By Helle Knudsen & Jane Kallesøe
For this project we have chosen to focus on work wear
– with the focus on pants for workmen within different industries.
The main idea is to optimize our products in order to
fit our consumer in the best way. In order to do so, we have made a
questionnaire and given it to the workmen in our network.
Additional to this we have also tried to compare
different brands for work wear in order to gain more information on the area
and to compare with our consumers’ wishes.
The brands we have gathered research from are;
· * FE Engel
· * Kansas
· * Mascot
· * Snickers
FE ENGEL
FE Engel is a part of the Danish company F. Engel K/S,
family owned company from 1927, and is today run by 4th generation.
F. Engel focuses on being good consultant and sparring
partner for their customers and end-consumers, which is why they constantly set
higher and higher demands to themselves with interest of product quality,
innovation, creativity, flexibility and environmental awareness.
KANSAS (FRISTADSKANSAS)
This company has the world’s widest product assortment
of work wear. This position gives them the opportunity to met the consumer’s
demands to work wear more precisely than other vendors.
Their goal is to produce functional work wear that
gives the consumer the possibility to give their best.
According to a news article at Fashionforum.dk Kansas
or FristadsKansas will be Europe’s biggest brand within workvwear – because of
the joining of these two brands – the Swedish Fristad and the Danish Kansas.
Both Fristad and Kansas are a part of the global
Kwintet Concern , which today is Europe’s biggest supplier of work wear.
(http://fashionforum.dk/2012/04/03/kansas-nu-med-nyt-navn-og-endnu-mere-potentiale/)
MASCOT
It is an international family driven company that today is driven by 2nd
generation. It was founded in 1982, and its headquarter is located in
Silkeborg.
MASCOT develops, produce and marketing work wear and safety footwear of
high quality and is today among some of the biggest in Europe.
MASCOT has through time won several awards because of their ability to
create customer value, Customer Value Enhancement Award.
MASCOT’s clothes are being used by for example Danfoss, TDC, Falck etc.
“Tested to work work” This is their slogan, but also the whole
philosophy behind the company. MASCOT set high demands to them about being
tested to work in every link on the production, service, and appearance.
SNICKERS
Snickers was founded in 1975, by an electrician named
Matti Viio which means, that the work wear he had, wasn’t good enough – so he
decided to make his own, because no one listened to the changes he had to his
clothes.
Matti created a revolution within work wear, by
designing work wear, which live up to the needs, that workers have. Since
there, Snickers has been first mover within work wear, and its still driven by
the fighter spirit which made it all possible in the beginning.
Snickers work wear is one of the leading companies in
Europe within work wear and are presented in more than 20 countries.
For more than 30 years, the company has developed
advanced work wear regarding the demands the professional workers have to their
equipment. Everyday, they aim to move the limits for advanced designs and
superior functionality, comfort, protection and durability – all that, because
they want to do the worker’s job, a little easier, more secured and productive.
‘’
They know what it takes, to get the job done’’
HISTORY BEHIND WORK WEAR
Before the 18th century work wear were leaved of
clothes, but after the arrival of fabric woven textile in the end of the 18th
century, the clothes were produce for its purpose.
As mention previous on this blog (Jeans as work wear),
Jeans was produced as work wear for the gold mine workers in California, from
approximately 1870’s, and was only used as work wear until the 2nd
world war.
Work wear have often a special function.
Some work wear are in the 1990’s required and
regulated by legislation. Thus certain works health is being protected.
Previously, the workmen showed through their clothes
what kind of profession they belonged. In the 1990s the clothes show through
color, shape and logo what particular company the workmen belong to.
http://www.arbejdstoejet.dk
1880-1920
Woolen work trousers
Homespun pants is unlined and cut so that there is
more width to the butt – and the long shirt.
A clasp and a back vent make it possible to adjust the
width of the waist.
The fly is being closed with wood buttons and there is
6 wood buttons on the lining for placement of belts.
Interior lining at the waistband and in the fly, and
pocket bags are made of 4 different kinds of striped cotton fabric.
The pants are heavy, but still porous, as the heavy
wool material has been processed mechanically with water, soap and heat in
order to felt and then be brushed.
The picture is from approximately year 1920.
Material: wool, cotton.
1920-1950
Overall – Norwegian, Danish & American model
M.A. Petersen’s clothing company made clothing for
boys and men in wool and cotton, and the product range stretched from shirts of
work wear and clothes for scouts, to woolen tennis- and golf trousers.
