How the two hi-vis standards differ in paperwork, labelling and market acceptance, and what to write into your RFQ for hi-vis rainwear.
ANSI/ISEA 107 vs EN ISO 20471: What to Specify When You Buy Hi-Vis Rainwear
For importers, distributors, PPE brands and project procurement teams, choosing between ANSI/ISEA 107 and EN ISO 20471 is not simply a question of which standard is better. The right specification depends on the destination market, the end-user requirements, and the documentation needed for product approval.
The two standards share the same aim, which is to make a worker visible by day, at dusk and at night. They differ in classification, design requirements, conformity procedures and labelling. For hi-vis rainwear, buyers must also weigh waterproof performance, reflective-tape durability and the scope of the finished-garment documentation.
This guide explains what to specify in your RFQ, which documents to review before ordering, and what to confirm when buying hi-vis rainwear for US, European and international markets.
The two standards side by side
Start with the table below for ANSI 107 vs EN 20471 at a glance. The Class 3 minimum areas are similar, but similar areas do not make the two standards equivalent. The differences that matter to a buyer are the conformity route, the garment classification, the labelling and the documents that demonstrate compliance.
| Parameter | ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 | EN ISO 20471 |
|---|---|---|
| Where it is used | United States. Referenced by federal and state rules and by site-owner specifications. | European market, and many international project and tender specifications. |
| Legal basis | Voluntary consensus standard. It becomes mandatory through the regulations and contracts that cite it, for example Class 2 or 3 apparel for workers on federal-aid highways. | Used under Regulation (EU) 2016/425. Hi-vis clothing is Category II PPE, so CE marking is required. |
| Conformity route | ANSI/ISEA 107 sets performance, material, design and labelling requirements. Background, retroreflective and combined-performance materials are tested by independent ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratories, and the finished garment must meet the design, classification and marking requirements for its Type and Class. Request the material test reports, the design assessment or evidence for the exact style, any declaration of conformity the specification requires, and the label information. | EU type-examination by a Notified Body (Module B), followed by conformity to type based on internal production control (Module C). CE marking and an EU Declaration of Conformity are also required. |
| Classification | Type (O off-road, R roadway, P public safety) plus Performance Class 1, 2 or 3. Class E is used for trousers and bibs. | Garment Class 1, 2 or 3, set by the visible area of fluorescent and reflective material. |
| Class 3 minimums (Type R for ANSI) | 1,240 in² (approx. 0.80 m²) of background material and 310 in² (approx. 0.20 m²) of retroreflective material, as minimum areas. | 0.80 m² of fluorescent background material and 0.20 m² of retroreflective material, as minimum areas. |
| Reflective band width | Type R: 1.38 in (35 mm) for Class 2, 2 in (50 mm) for Class 3. Split-trim designs have their own minimum. | 50 mm minimum for bands that count toward the area. |
| Colour names | Fluorescent yellow-green, orange-red, red. | Fluorescent yellow, orange-red, red. |
| What the label shows | Type and Performance Class, care information and the ANSI/ISEA 107 reference. | CE marking, the hi-vis pictogram and garment class, and the standard reference. Check the care instructions and any declared maximum number of cleaning cycles against the garment’s documented performance. |
Specify the edition in your RFQ. ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 is the published edition listed in the ANSI catalog as of October 2026, and a proposed revision went through public review in 2026. Before ordering, confirm the edition required by the applicable regulation, tender or end-user specification, particularly for long-term supply contracts.
Which standard for which market
The destination market and the customer’s specification decide the standard. Where a market has its own national standard, do not assume that ANSI 107 or EN ISO 20471 is accepted in its place.
| Market | Typical hi-vis requirement | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| United States | ANSI/ISEA 107, usually Type R Class 2 or 3 for roadway work. | State DOT or site-owner specification, and whether the garment must also be flame resistant. |
| Canada | CSA Z96. | Canada has its own standard. Check the customer’s written spec before offering an ANSI 107 garment. |
| EU / EEA | EN ISO 20471 with CE marking (Category II). | Notified Body certificate for the garment and the EU Declaration of Conformity. |
| United Kingdom | BS EN ISO 20471. | Whether the shipment falls under the applicable UK PPE conformity rules, and whether UKCA or CE marking is required or accepted for your supply route. |
| Australia / New Zealand | AS/NZS 4602.1, a separate national standard with its own requirements. | Whether the customer accepts EN-certified garments or requires AS/NZS documentation. |
| Latin America, Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa | Requirements vary by country, industry and project. Tenders often name ANSI/ISEA 107 or EN ISO 20471, but this cannot be assumed. | National regulations, tender documents and the end-user specification. Check them before confirming the required standard. |
Can one garment carry both?
