Workwear Group Uniforms, supplier of uniforms for Westpac has collaborated with The Social Outfit to supply pocket squares and scarves to Westpac’s branch staff, The Social Outfit, an ethical fashion social enterprise, aims to train and employ refugee women.

Workwear Group Uniforms Joins Forces with Westpac and The Social Outfit to Empower Refugee Women Through Uniform Supply

As part of Workwear Group Uniforms’ solution to supply uniforms for Westpac, they have developed a relationship with The Social Outfit at the request of Westpac.

The Social Outfit will be supplying scarves and pocket squares for the Westpac branch staff, all of which are created by the women at The Social Outfit. The Social Outfit is a Westpac Foundation partner and registered charity, supporting migrant women who are largely unable to find working due to language limitations.  The women are trained in cutting, sewing and using pre-sewing machines. Working with fabric remnants donated by other companies they produce garments that are then sold, allowing them to earn a living wage.

The Social Outfit’s Chief Executive, Camilla Schippa, said it marked the largest business-to-business contract for the enterprise.

“This is such an exciting collaboration because we know there is only so much we can sell in our Newtown retail store and online,” Ms Schippa said.

This project has been a few years in the making.

“By stepping into the field of procurement through this arrangement, the increased revenue means we can confidently hire and empower more women.”

Workwear Group Uniforms’ General Manager, Matthew Blashki, said partnering with customers like Westpac provides a great opportunity to combine commercial and community impact.

“We’ve thoroughly enjoyed working alongside The Social Outfit, guiding the team through the requirements, challenges, and benefits of establishing ‘bulk production’, and we’re looking forward to working with them well into the future on other products and programs,” Mr Blashki said.

“We are embracing this shift and conversations with our large customers like Westpac, so we can be part of more initiatives like this one.”

Workwear Group Uniforms has worked closely with The Social Outfit, providing them with guidance and information. The items need to have washing and care labels sewn on and to be packed individually before being boxed for delivery. WWGU also purchased the material and organised for it to be delivered directly to The Social Outfit.

To date, The Social Outfit has employed 101 refugee women and trained over 800 women in specialist sewing programs, while also saving over 14 tons of fabric from going to landfill.

Workwear Group were excited to be part of the Jetstar uniform launch that took place this week. Suitably set in in a Hangar, with a runway for the catwalk, Jetstar unveiled the uniform designed by Genevieve Smart of Ginger & Smart and manufactured by Workwear Group Uniforms.

Jetstar’s New & Refreshed Uniform: Workwear Group Uniforms’ Latest Collaboration

Innovating and developing uniforms to meet the needs of women, such as those in the army and emergency services.

Design & Development of Specific Fit Uniforms

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Workwear Group Uniforms worked closely in collaboration with Genevieve Smart to bring her design to life while ensuring that the uniforms were fit for purpose, functional, and comfortable to wear. To achieve this, there were brand ambassadors who provided input on design and style and participated in wearer trials. 

“This program has been characterised by its high level of engagement, uniting various key stakeholders in a collective effort,” Workwear Group Uniforms’ Design Manager, Arthur Thomasse, said. “Workwear Group Uniforms’ team of designers, garment technicians, patternmakers, and fabric technologists greatly value the opportunity to collaborate with esteemed industry experts.” 

The uniforms were a year in the making and are a complete refresh from Jetstar’s uniform of the last 20 years – since their initial launch. 

“This partnership serves as a continuous learning experience, shedding light on the nuanced differences between retail and the uniform sector,” Thomasse continued. “It’s an enriching journey where the exchange of ideas and perspectives contribute to the team’s growth and development.” 

If you’re looking for a bespoke uniform program with a dedicated team, reach out to us here. 

Workwear Group Uniforms is responsible for providing apparel and footwear for paramedics, volunteer ambulance officers, call centre operators (triple zero calls), support staff and doctors that are a part of the MedSTAR Emergency Medical Retrieval team.

Developing wearer-tested operational uniforms

AFAC, the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council, hosted their annual conference in Brisbane in August 2023 and Workwear Group Uniforms (WWGU) was proud to be a part of it.

2023 Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council annual conference

 The conference is an important event where we connect with existing and prospective customers and showcase a range of garments. 

We displayed garments designed for Duty Wear, Structural and Wildlands which meet all regulatory compliance requirements. 

“The best thing about Workwear Group Uniforms is the culture of innovation and the culture of care for our people and care for our environment,” said Jamil Ganondvala, Workwear Group (WWG) Senior Textile Technologist. “This care reflects onto our products.” 

Our garments are designed around the wearer with an emphasis on comfort, performance, wearability, and breathability while providing full range of movement to allow for all activities. 

