The price of workwear is known at the time of purchase. Its true cost only becomes apparent when it is in use. The decisive factor is how long the garment lasts through work and washes whilst retaining its properties.
Workwear has to work hard. It gets worn, stretched, soiled and washed over and over again. At the same time, it should feel comfortable, look smart and retain the properties required for the job.
At the purchasing stage, attention is easily drawn to the price. However, a cheap fabric can end up being expensive if the garment made from it has to be replaced quickly. The importance of service life is particularly significant in large-scale workwear purchases.
– The purchase price alone does not indicate which option is ultimately the best value for money. What matters is how much use the garment gets and how well it retains its properties, says Anne-Mari Rinne, Foxa’s Export and Marketing Manager.
The lifespan of a workwear garment is determined long before it is worn for the first time. The choice of fibres, fabric structure and finishes lays the foundation for the garment’s durability, comfort and performance.
At Foxa, a long service life is one of the key objectives of material development.
Durability is evident in use and in the wash
The durability of a fabric must be assessed according to its intended use. In different work tasks, stress is applied to different areas, and the frequency and conditions of washing also vary. A good material meets precisely these requirements.
Abrasion resistance can be assessed, for example, using the Martindale test. In this test, a fabric sample is abraded under controlled conditions and the resulting wear is examined. The test provides information on resistance to abrasion, but assessing the actual service life of workwear also requires consideration of other properties.
Wash resistance is important for workwear. The garment must retain its dimensions and shape to ensure a good fit. Colour fastness also affects how long the garment looks neat and fits in with the company’s uniform workwear scheme.
– Durable workwear must retain its properties through repeated washing and heavy use. In addition to wear and tear, factors such as colour and shape retention, as well as comfort, must be taken into account, explains Rinne.
Nor is durability alone enough if the garment feels uncomfortable to the wearer. Workwear is expected to offer flexibility, breathability and freedom of movement all at the same time. Combining these properties begins with material development.
Sustainability is measured in days of use
When discussing responsible workwear, attention often focuses on the origin of the material or the proportion of recycled fibre. These are essential details, but we must also consider how the material performs in use.
– Simply using recycled fibres is not enough. The material must also meet the demanding performance requirements of workwear. Above all, a sustainable fabric is a long-lasting fabric, Rinne emphasises.
When a garment remains usable for a long time, the need to purchase a new one can be postponed. At the same time, greater benefit is derived from the material already in use and the resources used in its manufacture. A long service life thus combines economic efficiency and sustainability in a very concrete way.
This is also an important consideration in public procurement. Alongside the purchase price, it is worth looking at the costs of washing and maintenance, the ease of repair, and how often garments need to be replaced. The cheapest purchase and the best overall value may be two different things.
In order to compare options, reliable information is needed on the properties, origin and manufacture of the materials.
– Cooperation between the fabric supplier and the workwear manufacturer ensures that the intended use and essential requirements are taken into account right from the development stage, Rinne summarises.
Extending the garment’s lifespan through repairs
Even a durable garment can develop a tear or a hole. If the garment is otherwise serviceable, it is worth repairing minor damage. This allows the use of good-quality material to continue, rather than having to buy a new garment.
Foxa’s fabrics are also used in the clothing patches produced by the Finnish company FabPatch. The rub-on patches make mending easy and help to extend the lifespan of textiles.
Durable fabric can therefore serve a dual purpose: first as the material for the garment, and then as a repair patch that gives the garment extra days of use.