When Field Grey was born in 2009, it was with a clear vision: to design, develop and make brand apparel. From the start, we knew consultancy work would play a key role in our approach. Rolling out large-scale uniform contracts shifts the focus towards service delivery rather than design, so we saw opportunities to deliver specialised consultancy services for companies, ensuring design was at the forefront of solving their unique challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the past 16 years we\u2019ve built on that mission. Using our design knowledge and industry insight, we\u2019ve delivered innovative solutions backed by cutting edge design across a broad range of clients. One such collaboration was with the iconic hospitality brand Wagamama.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thirty two years after transforming the 90s London dining scene with Alan Yao\u2019s bold concept of minimalist design and communal seating, Wagamama found itself at a crossroads. The brand needed to evolve to stay relevant to Gen Z consumers who had a different set of priorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Field Grey was brought in to chart a fresh course for Wagamama\u2019s uniform program, helping the brand build on its rich heritage while resonating with this new generation of eco-conscious customers who value sustainability, inclusivity and community. This wasn\u2019t just about aesthetics, it was about creating a meaningful connection between the brand, its staff and its customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our focus was on making the Wagamama uniform more sustainable and future-proof through a circular economy approach, involving both staff and community engagement. We were tasked with finding a collaborator to revamp the Wagamama uniform and developing a playbook of ideas that included strategies to prevent thousands of old uniforms from Wagamama\u2019s 170+ UK sites from ending up in landfill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One such idea was hosting fun workshops where staff could repurpose old T-Shirts into upcycled pieces such as a tote bag or scrunchie. Through a partnership with London-based design project Greater Goods, which is dedicated to sustainability, the workshops gave employees a sense of pride and ownership over their uniforms while getting the local community involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the redesign collaboration, our digging led us to the materials science company Pangaia. Known for groundbreaking innovations such as fabrics crafted from seaweed, banana leaves and recycled consumer waste, Pangaia had already made headlines with their coveted \u2018It\u2019 hoodie worn by the likes of Harry Styles and J-Lo. And their ethos perfectly reflected the Japanese philosophy Kaizen <\/em>\u2013 or \u2018continuous improvement\u2019 \u2013 that Wagamama has followed since opening up its first restaurant in Bloomsbury in 1992.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pangaia\u2019s solution built on our workshop idea. Staff were encouraged to return their old Wagamama T-shirts to be repurposed into a collection of hoodies, creating a fully circular uniform solution. The resulting collection not only looked great but also represented a deeper connection to Wagamama’s values and journey towards sustainability. Aside from their circular credentials, the sweatshirts were made from organic cotton treated with a plant-based peppermint oil, which neutralises odour-causing bacteria and requires less frequent washing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In line with Wagamama\u2019s commitment to inclusivity, we involved employees in dynamic video content to showcase the uniforms, with staff personalising their outfits to reflect their individual style. This collection was more than just apparel \u2013 it became an extension of the brand’s story, fostering a sense of pride and ownership among staff while driving consumer engagement in a fun and playful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our collaboration with Wagamama is just one example of how Field Grey\u2019s consultancy services help brands level up their approach to uniform design, moving towards circularity and longevity rather than fast fashion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, this project speaks to Field Grey\u2019s broader mission: to redefine what brand apparel can be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to future-proof your brand? Get in touch!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Field Grey was born in 2009, it was with a clear vision: to design, develop and make brand apparel. From the start, we knew consultancy work would play a key role in our approach. Rolling out large-scale uniform contracts shifts the focus towards service delivery rather than design, so we saw opportunities to deliver […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15506,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"iawp_total_views":51,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,1394],"tags":[2761,2134,2234,2137,2258],"class_list":["post-14660","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-field-notes","category-design","tag-consultancy","tag-design","tag-field-grey","tag-uniform","tag-uniform-design"],"yoast_head":"\n