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Thin, Lightweight, & Warm! The Dedication of the Developers Behind Workman's "Bazz Heat Air Hoodie," Designed for Outdoor Craftsmen
Despite recent years experiencing warmer winters, outdoor craftsmen working all day still seek high-performance outerwear for cold weather. Workman has continuously met the needs of such craftsmen for many years. Essentially, Workman is a specialist in cold-weather outerwear, offering a diverse range of products each year.
In this article, Workman's Chief Product Planning Officer, Satoshi Biwaki, from the Product Development Department, as well as Koji Yamada, who is an official ambassador for Workman, discuss the appeal of one of Workman's cold-weather outerwear, the "Bazz Heat" series.
In this article, Workman's Chief Product Planning Officer, Satoshi Biwaki, from the Product Development Department, as well as Koji Yamada, who is an official ambassador for Workman, discuss the appeal of one of Workman's cold-weather outerwear, the "Bazz Heat" series.
The "Buzz Heat" Series is the “Invisible High Achiever”
Koji Yamada (hereafter, Yamada) How did the planning for the "Bazz Heat" series begin?
Satoshi Biwaki (hereafter, Biwaki)The "Bazz" in "Bazz Heat" has the meaning of "explosion" (as in "buzz," an explosion of popularity). Through numerous prototypes using various materials, we were able to create a new concept for cold-weather outerwear that is "thin, lightweight, yet warm" by utilizing high-performance insulation.
Workman develops cold-weather outerwear with various materials to accommodate a wide range of customer uses and preferences. For instance, down insulation is known for its bulkiness, which appeals to many who seek that feature in cold-weather outerwear.
In contrast, the flagship model of the 2024 autumn-winter "Bazz Heat " series, the "Bazz Heat Air Hoodie," is characterized by its thin, lightweight, and highly mobile design—all while maintaining warmth.
We use a material called ETHERMALOFT®, which is treated with graphene, a highly heat-conductive material, to create an additional heating effect of approximately +8℃.
YamadaThe "Bazz Heat Air Hoodie" features a sleek design reminiscent of sportswear. What situations was it specifically designed for?
BiwakiWhile it seems to be used for outdoor and sports activities as well, it was actually designed as a workwear product. There’s a reason for its sporty design. It’s not widely known, but there are design trends in workwear too.
Previously, products with a casual feel, like denim, were popular, but recently, sporty designs have become favored. Looking at the latest trends, it seems that classical designs are also starting to make a comeback, which may increase their popularity in the future.
Of course, the appeal of the "Bazz Heat Air Hoodie" extends beyond design. Since it is worn by craftsmen on-site, we've incorporated various features that enable efficient work.
For instance, the hem is designed to fit the body, ensuring it doesn’t move much when raising or lowering the arms.
BiwakiThe thumb holes at the sleeves are designed to keep the backs of the hands warm.
BiwakiTo keep the face warm during strong winds, the hood is contoured to fit the shape of the head. The fabric has a high water-repellent treatment, making it resistant to water and easier to clean in case it gets a bit dirty.
BiwakiAdditionally, the "Bazz Heat Air Hoodie" emphasizes high storage capacity, featuring six pockets. The inner pocket at the hem can even accommodate a water bottle.
BiwakiThe left chest pocket is designed with a laminate waterproof treatment, intended for smartphones.
BiwakiWe've also paid considerable attention to the zipper slider. We use a soft material for the slider. Do you know why?
YamadaIs it for safety on-site?
BiwakiThe "Bazz Heat Air Hoodie" is designed to be packable, allowing it to be stored by turning inside out through the left side pocket. Using a hard slider during this process could risk tearing the fabric.
When stored in this way, it can serve as a makeshift pillow, which is useful when resting in a car or while camping.
BiwakiWhile it’s a minor detail, we print not only the product name but also an illustration to identify the product once it’s stored.
YamadaThis is really helpful! Workman has many packable products, so when they're stored, it can be hard to tell which is which.
BiwakiWe use a special material for the lining as well. Yamada, could you try it on for a moment?
YamadaIt slides on nicely and is easy to wear.
BiwakiThis fabric was specially developed for this product. The "Bazz Heat" series may not stand out much on the sales floor, but we focus a lot on these fine details in the production. You could say it's like a "hidden star" (laughs).
The Struggles of Workman Developers Hidden in Product Tags
YamadaThe product illustrations are also included on the tags, but are these created in-house?
BiwakiWe outsource to an external company. The illustration for the "Bazz Heat Air Hoodie" was designed with the left arm raised to emphasize ease of movement. This was based on a rough illustration I sketched by hand, which we then created 3D data from.
Each product developer also works on their own tags, but since we haven't studied that specifically, it’s quite challenging to express product features clearly through illustrations (laughs).
BiwakiThe same goes for product names. For example, when promoting lightness, should we use "light" or add "super" and call it "super light"? How light does it have to be to qualify as "super light"? Alternatively, is there a better term like "air" or "free"? Should spring/summer products have different names than fall/winter products? We're struggling with these decisions.
While we want to highlight all the features we've packed in, a long product name can also be an issue, so we need to keep things relatively compact.
We're very particular about the wording on the tags. Starting from the fall/winter collection of 2024, Workman has started to communicate functionality more clearly. Previously, we used English for that extra flair (laughs), but this time we’re incorporating a lot more hiragana.
We're very particular about the wording on the tags. Starting from the fall/winter collection of 2024, Workman has started to communicate functionality more clearly. Previously, we used English for that extra flair (laughs), but this time we’re incorporating a lot more hiragana.
The expression like "plus a few degrees" that I mentioned earlier has been carefully developed with the help of third-party inspections to confirm its effectiveness, investing time and cost into it.
Surprisingly Popular “Bazz Heat” Products
YamadaOne product in the same "Bazz Heat" series that has caught my attention is the "Bazz Heat Flyer 3-Way Coat." It's very rare for Workman to release a long outerwear like a bench coat, so when it launched in the 2023 fall/winter season, I thought it might sell out in just one season, but I was surprised to learn that it’ll still be available in the 2024 fall/winter collection.
BiwakiThis uses a function padding different from the "Bazz Heat Air Hoodie," made with ceramic microparticles. It absorbs far infrared rays emitted from the body, and through repeated radiation from the ceramic microparticles, warmth is achieved.
This is a slightly voluminous item that emphasizes warmth, but the hem is detachable to adjust the length, making it suitable for various climates, which has received positive feedback.
YamadaI think many people wear it while cheering for children’s sports. My wife loves wearing it while camping in winter.
BiwakiWorkman has a series called Flame Tech, which resists holes from sparks when having a bonfire, so it would be interesting to create a camping version of the "Bazz Heat Flyer 3-Way Coat" with Flame Tech.
YamadaFrom the fall/winter season of 2024, they will also release the "Bazz Heat Coat Kids." I think these items are quite rare in other brands and might become a hit.
YamadaAre there any new product ideas being generated for next winter?
BiwakiWe are considering using a new filling material to create thin yet warm outerwear that suits the recent climate.
YamadaThat sounds interesting. I’m looking forward to it.
PROFILE
Satoshi Biwaki
Chief of Product Planning, Product Development Division 1, Workman Co., Ltd.
PROFILE
Koji Yamada
Fashion Analyst / Official Workman Ambassador
Active as a freelancer mainly through "Koji Yamada's Fashion Blog." Author of "結局、男の服は普通がいい 世界一かんたん、一生使えるオシャレの方程式" (KADOKAWA).
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