The best part of workwear design? Seeing garments in use every day

Good workwear can make a workday safer, smoother and more comfortable. When it does its job well, the wearer may not even think about it. The pockets are in the right place. The fabric feels right for the working environment. The garment can handle repeated washing. And, when needed, it also protects the wearer against specific risks.

Behind each garment, there is a lot of careful work.

At Lindström, workwear designers Jenny Selroos and Karmen Lond work with customer-specific workwear projects every day. Their work combines creativity, technical know-how, customer understanding and close teamwork.

From customer meetings to product specifications, samples, test washes and photo shoots, no two days are exactly the same.

What does a workwear designer actually do?

The everyday work of a workwear designer is full of variety. Several projects of different sizes and stages are usually running at the same time.

One customer may need just one new garment. Another may need a full workwear collection with many different requirements.

Customer-specific workwear is usually needed when Lindström’s standard collection does not include a product that fully meets the customer’s needs. For example, a garment may need a specific pocket solution, or the customer may want the workwear to reflect their company image more clearly.

In many cases, the final workwear selection includes both garments from Lindström’s wide standard collection and customer-specific additions.

The goal is always the same: to design workwear that helps employees work safely, comfortably and smoothly every day.

Workwear design starts with the customer’s workday

A successful workwear project starts with listening.

At the beginning of each project, we work closely with the customer to understand their needs and wishes. Before any design work begins, the requirements for the garments need to be clear.

Before design begins, we look at:

• What the garment will be used for
• The working environment and temperature
• Humidity, dirt or mechanical strain
• Safety, hygiene and visibility requirements
• Pocket placement and other practical details
• How often the garment needs to be washed

Customer meetings often give us a chance to see the future working environment of the garment. That helps us understand what the workwear really needs to do in daily use.

Once the requirements have been defined together with the customer, we begin preparing the collection presentation.

From customer needs to a clear collection proposal

A collection presentation is both visual and informative. It helps the customer see what the proposed workwear could look like and how the garments would work in practice.

The presentation includes product details, materials and other key information. It is also an important tool for the sales team, as it makes the design plan easier to understand and discuss with the customer.

When the customer has reviewed the proposal, we can start working on the first garment samples.

Precise specifications turn the design into a real garment

Before a sample can be ordered, the designer creates exact production instructions for the product. In our daily work, we call these “specs”.

The specifications include detailed instructions for the garment, from seam structures to materials and accessories.

At Lindström, we do not usually need to start from scratch. We have a comprehensive library of proven garment bases that can be used in pattern making. We also use ready-made and tested solutions for garment details, such as pockets, as well as fabrics and accessories.

These tested solutions save time and help keep the process cost-effective.

Based on the specifications, Lindström’s skilled pattern makers create patterns that match the design. The samples are also made at Lindström’s own PRODEM factories.

Samples are checked, measured and improved

Once the samples are ready, we check and measure them carefully. We also test how the details work in practice.

Does the pocket function as planned? Is the fit right? Do the materials and details support the intended use of the garment?

If something needs to be improved, we order a new sample.

Before a garment is moved into production at our factories, the product instructions must be fully accurate. This careful groundwork helps make sure the final garment is ready for daily use.

Test washes help us make sure the garments last

Workwear needs to look good and function well, but it also needs to withstand washing.

We use test washes to make sure that new materials, colour combinations and accessories can handle Lindström’s washing service. Test garments are washed and dried in our own laundries under the same conditions as the final workwear will go through during its service life.

This matters especially in industries where garments are washed often for hygiene reasons, such as manufacturing, healthcare and restaurants.

If a garment cannot withstand repeated washing, its protective properties may weaken too quickly. That is why testing is an important part of workwear design.

Protective workwear requires extra precision

Sometimes workwear also needs to function as protective clothing, or personal protective equipment. In these cases, the garment must be EU type-examined and CE marked.

Protective clothing must meet general requirements as well as the specific standards identified in the risk assessment for the role. For example, high-visibility clothing must meet the requirements of the EN ISO 20471 standard.

For a designer, this means both precision and creativity.

The garment must meet strict criteria, such as requirements related to reflective material, structures and seam direction. At the same time, it should still look fresh and fit the customer’s needs.

Protective clothing is tested by independent testing institutes. The tests confirm that the materials and structures meet the required protection classes.

The final steps before the garment is ready

At the end of the project, the new product is photographed.

On the photo shoot day, the designers pack the new garments and head to the studio. There, they steam the garments, dress the mannequins and support the photographer throughout the day.

After the photo shoot, the products are archived in the sample storage. The product images are then shared with the customer.

After all these steps, the customer-specific workwear is ready for the world, and the designers turn their attention to the next projects.

The people behind the garments

Jenny Selroos and Karmen Lond are colleagues in Lindström’s Case Support team. Both work as designers in close cooperation with project managers.

Their friendship goes back years. They first met at a university of applied sciences, where they studied clothing design together. Who would have guessed that even after graduation, their desks would still be next to each other?

The best part of being a workwear designer at Lindström is knowing that the garments will be used every day.

Jenny Selroos, Designer, Customised Solutions

It’s great to be part of a more sustainable clothing design and production process.

Karmen Lond, Designer, Service Launch and Support

For Jenny and Karmen, workwear design is a special field. It is about much more than how a garment looks. It is about understanding real work, designing for real needs, and making sure the wearer is safe, comfortable and ready for the day ahead.