This event provided the opportunity for our team members to get direct feedback from customers. We heard about what wearers are liking in their uniforms, and any challenges that we can potentially solve. Visitors to our stand enjoyed a complimentary pair of our high-quality socks, something that we received positive feedback on at AFAC 2022.  

We’re looking forward to more opportunities to showcase our garments and collaborate with customers at AFAC 2024 in Sydney. 

Innovating and developing uniforms to meet the needs of women, such as those in the army and emergency services. 

How a uniform needs to perform so that it is fit for purpose for the individual is something we pride ourselves on.  We have innovated and developed uniforms that were traditionally designed for men so that they meet the needs of women such as those in the army and emergency services.  Our aim was to deliver female-specific designs that enhance comfort, movement and therefore performance.  We want our wearers to feel supported, safe and enabled, in a unform that is fit for purpose.

When designing a bespoke uniform our first step is to get amongst the wearers to determine their needs, get real feedback and then redesign the garments in a way that incorporates the latest technology for best construction, fit,  fabrication and functionality.

Important deliberations include:

•Comfort: a uniform you put on, leave on, that moves with you with consideration for accessibility and carrying equipment

•Performance: smart and functional clothing that fits while maximising safety requirements

•Durability: tough, enough to withstand a breadth of roles and tasks

Head of Merchandise, Vicky Wynn-Williams, said, “We have seen a huge trend in organisations reviewing the female offering in particular industries that are physically demanding. With an increase in female recruitment we are leading the way to support the female workforce with a commitment to extend research both on and off shore to find the latest technology and innovation to develop uniforms that cater to all shapes and sizes with a primary focus on keeping these wearers safe.”

Workwear Group Uniforms continue to work closely with ADF and VICSES

WWGU Team Member creating samples for testing in our in-house sample room at Port Melbourne.

We sent a team of our industrial designers and a fabric technician to meet the APO Business Centre crew at Nambour, QLD to get an insight into how the team’s uniforms performed.

Understanding client's uniform needs through 'Day in the Life' program

Understanding your uniform needs means we can innovate and develop a uniform that your team members will not only be proud of, but enjoy wearing.

Our best way to do that is to spend time with your team, do a days work in their shoes to get to know their different functions and needs.  It gives us the chance to listen, observe, touch and experience. That’s one of the things that is unique about Workwear Group Uniforms and how we go about designing your uniform.

Gaining Uniform Insights

•	What do you do in your day?

•	Tell us the good, the bad and the ugly?

•	Show me how you do that?

When you choose a bespoke uniform, we send a team of designers and fabric technicians to meet onsite with your team to gain an insight into how your current uniform performs, what you need and any challenges.  

We will identify the key factors for them, which then arms us with knowledge we need about you and the uniform program we can provide uniquely for you. Just as we did for Australia Post.

New Zealand Post was looking for a uniform supplier who had a base in New Zealand and was committed to sustainability, ethical sourcing, strong supply chain, and logistics management.

Newly designed uniform with focus on safety and compliance

In partnership with Victorian State Emergency Service (VICSES), Workwear Group Uniforms is set to unveil a female fit PPC (Personal Protective Clothing), the first of its kind for emergency service female volunteers.

Female-specific uniforms

SA Ambulance Service (SAAS) has a workforce of more than 2600 career and volunteers that provide emergency medical assistance, treatment and transport, non-urgent patient transport and high-quality patient care to the people of South Australia. Workwear Group Uniforms was awarded the uniform contract in 2011 (and renewed in 2020) and is responsible for providing apparel and footwear for paramedics, volunteer ambulance officers, call centre operators (triple zero calls), support staff and doctors that are a part of the MedSTAR Emergency Medical Retrieval team.

As per the tender process, Workwear Group Uniforms' in-house design team presented a range of concepts that covered each work stream within SAAS. In order to create a compressive offer, the team nominates a working group of experts, both within Workwear Group Uniforms and career experts. 

Working with career experts, Workwear Group Uniforms has established a 'Day in the Life' program, whereby our team members go onsite and work directly with the uniform wearers. This allows us to see firsthand how the environment the uniform is warn in, understanding the physical challenges in which our uniform needs to perform in. 

For the SAAS project, we assigned our Senior Industrial Designer Mark Godoy to spend time with the doctors that will ultimately be wearing this uniform. Mark flew to the South Australian hanger where the MedSTAR team are stationed and observed 5 long standing team members, all with 10 plus years’ experience. 

Within Workwear Group Uniforms we have years of experience servicing Emergency Service organisations across ambulance, fire, police and defence. Although at the core of each organisation is to “serve and protect” we approach each program as if they were our only client because when it comes to protecting and saving lives, a one-size fits all approach does not do the wearer justice. The needs of the MedSTAR team are incredibly unique, and through this experience, Mark was able to see why their requirements are very different to what “on the ground” paramedics require.