At their pricelist there is 3 types of drawings of overalls.
The Norwegian model – 2 sewn front pockets, 1 back
pocket, 1 pocket for inch ruler, and a bib in one piece with the pants. There is no crossings or visible fly closure,
no back piece and the cut is very simple.
The Danish model has a got a better fitting with
crossings at the waist, fly and cross pockets, and looks a bit like the
American model, which was the newest.
The American model has been improved with lining at the waist double
stitching and pockets at the bib – a model that lasts for almost 50 years.
The factory offered overalls in cotton in the color
indigo, beige brown, khaki and unbleached stout.
The picture is from approximately year 1931.
Coveralls
The man in the middle wears work pant and jacket in
suit shape, while the man on the left is wearing coveralls. Both of these men
are boiler attendants.
It was important to wear clothes with didn’t get stuck
when entering between strait and narrow boilers.
The coverall was suited to pull over other clothes.
The picture is from approximately year 1925.
1950-60
The company HBI
The khaki colored work
pants by the brand Trumph is from the company HBI. The company started in the
1930’s, when the founder came home from a stay in Canada. With him he had the
idea of sewing work pants for farmers, and the cut became an imitation of the
riding police’s uniform.
He took a sewing class at
a tailor in Haderslev and later invented his own grading system. He bought his
fabric at Vejle Klædefabrik and Grenaa Dampvæveri, the fabric got cut in his
home and got sow at home seamstresses.
The company grew
gradually and expanded its assortment to include other kinds of work wear.
(The company’s products
are cheaper than Engel and Kansas.)
The pants are with button
closure at the fly and are closed at the waistband with 2 patent buttons. There
are 2 small pleats on the front pieces and incision at the back piece.
Leg and crouch seam is
made with 3-needles. The pants have 2 cross pockets, 2 sewn pockets, 2 inch
ruler pocket, but no hammer loop.
The picture is from
approximately 1956, and the fabric material is 100% cotton.
1960-1980
Trumpet shape
The width at the foot has
through time followed the men’s fashion, sometimes impractical wide legs. In
the 1970’sthe trumpet pants was introduced to the men’s fashion, and this
followed the work wear pants.
With the economic
recovery in 1960’s, it was possible to effort
more than one set of work wear in order to have something to change
with, but it was still fashionable to have patches and visible repairs.
The picture is from year
1978.
Bricklayer set – the white profession
A bricklayer used these
white clothes at work, and after his retirement he would use it for painting
and housework at home.
The jacket has small push
buttons and both parts are of 100% cotton.
For many workmen groups
the work changed to a more industrialized manufacturing process, but they have
kept the working suit, which was special to their profession.
Besides showing what kind
of working group you belong to, it also showed hierarchy at the work place. An
unskilled worker wouldn’t dream of wearing the bricklayer’s white suit.
The picture is from after
year 1972, and the material is 100% cotton.
Blacksmith – the blue profession
This work wear was used
by trained blacksmith.
Normally one would wear
overalls, but some choose not to because of bad fit. You would then make sure
that the pants was long enough to cover ankles and clogs and protect them from
the sparks from the forge.
The work wear pants and
jacket is in classic shape. The jacket has a hidden buttons closure, which
actually is a continuation of the fly closure in the pants.
The picture is from year
1977, and the material of this work wear is 100% cotton.
Overall
Vejle DAmpvæveri was one
of the biggest supplier of fabric within the Danish clothing factories,
including work wear.
As the first one in DK
they launched the new fabric FACONFAST. The cotton clothes was treated so it
wouldn’t shrink, and you wouldn’t no longer have to buy the work wear 1 no. to
big in hope that it would shrink to the right size after first wash.
In the add (the picture)
is shown a drawing of overall in the time’s design with clear 3-needle
stitching and metal buckles.
The picture is from 1953.
1990-1990
These work pants are 2nd sorting due to the
mistake in the color. The have been sewn in a cotton/polyester mix in a classic
cut with ordinary plastic buttons and 7 pockets, but no hammer strop. They are
worn and the fabric lint.
The picture is from year 1980, and the material is 65%
cotton and 35% polyester.
Overall
The development of work wear took off in the end of
this period. Partly because new work functions and tools demanded it, partly
because the manufactures increasingly began to use test persons. In this way
the user got higher influence on the shape, which reflected in the design.
