Behind every pocket placement, every stretch panel, and every sizing decision at Badger is a product development process that starts with a key element: what workers actually need on the job.
Angela is Badger’s Product Manager, and she’s been shaping the range from the inside out. From designing women’s-specific designs for the thermal wear ranges to introducing recycled fabrics and pushing sizing up to 10XL, her work is driven by feedback from the people wearing Badger on site every day.
We sat down with Angela to talk about how product ideas take shape, where workwear is heading, and what’s currently in development at Badger.
Q. You’ve been across Badger’s product development for a while now. What does a typical day look like for you when you’re in R&D mode, and where does a new product idea usually start?
A: Often our product design ideas start with feedback from our customers. For example, they might need more pockets, or more stretch, or we identify a gap in the market for something they may need. Then we research what’s out there, what new innovative fabrics, trims or designs might be new to the market, or what people are using or wearing overseas, and we go from there, sketching up ideas.
Q. We’re seeing a lot more women in trades and industrial roles across Australia. How has that shifted what products Badger offers? Is it just a matter of sizing, or does the product design itself change?
A. It’s great to see more women in trades! Badger has designed a women’s wear Corex Range in our Core styles, including Singlets, Polos, Jumpers and Cargos. It’s a matter of tailoring to the female form for better fit and comfort. We’ve designed our Corex range so that women can purchase a similar size to what they would wear from common brands, or their everyday street brands. Badger has also added a curve fit to Badger’s women’s cargo trousers and shorts from size 16 – 26, we know this is much better tailored to what women want.
Q. HiVis has always been about compliance, but it feels like workers are expecting more from their workwear now. Are people asking for things like stretch panels, moisture management, or specific pocket placement in a way they weren’t five years ago?
A. People want their clothing to work with them on the job. They love stretch, especially in a warehouse situation where they may be bending, reaching and generally a lot of movement. People also want specific pocket placement based on the equipment they need to carry. We can design the pockets to suit this requirement, and of course people want moisture management which means our garments need to be breathable on the job.
Q. Sustainability keeps coming up in conversations about workwear. How does Badger integrate sustainability into products?
A. Our Polo fabric is a micro mesh that is 100% recycled. We aim to introduce more recycled fabrics into our product range to ensure we can be as sustainable as possible. Our Hi Vis Safety Vests are also
made from 100% Recycled Polyester. Additionally, we’ve introduced more sustainable packaging (for example our gloves are wrapped in cardboard) and reduced packaging wherever we can.
Q. Extended sizing is something Badger offers, going up to 10XL on some products. What was the conversation internally that led to that decision, and what kind of response have you had from customers?
A. We want our workwear to cater for all sizes and shapes and by doing this we go up to a size 26 for women and size 10XL in our men’s and unisex ranges. Having such a large size range allows diversity for our customers and means that the whole team can wear Badger’s products
Q. You’ve recently launched women’s specific versions of the Freeza and Chilla jackets. What’s different about the pattern and construction compared to the unisex version, and why do you think it took the industry so long to get there?
A. I think it’s common in the workplace to have unisex clothing to cut down on SKU’s. Unisex fits are often more favourable to men, so we thought it was important to have clothing that also fit women properly which in turn helps women to feel more comfortable. If their clothing is comfortable and fits well, they can focus on their job. We found with the women’s design we really needed to shorten the sleeves and body length, lessen the shoulder width, and add more shape to the hips. Overall, they have less bulk to worry about when wearing their freezer wear.
Q. What’s something currently in development at Badger that you’re most excited about, even if you can’t give us the full picture yet?
A. Badger is redesigning a lighter weight freezer wear range, as we know this is something our customers would love. More to come on this soon!