A look behind the scenes

How did the Mewa Peak workwear collection come about - a unique tour through Mewa's product development process

Practical, durable, comfortable and trendy: that is the common denominator of all Mewa collections. But to Mewa Peak - the professional clothing line recently launched to complement Mewa's already very wide range - another innovative aspect was added: this line is made of sustainable materials. What exactly is meant by this and how was this achieved?

Behind the meticulous design of the models, the precision of cuts, the variety of colors and the attention to detail required to achieve the quality and comfort of Mewa workwear is the relentless research of a dedicated in-house team of textile engineers and technicians who consider the development of each new collection. 

It was from the product development cell that the idea and innovative concept of the Peak collection emerged. Mewa approached its suppliers with the task of providing parts made from recycled materials for this new clothing line. Together with several suppliers and garment makers, Mewa product development then prepared this line for the market.  

Not just sustainable - the pluses of Mewa Peak

Sustainability is undoubtedly a megatrend, but workwear usually pays more attention to comfort and functionality. With Mewa Peak, textile service provider Mewa wants to stand out on the market by unpacking an innovative line that goes one step further.

Mewa has always paid attention to sustainability because it is an integral part of their complete service, based on the principle of reuse. "Our products are all sustainable because we always develop them with longevity in mind," states Julien Vansantvoort, director at Mewa Servibel. "In the case of the Peak collection, we use materials made from recycled polyester up to 75%; the rest is cotton. Another driving force in the creation of the Peak collection was to develop workwear that is fun to wear, comfortable and that you don't want to take off. That's why we chose monochromatic garments that are easy to combine."  

In the work environment, Mewa Peak is the perfect clothing line for craftsmen, employees within industry, mechanics, fabricators, facility managers and logistics workers. 

Functional details make the distinction

The proportion of recycled polyester is not the only special feature of this collection. Mewa Peak is a hybrid collection with elastic inserts for comfort, structured zones for ventilation, quilted zones for warmth and abrasion-resistant materials for more stressed areas. 

Mewa Peak also features body-climate regulating technology: the fabric's functional fibers contain particles of activated carbon that can absorb or release moisture and heat. During physical exertion, the active particles accelerate the evaporation of moisture generated by sweating, thus dissipating heat. When the wearer is cold, the active particles store heat radiating from the body. In this way, the skin surface constantly maintains a pleasant temperature. 
In addition, the hybrid zones offer additional protection through abrasion-resistant zones, ventilation (e.g. on the back) and special comfort when working on the knees. For example, Cordura inserts with 3D silicone coating on the elbows and knees are a great asset.

Night black, navy blue and lavar red

"Our design scope is limited because functions and industry-specific requirements are absolutely paramount," continues Julien Vansantvoort. "Nevertheless, we do not ignore fashion trends and take inspiration from sports and outdoor clothing. The most commonly worn colors in the craft and industrial sectors are blue and gray. Black is also high on the list. Because we deliberately wanted to keep the color palette at Peak small and exclusive - just like the entire collection, by the way - we chose night black and navy blue. And to give the collection another special touch, we opted for a color that did not exist at Mewa before, namely lavar red. Because Peak combines many different materials and we wanted to keep the clothes as monochromatic as possible, it was quite a challenge to develop all the materials in the same hue."

Pioneer in sustainable textile service

"The developments of clothing and materials often run parallel," concludes Julien Vansantvoort. "At Mewa Peak, our long-term partners supported us in converting known materials to a recycled version. Other materials were subjected to our usual laboratory tests, with the aim of offering our customers a highly sustainable product. It took about three years to develop the Peak collection." 

However, the success did not take long to materialize: today, the Mewa Peak collection is offered with a complete service, which is highly appreciated by customers. Recently, the collection was also awarded the valuable Sustainability Award 2023 in Germany in the "design" category, and more specifically for its commitment to the sparing use of natural resources.