On these overall the metal buckles have been replaced
with impact resistant click buckles in plastic. The back piece is higher than
the front piece, the straps are wider and has been sewn in a elastic material,
in order to improve the comfort.
The trouser has sewn knee pockets that close with
Velcro (e new material that quickly gained a foothold).
Besides the usually 4 pockets and tool pockets, the
overall have 2 extra front pockets, which hang loose from the lining.
Kansas predicted major growth in the field of profile
clothing and lower sales in regular work wear, when the production jobs began to
move abroad. They then began to buy small Danish companies and went listed to
the stock exchange in 1984.
The picture is from year 1985, and the material of
these overalls are 65% cotton, 35% polyester, and from Kansas.
Boiler suit
This boiler suit has been used at Frederiksværk
Elektro. It is a classic model with hidden button closure. By the side seam there are slits so you can
get to the clothes underneath.
The back has 2 movement pleats and the right back
pocket has gained a flap, so the wallet can stay in the pants.
The freedom of movement hasn’t been taken in to
consideration when making this.
The boiler suit is made of 100% cotton, as it has been
used for work with battery acid, which quickly would destroy man-made material.
The picture is from before year 1990.
1990-2000
The pockets developed.! These workmen pants from Mascot has sewn cross
pockets in front, back pockets with double layer fabric at the bottom as
reinforcement and to hanging pockets sewn at the waistband. Stitched knee
pockets also made it easier to maintain kneepads during work.
Thermal clothes only sold during the winter, so
through the 1990’s the company Mascot expanded their product range to also
include work wear.
The picture is from year 1994, and the material of
these pants is 65% polyester and 35% cotton.
Overall
These overall is produced by Kansas in 1995, and is far away from the
classic design, which they have been producing for 25 years, and which they the
following year received the ID prize for.
Also the other big work wear clothing companies took a
risk at the new models and colors. The
elder users were conservative in their choice of work wear, but the young
generation wanted functional and smart clothing.
At the same time the companies wanted to signal
quality and style of their companies, so the trend went – and goes – more and
more towards individually manufactures profile clothing.
The overall at the picture is a classic fit, but the
color scheme made it untraditional. The material is 65% polyester and 35%
cotton.
The picture is from year 1995.
Boiler suit
Also this one became two-colored, and besides the new
colors, there also came more details; adjustable knee pockets, telephone breast
pocket for the cellphone, sleeve pockets with Velcro, pockets at the tie with
double pleat and adjustable hammer strops with 2-ways zipper in front.
The companies expanded gradually the classic models
sewn in cotton and cotton/polyester with 2-colored work wear and winter
clothing, safety clothing and departments for casual wear, intended in new
colors and materials.
The picture is from year 1998, and the material of
this work wear is 65% polyester and 35% cotton.
2000-2010
The work wear pants in durable cotton denim that
emerged in the 1920’s and became the most favorite pants for many years, has
now developed to a product range with many different design.
There has been experimentation with shape and
materials, with design and colors, and today one can choose between numerous
models, depending on the work wear function.
This pant, which is from Mascot, has a low shape cut waist and the legs
have been ergonomically shaped at the knee pockets. The hanging pockets have
exterior straps for tools and at exposed places, the pants have been reinforced
with cordura – a new material produced with man-made fibers with an unique
durability that surpasses the previous used polyester/cotton blend.
The picture is from year 2006, and the material of
these pants are 100% cotton twill, 355g/m2.
Overall
The overall has also moved with the times and is
available in different models, colors and materials.
The old model is in 100% cotton and in the classic
colors, which still stick, as there still is a small market for so-called
ordinary work clothes.
These overalls have 2 cross pockets, one with coin
pocket and chest pocket with flap and strap with D-ring. On the ties there is a
cellphone-, pencil-, and inch ruler pocket and 2 back pocket with flap. Wide
elastic at the back ensures good movement.
At some work places it has been allowed to use
knickers and shorts instead of the long pants. This may be solved by purchasing
pants with zip off function, which is another detail that has moved from casual
clothes to work clothes.
The picture is from 2008.
Boiler suit
The 2-colored boiler suit is available in 10 different
color combinations, but is also produces in the classic 1-colored in 2 fabric
qualities.
