With highly functional products cultivated over years of workwear development and overwhelmingly low prices,
Workman has been causing a sensation in the apparel industry. In particular, the '
Ripertech Washable Fusion Down Hoodie', introduced in the fall/winter of 2020 at a surprising price of 3,900 yen, has been a hot topic even before its release.
This time, we had a conversation with Shinnosuke Kawata, Chief Buyer of Workman's Product Development Division 1, and Koji Yamada, an official ambassador of Workman and a co-developer of the 'Fusion Down Hoodie,' about the development secrets behind it.
Koji Yamada (hereafter, Yamada)Why didn't you have a down jacket in Workman's product lineup until the 'Fusion Down Hoodie' was released?
Shinnosuke Kawata (hereafter, Kawata)We had been wanting to make a down jacket for a long time, but its disadvantage is that it's not suitable for washing. Also, if the fabric of a down jacket gets punctured, feathers can blow out, which is dangerous. It was a tough item to use for workers on dirty and damaged job sites.