Possibly, but it is a design and documentation job, not a relabelling job. Although the minimum material areas for ANSI/ISEA 107 Type R Class 3 and EN ISO 20471 Class 3 align, this does not establish dual-standard conformity. Each standard has its own design, material, testing and labelling requirements, so a garment intended for both markets must be assessed against both, with supporting documentation for each route.
Do not compare Class numbers alone. ANSI Type R Class 3 and EN ISO 20471 Class 3 use different classification systems and should not be treated as interchangeable. A garment that meets ANSI Class 2 does not automatically meet EN ISO 20471 Class 2, and the reverse is also true. Before accepting a “dual-standard” claim, ask for both document sets: the EN certificate and declaration for the European route, and the laboratory reports and declaration for the ANSI route. Each route needs its own label.
Documents to request before you order
A fabric report is not a garment certificate. The two routes ask for different papers, and the style number on every document should match the garment you are buying. Our guide to garment certification versus fabric testing covers the difference in detail.
| Route | Ask for | Check |
|---|---|---|
| EN ISO 20471 | EU type-examination certificate for the garment. EU Declaration of Conformity. Test reports for the fluorescent and reflective materials. Label sample and user instructions. | Style number, class, certificate scope and validity date. Wash-cycle figures on the label. Instructions in the destination language. |
| ANSI/ISEA 107 | Accredited-laboratory reports for background and retroreflective or combined-performance material. Garment design assessment or evidence for the style. Any declaration of conformity the specification requires. Label layout. | Type and Performance Class on the label. Small-size coverage, because ANSI allows a reduced background area on the smallest size and you should know where that applies. |
A laboratory report or design assessment is evidence, not an EU-style certificate. The ANSI route does not work like EU type-examination. A fabric report is not a garment certificate, so ask what each document covers and whether it names the exact style.
Our CE garment certification guide explains the EU modules, and the ANSI 107 Class 3 rainwear guide covers small-size design and laboratory documentation on the US side.
What changes for rainwear
Hi-vis rainwear has to hold its colour and reflectivity while it keeps the rain out, and a coated fabric behaves differently from a woven vest.
- Colour after conditioning. Colour and luminance are assessed after washing and exposure, not only on new fabric. Ask for the post-conditioning results on the coated fabric you are buying.
- Reflective tape on coated fabric. Heat-welded and sewn tape age differently. The wash-cycle figure on the label should match the attachment method and the tape’s own test report.
- Rain protection is a separate rating. EN 343 grades water penetration and water vapour resistance. The 2019 edition added a fourth class to each. A jacket can carry both EN ISO 20471 and EN 343, but check that the documentation covers the exact garment. Our EN 343 buyer’s guide explains how to read the label.
- Seams and waterproof construction. Hi-vis compliance does not by itself demonstrate waterproof performance. Check whether the seams, closures and construction of the finished garment are covered by the rain-protection testing and documentation.
- Hi-vis is not flame resistance. Where the job also needs FR, the evidence is separate. EN ISO 14116 covers limited flame spread, and ASTM D6413 is a vertical flame test method. Each is one part of the evidence, not a complete FR claim on its own. See ANSI 107 versus ASTM D6413.
- Trousers and sets. Under ANSI, Class E trousers or bibs are worn with a Class 2 or 3 jacket to form the ensemble. Under EN, confirm how the class of a jacket and trouser set is declared on the certificate and the labels.
Keep three evidence lines separate: hi-vis conformity, waterproof and breathability performance, and flame resistance or other special protection. A document for one of them does not show that the garment meets the other two.
