Materials with protective characteristics will become essential in our daily lives, both in a professional environment and in a personal and leisure environment. According to some studies, textiles will be the first line of defense in protecting people. As a result, customized uniforms are undergoing a number of changes, both in terms of design and in terms of finishes that guarantee extra protection for the wearer, as well as constant innovation.
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues, demand for hospital masks and PPE is increasing, and the fear of new outbreaks is driving the search for new materials that guarantee increasingly effective protection. But this concern is not just for the health sector, but for all areas of activity.
The new design trends applied to fashion, clothing and uniforms revolve around sustainability, ecology, extra comfort, mobility and innovative fabric finishes . We at Unifardas, as manufacturers of workwear, want to apply all these concepts to the Customized Uniforms and Uniforms we produce in order to provide users with a more modern, innovative concept, but also with protective and sustainable features.
The textile and clothing sector has been known for its innovation and creativity. Today, we see a growing concern among both consumers and companies about sustainability.
This is a topical issue, debated and seen as a solution to minimize various actions that have been committed and which damage our planet, such as global warming, pollution, deforestation, among many others. However, this factor can’t just be thought of as protecting the environment, but as part of a set of guidelines that represent the brand’s values. In this sense, the issue of sustainability needs to be addressed on the basis of three dimensions: design, innovation and protection.
When we talk about design combined with sustainability, we are referring above all to the role of the designer in the current context, which is to reconcile environmental issues with the economic model. In other words, since it is not intended or possible to stop production and consumption, it is necessary to find other raw materials, other materials that can be applied to the design process in the manufacture of personalized uniforms and uniforms and that are not so harmful to the environment.
The Eco-design approach is a valuable tool, as it seeks to minimize environmental impacts throughout the product’s life cycle, from its conception to its end-of-life.
Personalization / Customization of uniforms is also one of the trends increasingly valued by customers and different markets. Customizing professional clothing to take into account each user’s working environment, their technical needs, their body measurements and to reflect their own identity are points that are increasingly valued and that we have to invest in in order to respond to these demands.
Accenture recently concluded in a study that consumers prefer to buy products from a brand that personalizes their interactions. Unifardas’ value proposition focuses on this very aspect: Personalization / Customization.
Creating something unique for the customer, taking into account the environment in which the workwear will be used, the technical requirements of their business, the most appropriate design in order to respond to the company’s identity and maintain the points that relate to comfort, protection and durability are fundamental in this customization process that we value so highly.
Consumers, and more specifically the wearers of customized uniforms, are above all interested in garments that give them comfort. Wearing a uniform all day doesn’t have to and can’t be uncomfortable, painful or cumbersome. Comfort is identified as one of the key attributes for attracting consumer desire.
This is where concepts such as ‘Design’, Sustainability, Personalized Uniforms and Innovation come together. Nowadays there is a wide range of materials that, when applied to Customized Uniforms and Uniforms, make them lighter, fresher, more protective and more flexible for the wearer of this type of clothing. Design therefore has the task of applying these materials to the manufacture of these garments, offering the wearer all this comfort.
Ergonomic comfort can be defined as a physical and mental state. The physical is related to the sensations caused by the contact of the fabric with the skin and the fit of the garment to the body without hindering the wearer’s movements. Thus, at a general level, it is possible to understand that ergonomic comfort is related to the compatibility of movements, comfort and safety. As such, these aspects are also related to physical aspects such as temperature, body measurements and appropriate shapes that facilitate movement.
Antiviral protection applied to Customized Uniforms and Uniforms
This is a finish that is already well known in the clothing of health professionals, but which should migrate to Customized Uniforms and Uniforms in general. There is a great desire on the part of both researchers and manufacturers to develop new textile solutions to defend against Covid-19 and other existing viruses. All over the world there are various finishing solutions applied to fabrics that aim to apply a degree of defense to clothing in light of this pandemic that affects us all.
The finish given to the fabric inhibits the growth and persistence of the virus in the fabric, reducing the viral load by up to 99%. In fact, there are several studies on this finish which guarantee that it also contributes to greater hygiene and odor control. This happens through a mechanism that blocks the virus from binding to host cells, thus preventing its growth and proliferation.
Antimicrobial fabrics
Antimicrobial technology adds a durable defense barrier to the fabric, which helps fight odor-causing bacteria. This makes a product with antimicrobial fabric stay fresher for longer. This protection is long-lasting and continuous against potentially harmful microbes and lasts wash after wash.
Sweating is universal and natural. When a person sweats, the bacteria in the skin consume nutrients from the sweat and break it down, producing the odor. Therefore, antimicrobial fabric inhibits the growth of unpleasant odors before they start in clothing by controlling the growth of bacteria.
