HOW DOES A PAIR OF CRAFTSMAN TROUSERS COME ABOUT?
One of our autumn launches is the Craftsman stretch trousers 2621 STK with a jogger look and feel and an advanced design with comfort in focus. But how does a new pair of craftsman trousers come about? What requirements, decisions and tests are behind the finished product? Anastasios Lappas, Head of Design & Innovation at Fristads tells us about the making of these new, innovative, and sporty pair of trousers.
The STK is part of our jogger family of craftsman trousers that really challenges the idea of what a pair of craftsman trousers should look like. The word comfort is taken to a new level and the sporty design really stands out. But the design of the STK, like for all our craftsman trousers, had to follow a few fixed design principles.
User needs and wishes in focus
Of course, we look at trends within fashion and sports when designing new garments and we find a lot of inspiration in sportswear, but the most important thing when designing a new product is the needs of our users. The demand for garments with stretch has increased in the past few years and a comfortable fit, along with functionality, is the top priority for our users. Not strange at all, since you use your workwear during most of your day and often in quite physically demanding situations.
“Our new STK jogger is made in full stretch material. The waist is elastic and has been provided with a soft material on the inside, so it does not chafe. Good ventilation is another thing that many users want. Larger parts of these trousers are knitted, which gives good ventilation in itself, but to provide extra ventilation we have used another knitting technique at the back and inside thighs that gives an even better airflow.”
The being or not being of the loose-hanging nail pockets is also debated in different professions. We have worked with nail pockets that can be tucked away before, but for these trousers we have taken it one step further. You can completely stuff away the nail pocket in a pocket that closes with a zipper. Just like for all our trousers, the knee pockets have two positions for the knee pads, which is a requirement to get the knee pockets certified. We have also opted for form-knitted knee pockets, which together with the close-fitting design really hold the knee pads in place.
The right combination of materials
Sustainability and decreasing our environmental impact are also important to us. The longer a garment lasts, the less often the wearer needs to buy a new one. During the design phase it is important to consider what we can do to maximise the lifetime of the garment. First of all, we need to make sure that the materials we work with can handle wear and tear, which we do by putting them to the test in our own accredited laboratory. Then we consider the combination of materials, using the right material in the right place.
“In our STK jogger the same durable fibre is used for the entire trousers, but while the lower part of the trousers is knitted we have used a stretch rip stop material at the back, on the thighs and on the nail pockets that are more exposed to wear and tear. It gives a smoother surface and reduces the risk of getting stuck.”
Also, the crotch seams are exposed to quite some strain which is why it is standard for all our craftsman trousers to feature a double reinforced crotch seam. Once we have a design and a product it is time for user tests. Based on the feeback we receive, adjustments are made to the design.
Strive to decrease our environmental impact
We always strive to decrease the amount of waste material in our production. The knitted parts on the STK jogger are knitted in one piece which means zero waste. By using shape-knitting technique we also decrease the number of seams. Besides, the trousers have a very clean design and all details have a function to fill. So, the creativity lies not only in designing a stylish product, but also in finding smart solutions to create a product that meets the needs of our users and our high demands on durability with the environment in mind.