The most obvious is the requirement to be in the air and understanding the compliance required to take off. The expert team members showed Mark how they prepared to get into the aircraft. 

Mark explained, “when the team was walking me through the process of getting into the aircraft, they put on a harness and buoyancy vest which they have to wear, and so when they put that on we could see straight away what it covered. All of a sudden, you can see that having pockets on the chest is out the question, it just doesn’t work. When you look at a typical paramedic that is out on the road, they have full access to their arms and chest and this is a workable area. So then my next thoughts were what do you need to carry and where does it need to be?

“We then walked over to the training aircraft where they simulate working on a patient and explained the actual working space. This is where ideas of creating storage pockets and loops on ankles, calves and thighs come from, because it is in the immediate area of use and accessibility.”

Mark returned to Workwear Group with a presentation of his findings and some incredible and unbelievable stories that the doctors and paramedics shared with him. It was through these extraordinary anecdotes the team came back together and finessed the designs for the new SAAS range.

Workwear Group Uniforms is still developing this new range with the SAAS team, however with a clear understanding of the needs and requirements, the team has been able to narrow down selections such as the fabrications that would be appropriate and support this needed functionality. Without the 'Day in the Life' program, we would not have been as considered at this stage in the process. 

Workwear Group Uniforms prides itself on its approach to safety, and it is at the core of every program we run. Our inhouse resources are in a constant state of research and development to ensure we are offering our clients the latest in technology and innovation. 

Before we roll out a new uniform, we want to make sure that all of our research and designs work in practice, and we run a vigorous wearer trial. This includes team members from SAAS, wearing the uniform for a period of time, in its intended environment and checking that it meets what we say it will do. Throughout the program, we are looking at the performance of the construction of the garment; can it move the way it needs to? Can you bend down to approach a patient? Can you lift without being exposed? Have you noticed any wear and tear throughout your time trailing the uniform? It is through this feedback that we can make any final adjustments before we roll it out to the entire workforce. The uniform program was launched in January 2022 and is currently successfully rolling out to the SA Ambulance workforce

"The team at Workwear Group Uniforms provide exceptional customer service and valued account management.

"Uniform garments are delivered in accordance with agreed timelines and very few are returned due to faults or non-compliance with specifications. Workwear Group Uniforms demonstrates good to excellent performance against listed KPIs (75-95%).

"SAAS are looking forward to continuing the partnership with WWG as the suite of upgraded operational uniforms are implemented with the commencement of a new contract."

Meredith Knowler
Uniform Program Manager
AMBULANCE & MED STAR

VICSES wanted all members to feel supported, safe and enabled to represent the organisation. Across their volunteer workforce, they proudly have 1,500 female volunteers (33 per cent). It was clear during the feedback sessions that the female members need to have PPC that is functional and designed for the female shape.


Led by Workwear Group lead Industrial designer Mark Godoy, the team designed a range of female specific garments that incorporated the latest technology for best construction, fabrication and functionality.


Head of Merchandise at Workwear Group, Vicky Wynn-Williams, said, “We have seen a huge trend in organisations reviewing the female offering, in particular industries that are physically demanding. With an increase in female recruitment, Workwear Group are leading the way to support the female workforce, with a commitment to extend research both on and off shore to find the latest technology and innovation to develop uniforms that cater to all shapes and sizes, with a primary focus on keeping these wearers safe.”

"This change is significant and will enable our female members to feel comfortable in clothing that is designed with their shape in mind."

Lynette Connor
VICSES Manager Assets


New Zealand Post was looking for a uniform supplier who had a base in New Zealand and was committed to sustainability, ethical sourcing, strong supply chain and logistics management.

• A new uniform design which would differentiate them from competitors

• To update their current uniform to ensure it met all safety and compliance regulations

Workwear Group Uniforms have experience across many industries including the supply of military uniforms and industrial uniform solutions where safety and compliance are mandatory. Workwear Group Uniforms design skills and product innovation together with their experience working with different fabrics meant that they were able to offer a uniform solution that met all the requirements of New Zealand Post.

With Workwear Group Uniforms’ commitment to sustainability which is demonstrated through our partnerships with organisations such as Blocktexx, Better Cotton Initiative (BCI), use of recycled yarns such as Repreve, and actions we have put in place to reduce packaging together with a footwear offering composed of a high recycled materials content we met all of their requirements. 

The design team worked closely in collaboration with New Zealand Post, including conducting field testing and wearer trials to come up with a uniform solution that was practical and embraced by their people who would be wearing it.

The Workwear Group New Zealand office is located in Albany and employs about 130 staff across business units including:

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