Co-created clothes for hard work – Lindström’s new WorkerPro collection introduces stretch panels and new functional features
Workwear is a tool among others, believes the team behind Lindström’s new WorkerPro line. The collection is co-created with customers and the people who will wear the garments for years to come.
A pocket is just a pocket, right?
Not when designing workwear that must be functional, comfortable, safe, and good-looking.
In Lindström’s new WorkerPro collection, every detail matters. That’s why the multifunctional tool pocket in the work trousers was designed many times over. The placement of the pocket, the number and size of compartments, and a flap that can be tucked into the pocket to create a big open compartment are all results of a meticulous design and development process.
Functionality is at the core of the new collection, explains Irena Kostelanská, Project Manager at Lindström. The goal was to create a line of garments that suits the needs of multiple industries and fulfils the demands of various roles.
WorkerPro is all about ergonomics and comfort. The garments are easy to mix and match and easy to repair.
Irena Kostelanská, Project Manager
The collection has two lines: WorkerPro PRIME for professionals who demand the highest performance from their garments and WorkerPro LITE for everyday comfort at a competitive price.
“In both PRIME and LITE, the key element is functionality, combined with a streetwear-inspired look, ensuring the collection is timeless. We have really tried to develop something that will be in circulation for a long time.”
Increased comfort and adjustability
The WorkerPro collection has many new features compared to previous workwear from Lindström. One of the most important additions is the stretch panels, which ensure an increased range of motion and extra comfort.
Creating the new collection took three years and involved several internal and external stakeholders, explains Soile Pakarinen, Designer at Lindström. One of the most important parts of the process was talking to end users and seeing the garments in action on various sites, from factories to maintenance shops.
From the designer’s point of view, it’s crucial to see where and how these garments are used and talk to the workers to understand what kind of problems they have or what’s missing from their current workwear. One of the most frequent requests were these stretch panels, which also received great feedback in the testing phase.
Soile Pakarinen, Workwear Designer
One key area in the design process was user comfort. For example, the updated waist adjustment system allows the wearer to tighten or loosen the waist easily during the day, even with one hand.
“It’s simple to adjust when you switch tasks or need to put heavier tools in your pockets. We wanted to cover all kinds of working positions. We can ensure the garment stays on well even if you crouch down or crawl under something.”
Most workwear on the market is unisex, which often means it’s designed for men. However, the WorkerPro collection includes garments designed specifically for women. Except for the PRIME line dungarees and overalls, women will have the same items with all the same functionalities but with a female-specific fit. As Pakarinen explains, this is not only about looks but a safety issue as well.
“In many industries, there’s a chance of entanglement if the sleeves or legs are too long. We tried to tackle this issue with male and female-specific garments and versatile adjustments. For example, if the leg is too long, it’s easy to adjust. The garments are well-fitting and not too bulky.”
True co-creation in the WorkerPro collection
While functionality, comfort, and versatility are key in the collection, the team also had to consider factors like durability, repairability, and sustainability in the process. Balancing these features took some careful consideration and multiple iterations, explains Kostelanská.
A good example of juggling multiple factors is the zipper on the jacket. The design team worked closely with the factory that produces the garments and Lindström’s laundries to optimize how to construct the jacket so that the zipper is easy to remove. Based on feedback from the laundries, which make most of the quick repairs to garments in circulation, the front panel was redesigned to allow for quicker zipper replacement.
“I would call this a true co-creation process. The lifespan of workwear can be very short and when we’re able to repair the clothes, we are prolonging their lifetime even for several years,” Kostelanská explains proudly.
While some of the garments in the WorkerPro collection include fabric made with post-consumer PET bottles, what really determines workwear’s environmental footprint is how much and how long it will be used. Pakarinen explains that the items in the new line are easy to use with other clothing or existing workwear, reducing the need to overhaul all workwear at once. She has already seen workers mix and match items from old and new workwear lines.
“And people are using the multifunctional tool pocket in ways we didn’t even think of!” she adds, laughing.
In the end, workwear is all about how it’s used at work.
Good garments give you confidence and a feeling of professionalism and that your employer values you. I see the garment as a tool a worker uses daily.
Soile Pakarinen, Workwear Designer
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