What to Specify in Your RFQ for Hi-Vis Rainwear
The more precisely the RFQ names the standard, the fewer rounds of clarification you need. These are the lines we see missing most often:
- Standard and edition, for example “ANSI/ISEA 107-2020 Type R Class 3” or “EN ISO 20471 Class 3”.
- Class for each piece. State whether the jacket, trousers and set are each required to be certified, or only the set.
- Colour. Yellow or yellow-green, orange-red, with the standard’s own colour name.
- Reflective material. Type, width, attachment method and the wash-cycle rating you need.
- Waterproof and FR requirements as separate lines, for example EN 343 class and EN ISO 14116 or ASTM D6413.
- Labelling. Label layout, languages, pictograms, and any private-label hangtags or woven labels.
- Documents before shipment, and who pays for any additional testing.
- Size range, including the smallest and largest sizes, so the area requirements are checked across the range.
Puraingear hi-vis rainwear by route
Pick the route for your market first, then the style. Documentation varies by model and standard, so review the test reports, design assessments and certificate scope for the exact garment before specifying it for a project or a resale programme.
EN ISO 20471 route (EU and international)
Garment-level documentation from AITEX (report no. 2024CN1091UE) covers the DL1152FR set for EN ISO 20471 Class 3, EN 343 Class 4 water penetration and EN ISO 14116 limited flame spread.
FR Hi-Vis Rain Suit
Jacket and trousers set in fluorescent PU fabric with heat-welded 5 cm reflective tape, for work that needs high visibility, rain protection and limited flame spread. Documented under the AITEX report above: EN ISO 20471 Class 3, EN 343 Class 4 water penetration and EN ISO 14116.
Lightweight FR Hi-Vis Rain Jacket
Lighter jacket for daily utility work. Request the certificate scope and test reports that cover this exact style before specifying it.
FR Hi-Vis Waterproof Bib Trousers
Bib trousers for offshore and marine work. Confirm the trouser class, the certificate scope and how a jacket-and-trouser set is marked before specifying the pair.
ANSI/ISEA 107 route (United States)
DL1152 and DL1153 are covered by an SGS-CSTC design assessment (Section 6, Type R Class 3 and Type P Class 3). This is design-assessment evidence, not an ANSI certificate. Request the assessment scope, the fabric test reports and the label layout for the exact style you are buying.
ANSI Class 3 FR Waterproof Rain Jacket
Yellow hi-vis PU jacket with tape layouts scaled across the size range, for oilfield and pipeline work.
FR Waterproof Bib Pants
Bib pants designed to be paired with a compatible upper garment for industrial and mining use. The ensemble classification depends on the garment combination and the supporting design-assessment evidence, and ASTM D6413 fabric-test results alone do not establish ANSI/ISEA 107 conformity.
See the full range on the FR rainwear category page.
Frequently asked questions
No. Both standards address high-visibility apparel, but their classifications, design requirements, testing and conformity documentation differ. A garment meeting one standard should not automatically be treated as compliant with the other, and ANSI Class 2 does not equal EN ISO 20471 Class 2.
Potentially. The garment must meet the applicable requirements of both standards, including materials, design and labelling. Request documentation that supports each conformity route for the exact model.
Not necessarily. A fabric report shows material performance, but it does not show that the finished garment meets the required class. Check the scope of the finished-garment assessment, certificate or other conformity evidence.
State the standard and edition, garment class, application, colour, size range, waterproof requirements, any additional protective requirements, labelling details and the documents needed for approval. Confirm that the evidence covers the exact garment and configuration you are ordering.
Not on those documents alone. The EU requires CE marking and EN ISO 20471 documentation for hi-vis clothing, and US rules and tenders generally name ANSI/ISEA 107, for example Class 2 or 3 apparel on federal-aid highway work. Ask the end user for the written requirement before you quote.
Canada uses CSA Z96, and Australia and New Zealand use AS/NZS 4602.1. Both are separate national standards, so confirm with the customer whether ANSI 107 or EN ISO 20471 garments are accepted before you offer them.
Specifying hi-vis rainwear for your market?
Tell us your destination market, required standard and class, intended application and estimated order quantity. Our team will help you identify suitable styles and review the product documentation, customisation options and labelling details.