Workwear that lasts: how we design for longevity and circularity
The longer a garment lasts, the less material, energy, and water you waste replacing it.
That’s why we design workwear built to last, easy to repair, and ready for a second life. From smart material choices to repair-friendly details and closed-loop recycling, here’s how we’re extending workwear lifecycles and cutting waste.
Why garment longevity matters
Extending a garment’s lifespan is the most effective way to reduce its carbon footprint—even more than using sustainable fabrics.
Soile Pakarinen, Workwear Designer at Lindström.
Soile leads the ‘Product longevity project’ at Lindström, creating design guidelines that help workwear hold up across demanding environments–from industrial worksites to high-volume laundry facilities.
“Enhancing product longevity has been one of my personal goals for a long time,” she explains. “This project gathers insights on how our current products perform so all Lindström designers can learn and improve.”
The benefits of long-lasting workwear add up fast:
- Fewer replacements mean lower operational costs
- Reduced demand for raw materials, energy, and water
- Less waste at the end of a garment’s life
- Stronger brand reputation and competitive advantage
“Every replacement garment requires new materials, energy, and water to produce them,” says Seija Forss, Material Manager at Lindström, who leads the work for more sustainable material choices in product development. “Repair lets us use the same garment again and again.”
How we develop workwear for longevity & durability
Garment longevity is a team effort. Designers, engineers, production specialists, and laundry teams all play a role—along with the workers who wear the garments and return them for regular maintenance.
Start with user needs
Good design begins with a clear understanding of industry demands and everyday user needs.
Our garments stay in circulation for years, so functionality and comfort are top priorities. “If the garment isn’t serving the end user, then there’s no point. Functionality and comfort are key for a successful product,” says Soile.
We put designs to the test in the field, speaking directly with customers in their own environments to get honest feedback. During the development of our winter workwear collection, for example, Soile visited sites to see garments in action and collect insights that shaped the final product.
Select durable materials
We set the bar high: all materials must be high-quality and long-lasting, whether it’s virgin fibre or recycled polyester.
Every fabric goes through rigorous testing before we approve it. That includes wear tests with users to confirm longevity, plus 25 industrial wash cycles to check shrinkage, colour fading, and appearance. Fabric suppliers handle additional lab tests like pilling and abrasion resistance as needed.
Based on the feedback and test results, we adjust designs and add reinforcements to high-wear areas, making sure all garments hold up in the field.
Design with repair in mind
Beyond durability, garments need to be easy to repair and maintain.
Every year, we repair around 4.5 million pieces of workwear. During the design phase, we assess repairability with laundry teams, visiting laundries to confirm whether a product can be easily repaired using their machinery.
“In design, it’s easy to focus only on what’s new, but we learn a lot by listening to what’s happening with the products already in use,” says Soile.
Designing with repair in mind means:
- Adjustability prevents premature wear. Adjustable leg lengths, for example, keep trousers from dragging on the ground—a typical repair spot.
- Modular parts swap out easily: Front zippers and other high-wear components are designed to be removed and replaced without scrapping the whole garment.
- Standardised accessories keep repairs simple: Laundries stock common buttons, snaps, and tapes so replacements happen fast.
“The laundry environment has to be efficient—they can’t spend too much time repairing one item,” explains Soile. “When garments are easier to repair, they’re simply more likely to be repaired.”
Closing the loop: turning old workwear into new products
We’re working toward a fully-closed loop where our own end-of-life workwear becomes new products.
Here’s how it works:
In 2025, we launched a workwear fabric containing 10% recycled polyester and cotton from our end-of-life textiles—the result of years of collaboration with fabric supplier Klopman and recycling partner Rester. The process involved multiple development rounds, industrial washing trials, lab tests, and user tests to meet our textile service standards.
We’re also participating in tExtended, a Horizon Europe-funded project exploring innovative approaches to textile recycling. While still in development, the tExtended project is proving we can increase recycled content in textiles without compromising durability.
“We don’t do this alone,” says Seija. “Working with partners is essential, especially in the earlier stages of the recycling process.”
What’s next in workwear
We’re always exploring new ways to improve sustainability in our workwear design. One example is 3D design tools that help us evaluate garment ergonomics before creating physical samples. We can test how different fabrics perform in different working postures like reaching or bending—all digitally.
“I’m excited about the possibilities 3D tools are offering. We already see many benefits: fewer samples needed, better designs, and stronger collaboration within our global team,” says Soile.
The bottom line: No company can solve textile longevity and sustainability alone. As more businesses adopt recycled materials and invest in circular systems, economies of scale will improve availability and bring down costs. That’s why we’re committed to sharing what we learn and collaborating across the value chain.
Related
A group of members of the European Textile Services Association (ETSA) has joined forces to address challenges in textile recycling.
Resource scarcity is reshaping textiles. Working with a textile service provider can help you manage risks and gain a competitive edge.
The Platinum medal places Lindström among the top 1% of more than 150,000 companies assessed globally by EcoVadis.
