meets an organization's PPE requirements.

Can High-Visibility Jackets With Non-Fluorescent Hoods Meet ANSI/ISEA 107-2026?

Yes, provided the garment meets the applicable requirements. The 2026 revision includes guidance addressing non-fluorescent hoods that could obscure required high-visibility materials. When evaluating jackets and other outerwear, buyers should consider whether the hood covers fluorescent or retroreflective areas when worn and confirm the garment's ANSI classification.

Does ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 Compliance Mean a Garment Is Flame-Resistant or Arc-Rated?

No. ANSI/ISEA 107-2026 establishes high-visibility apparel requirements but does not automatically qualify a garment for flame or arc-flash protection. Although the revision updates references to flame-resistant apparel standards, employers must separately verify that garments provide the appropriate protection for identified fire or electrical hazards.