There is a big jump from the first stitching together
of blue work wear pants and jackets, to
today’s boiler suit with hidden 2-ways zipper, more than 10 pockets and
insert fit.
The picture is from 2010, and the material is 65%
polyester and 35% cotton.
QUESTIONAIRE – REAL WORK MEN
TYPE OF WORK
· * Brick layer
· * Self-employed electrician
· * Blacksmith/engineer
· * Self-employed master
carpenter
· * Mechanic/industrial
technician
· * Paramedic
· * Sign/board technician
WORK WEAR BRANDS
· * Mascot – 4 of the persons
asked uses this brand
· * Snickers Work Wear – 2 of
the persons asked uses this brand
· * Kansas – 1 of the persons
use this brand
TYPE OF USE
Some of our consumers
wear their work wear pants for both work and in their spare time, while some
only use them at their work.
IMPORTANT CHARACTERS FOR
THE USERS
· * Comfort
· * Pleasant to wear
· * Movement
· * Not to hot to wear
· * High durability
· * Plenty of pockets –
different sizes
· * Functional
· * The material may not be
to stiff
· * The size fit
· * Room for kneepads
WISHES TO CHANGE/IMPROVE
· * Warmer in the winter,
colder in the summer
· * Proper pockets
· * Placement of knee pads –
the length doesn’t fit all people, since some are shorter
· * Washing – not loosing
color
· * Zipper for the back
pockets
CONCLUSION
Through our research of
different brands within work wear and questions for our consumer we have found
out that the most important thing for our customers are placement of kneepads,
pockets and material.
KNEEPADS
Almost every one of the
consumers of who we have spoken with, have mention kneepads and length of the
pants. All people don’t have the same height, which is an important thing to
have in mind when designing our product.
As solution for this we
have chosen to produce our product in 2-3 different length so also those who
aren’t 1,75m have the opportunity to be happy for our product, and don’t have
to lift up in their pants every time they have to bend their knees in order for
the pads to live up to its function. And also so the consumer who have a bit
height don’t wear the kneepads over the knee.
In addition to this we
want to offer our consumer different type of kneepads with different type of hardness, so the pads fit their
job function and their needs. For example a floor layer or one with a bad knee
will choose the kind of pads, which is more ergonomic.
The kneepads are made of
an advanced D30* material, which stiffens on impact and absorbs impact energy.
All kneepads have a curved design that closes around the knee when kneeling.
The kneepads keep
their shape during hard work and last
twice as long as other kneepads.
Below is a guide to help
the users to choose the right kneepads according to their job and depending on
how much time they are using on their knees an frequency up and down on knees.
POCKETS
Of course this is
depending on our consumers purpose with the product, but focusing on the
craftsmen as users, like brick layer, carpenter, electrician etc. it is
important that the pants have more than 2 pockets, and that these are in
different sizes. Also the placement of the pockets is important to the users.
These of our products
which have back pockets, one of these pockets are normally closed with a
pushbutton, but as this can have some problems for our users, we have choose to
change this so it now will be closed with a zipper instead. In that way the
user doesn’t have to fear of loosing whatever they have in their back
pocket(s), when laying down working, sitting etc.
MATERIAL
This subject covers color
properties, durability and comfort.
It is important for us
that our user don’t experience that the color fades after first wash, as our
paramedic in our questionnaire experience with their product from MASCOT.
The material that we use
for our products must not fade in the color after washing, but only because of
hard use after a long period.
The material need to be
strong and have a high durability and still be comfort to wear.
We are aware that some
jobs set higher demands to the durability of our clothes, which is why, for
these type of jobs, we are consider the possibility to produce a collection of our
work wear pants in Kevlar material. This material is mainly used for motorbike
pants because it has an extremely high durability.
The video below shows a
testing of this material. If the pants in this video wasn’t made of Kevlar and
an “normal” denim material, the man will properly don’t have any ass left.
One of the things that
the consumers demands are the possibility to wear the same pants during summer
period and winter period, but without having it to hot or cold by wearing the
product.
Of course it is possible
to get “ski underwear” made specific to wear under work wear, but we wan our
users not to have to do this, which is why we current are trying to
find/produce a material that isolate when required and/or transport heat away
when it is necessary.
Of course we have though
about making a pants where it is possible to zip of some of the length so you
have long pants during the winter and shorts during the summer if you chose,
but in some jobs it may not be practical.
