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Lightweight Workman's SOLOTEX-Using "Bazz Light Stretch Jumper" Is the Pinnacle of Workwear
Fashion values vary greatly from person to person. The answers to the question, "What kind of fashion do you think is stylish?" will differ significantly among individuals. However, the responses to the question, "When do you feel comfortable in your clothing?" might be somewhat limited.
When it’s hot, you want cool clothes, and when it’s cold, you seek warm attire. Moreover, one of the elements that contribute to comfort across seasons is "lightness."
In pursuit of comfort, Workman has produced a variety of products, among which the "Bazz Light Stretch" series strongly emphasizes "lightness." This time, we delve into the behind-the-scenes stories of the "Bazz Light Stretch" series with Shinnosuke Kawata, Chief Buyer of Product Development Division 1 at Workman, being interviewed by Koji Yamada, the official ambassador of Workman.
In pursuit of comfort, Workman has produced a variety of products, among which the "Bazz Light Stretch" series strongly emphasizes "lightness." This time, we delve into the behind-the-scenes stories of the "Bazz Light Stretch" series with Shinnosuke Kawata, Chief Buyer of Product Development Division 1 at Workman, being interviewed by Koji Yamada, the official ambassador of Workman.
The Innovative "Air Light Stretch" Series
Koji Yamada (hereinafter referred to as Yamada)When did the "Bazz Light Stretch" series start to be developed?
Shinnosuke Kawata (hereinafter referred to as Kawata)The "Bazz Light Stretch" series itself is a relatively recent model that started in 2023, but its predecessor, the "Air Light Stretch" series, has been around since the 2010s. Here is the Workman catalog from 2017.
YamadaSo it was a series focused on lightness. How did customers react at that time?
KawataIt sold quite well. Until then, workwear emphasized durability and low cost, primarily using robust fabrics such as cotton and cotton-polyester blends. Therefore, lightweight and thin fabrics like those in the "Air Light Stretch" series were very rare.
The current "Bazz Light Stretch" series has similar features, with a textured dot-touch finish to improve skin separation, making it less uncomfortable even when sweating, along with high stretchability that garnered much support.
Before, many workwear garments had no stretch materials, leading to a trend of loose-fitting pants resembling knickerbockers. The introduction of this series greatly expanded the style of workwear.
YamadaPersonally, I had a strong impression of workers wearing slim-fit pants, which seemed to be a trend in the last decade.
KawataIn the past, the clothing worn for work was quite fixed. There were rules where everyone wore matching uniforms or had to wear long sleeves. However, recently, there has been much more freedom in selecting workwear.
YamadaThe "Bazz Light Stretch" series, which is the successor to "Air Light Stretch," uses Teijin Frontier's SOLOTEX material.
KawataThis series has improved stretchability compared to the "Air Light Stretch" series. Many stretch fabrics use polyurethane materials that tend to deteriorate, but SOLOTEX does not use polyurethane.
When fabrics with polyurethane, such as skinny pants, are worn often, they can deteriorate, causing the knee area to bulge. However, with SOLOTEX material, such issues are significantly less likely to occur.
YamadaEven now with the "Bazz Light Stretch" series, do workers often wear it as workwear?
KawataOf course, it is worn as workwear, but it seems that it is also popular in outdoor and sports scenes. This is last year’s catalog, and as you can see, it emphasizes its outdoor attributes. It is very lightweight, so many seem to wear it during climbing.
YamadaI personally love the "SOLOTEX Using Bazz Light Stretch Vest" for camping. It serves as an apron when cooking or working, and with many pockets, it’s extremely useful for carrying camping gear and food items.
KawataIt seems that many people who go fishing often wear this.
YamadaIt includes a lot of details like pockets and carabiner loops. Creating one piece must involve quite a number of processes.
KawataIn factories in China, they use an assembly line for sewing. For example, the person sewing pockets will be stitching the same pocket all day. As they keep doing the same task, their skill level increases rapidly, so what started as being able to sew 30 pieces in one day can turn into 100 pieces after two weeks.
Yamada(Showing Kawata a photo of the sewing factory's work scene) Countless people are lined up working away at their sewing machines.
KawataOnce one person finishes sewing a section, they pass it on to the next person who sews another section. For instance, creating a pocket with a hook-and-loop fastener likely involves about three people.
Diligent Updates Incorporating User Feedback
KawataThe 2025 model of "Bazz Light Stretch" hasn’t undergone significant changes compared to the previous year’s product, but we’ve actually made many subtle modifications.
For instance, the ribbing at the hem of the "SOLOTEX Bazz Light Stretch Cargo Pants" was previously the same color as the body but has now been changed to black for better design.
KawataAdditionally, we’ve moved the side cargo pockets forward by a few millimeters. This change reflects customer feedback that they were inconvenient when sitting down with items in them.
YamadaAre similar changes being made to other products as well?
KawataYes, although we don’t particularly announce these in catalogs, we make such detailed improvements across many products every year.
YamadaIt’s precisely because these diligent updates are being made that user trust is gained. The "SOLOTEX Bazz Light Stretch Jumper" features a detail called "Kurukuru Strap" which allows for compact storage.
Since the "SOLOTEX Bazz Light Stretch Vest" doesn’t have this feature, I hope it can be added in the future.
KawataI see, that sounds good. I will consider it.
PROFILE
Shinnosuke Kawata
Chief Buyer, Workman Product Development Department 1 (Work & Outdoor)
PROFILE
Koji Yamada
Fashion Analyst / Official Ambassador of Workman
Works as a freelancer mainly focusing on "山田耕史のファッションブログ." 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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