Natural Solutions
Natural solutions are an excellent option for consumers with a strong concern for the environment. They can be organic, renewable or biodegradable and, together with natural fibers, give rise to soft, fresh fabrics. These natural solutions or compounds can come from the sea, such as collagen peptides from fish scales, with anti-inflammatory effects, and seaweed, rich in vitamins, amino acids and minerals that reduce irritation and help regenerate the skin.
An Italian brand, for example, is using milk protein to create garments that give a softer feel and anti-allergenic characteristics.
Fabrics with UV protection
We all know that not using sun protection during prolonged exposure to the sun is very dangerous for our health. There are several ways to protect yourself from the sun’s rays, one of which is to wear clothing with UV protection.
The production of this fabric with sun protection uses fibers from titanium dioxide yarns. Garments made from cotton are chemically treated with a photo-protective additive that guarantees effectiveness against ultraviolet rays. The chemical coating and titanium dioxide fibers reflect the sun’s rays to prevent them from reaching the skin.
These trends in clothing, and more specifically in Customized Uniforms and Uniforms, have already been discussed and sometimes adopted. However, these same trends will increasingly have an impact on the use of professional clothing capable of meeting all the requirements of users. It is therefore up to us to keep abreast of developments in this market in order to provide the most appropriate solutions for all our customers.
Sustainability is one of the pillars by which Unifardas is governed and it is becoming increasingly important in our production process.
This is already a reality in our company, both in product development and in the processes we adopt. We would therefore like to introduce you to the concept of the 7 R’s applied to the concept of sustainability.
We are all consumers! What we buy and how we dispose of waste can harm the environment. An important measure to combat this damage is to choose what kind of consumer, as a company and as an individual, we want to be. People who are concerned about the environment think about the environmental impact of what they buy and need to buy again.
One widely known concept is the 3 R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. In more recent years these have expanded and evolved into the 7 R’s: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Repair, Reuse, Recycle and Reintegrate.
Rethink – consciously rethink your consumption habits, think about the type of consumer you want to be and what this means for the environment.
Refuse – before you buy, find out about the characteristics of the products and what impact they have on the environment. In the case of Unifardas, the development of Personalized Uniforms and Uniforms made from sustainable raw materials is becoming an increasingly widespread reality that goes hand in hand with environmental protection; example: HISI by Unifardas as sustainable professional clothing.
Reduce – Try to reduce the use of harmful, wasteful and non-recyclable products. Choosing products that are more durable and even multifunctional can be a great solution; meet the overalls that turn into overalls.
Repair – Before discarding certain products, try to see if they can be repaired in order to reuse them. Our current culture is known as the “throwaway society”, as we send more products to landfill than is necessary.
Reuse – Recycle instead of throw away. With a little creativity we can use the same product for another purpose and maintain its efficiency.
Recycle – Put already used materials back into the waste stream so that they can be used again. For example, plastics can be turned into yarn, giving rise to a fabric made from recycled polyester which will be one of the raw materials used in some uniforms manufactured by Unifardas
Reintegrate – What cannot be recycled, such as food waste and other organic materials, can be reintegrated into nature. Organic composting is an excellent process capable of transforming these organic materials into fertilizer.
For Unifardas, a manufacturer of Customized Uniforms and Uniforms, it is extremely important to have theoretical knowledge of both the concepts and the processes in order to adopt sustainability actions in practice to protect the environment.
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UNIFARDAS® supports Espaço T, which is an inclusive organisation, of all and for all, and our common goal is to increase employment opportunities for young people with special needs and/or who, for some reason, have been excluded from the labour market.
We work hard to provide safe working conditions by going beyond the imposed and mandatory minimums.
We support, nurture and offer continuous training programmes aimed at improving skills.
At UNIFARDAS® we keep up to date with the latest technologies and innovations that can optimise our production process making it more efficient and close to zero waste.
UNIFARDAS® is a partner of Espaço T, an inclusive organisation, of all and for all, with the common goal of increasing employment opportunities for young people with special needs and/or who, for some reason, have been excluded from the labour market. In this organisation, immigrants will also find a support network in finding work and housing.
In addition to the sustainable path we have been taking throughout our production and supply chain, UNIFARDAS® participates, supports and organises a beach clean-up every year after the bathing season, in partnership with World Clean-up Day. We are also partners of Seaqual, an entity that, together with some other partners, promotes the collection of ocean waste and its transformation into upcycled marine plastic that will then be used in the production of fabric and other sustainable products.
In addition to the sustainable path we have been taking throughout our production and supply chain, UNIFARDAS® participates, supports and organises a beach clean-up every year after the bathing season, in partnership with World Clean-up Day. We are also partners of Seaqual, an entity that, together with some other partners, promotes the collection of ocean waste and its transformation into upcycled marine plastic that will then be used in the production of fabric and other sustainable products.
