HMZ Design

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How HMZ is Enabling Brands to Provide Sustainable PPE

Posted on by Kym O'Leary

In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Today, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a critical framework for improving global well-being and combating the impacts of climate change.

SDG12 emphasises the importance of sustainable consumption and production patterns, while SDG13 calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

How does incorporating tear-away hems into your workwear align with the SDGs? Firstly, the HMZ method maximises fabric use by using often-discarded fabric as extension pieces for trousers, reducing waste and promoting sustainable production practices. Secondly, implementing tear-away hems demonstrates a commitment to addressing climate change by embracing innovative solutions to long-standing industry challenges, such as reducing returns due to incorrect garment lengths.

Consider a leading Australian workwear brand’s size chart [image 1], offering 25 fit options with duplicated lengths. Assumptions about body types and proportions appear generalised. Why assume smaller-waisted individuals are taller, or larger-waisted individuals are shorter? This doesn’t reflect the true diversity we see in people.

Does your uniform selection unintentionally favour average-height individuals? HMZ offers a solution. Request tear-away hems on workwear to create an inclusive offering for individuals of diverse sizes and shapes.

There is now a choice for height inclusivity and sustainability. Request HMZ and redefine uniform selection to embrace diversity and sustainability.

Sustainability and Fit: How Tear-Away Hems are Reducing Environmental Impact

Posted on by Kym O'Leary

At HMZ, we’re dedicated to not only modernising workwear but also minimising the environmental footprint that comes from integrating multiple leg length options into one pair of pants. Our Tear-Away Hems solution isn’t just about providing custom fit options; it’s also about sustainability and waste reduction.

Here’s how Tear-Away Hems are making a difference:

  1. Combining multiple length options in one pair of pants. With Tear-Away Hems, individuals can adjust the length of their pants to suit their height. This means that one pair of pants can accommodate various lengths, reducing the need for multiple SKUs and excessive production.
  2. Reducing returns for the wrong length. By offering customisable length options, we significantly decrease the likelihood of customers receiving ill-fitting pants and subsequently returning them. This reduction in returns not only saves time and resources but also minimises transportation emissions related to returning and exchanging products.
  3. Streamlining Inventory Management: Traditionally, brands have had to stock multiple length options per size for the same style, resulting in excess inventory and the potential for waste. Tear-Away Hems allow brands to carry fewer variations of each style while still accommodating a wide range of body types and preferences. This streamlined approach simplifies inventory management while promoting efficient resource utilisation.

By incorporating HMZ into workwear designs, you’re not only providing superior fit and comfort for customers but also contributing to a more sustainable future.

Join us in our commitment to reducing environmental impacts and creating workwear that benefits both wearers, brands and the planet.

Watch HMZ in action by clicking the image below.

Watch HMZ demo

Reducing Slip, Trip, and Fall Hazards while Promoting Inclusivity in Workplaces

Posted on by Luke@CreativeInd

Slips, trips, and falls are all too common in the workplace, contributing to over 25% of all injuries sustained on the job.

These incidents not only pose a significant risk to workers’ safety but can also result in severe consequences such as broken bones and other injuries. At HMZ, we’re problem solvers with a unique perspective, prioritizing safety, environmental responsibility, and inclusivity in all our endeavours.

In our quest to address these challenges from a workwear perspective, we developed the HMZ method—a patented invention that is challenging workwear norms. Inspired by a childhood memory of feeding the chooks on our farm, HMZ offers a solution to enable wearers of work pants to adjust their clothing to suit individual height effortlessly. With tear-away hems, individuals can tailor their workwear without any prior experience with garment alterations.

But HMZ is more than just a practical solution for adjusting pant length. It’s about promoting inclusivity and ensuring that all workers, regardless of their height or body shape, have access to workwear that fits comfortably and safely.

Historically, men’s pants have offered various leg length options, but this hasn’t always been inclusive enough, leaving many individuals—both men and women—without the right fit. With HMZ, we’re changing the game by integrating length options into all waist sizes, ensuring that most body types are catered to.

The impact of HMZ extends beyond improving safety on the job site. By offering a solution that is tailored to the diverse needs of workers, we are promoting inclusivity and empowering individuals to feel comfortable and confident in their workwear.

At HMZ, we’re committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation and challenging the way we think about workwear. With HMZ, we’re not just reducing slip, trip, and fall hazards—we’re creating a safer, more inclusive future for all workers. Join us in our mission to revolutionise workwear and make a positive impact on the lives of workers everywhere.

Wearing the pants: Hemming solution HMZ set to transform industry workwear

Posted on by Luke@CreativeInd

The visionary founder of COgear, Kym O’Leary, has launched HMZ: a groundbreaking hemming solution for workwear in the resources sector.

Redefining the fit of garments by employing tear-away hems, the patented HMZ design feature delivers easily adjustable hems, representing a significant breakthrough in garment construction.

For inventor Kym O’Leary, the HMZ solution was born out of a desire to approach hemming differently. Her patented pull-tab method of adjusting hem lengths responds innovatively to the needs of resources sector personnel, so that they can work more comfortably and efficiently in demanding environments.

Tailored for industry – features and benefits of HMZ

  • Convenience: HMZ allows the length of workwear to be effortlessly adjusted, eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming alterations.
  • Diverse size options: HMZ’s patented pull-tab method means that individuals can find the perfect fit for their body. This high level of customisation ensures optimal functionality and performance in challenging work environments.
  • Improved safety: HMZ’s ability to deliver impeccably tailored workwear eliminates trip hazards, improving safety and comfort in the workplace.

HMZ inventor Kym O’Leary said that she thought outside the box when developing her idea for HMZ. “COgear had been asked to bring out its women’s pants in multiple lengths but, as a small business, from a cashflow perspective we couldn’t afford to hold more stock. I had to think differently,” she explained. “Was there a smarter way we could meet the need for different leg lengths – maybe a 4-in-1 style?”

O’Leary began experimenting with the idea of an adjustable hem based on a mechanism in chicken feed bags that she remembered from her farm-based childhood. “Embracing your unique perspective is empowering,” she said. “It’s fascinating how not being confined by traditional expectations opens a world of limitless possibilities.”

Other advice for would-be inventors from the COgear founder includes researching thoroughly, leveraging R&D opportunities, securing ideas with provisional patents, and – crucially – persevering through challenges. “Every test brings you closer to realising your invention’s full potential,” she said.

O’Leary looks forward to seeing industry embrace the transformative power of the HMZ solution. Designed for customisable precision, ultimate comfort and improved safety, HMZ sets a new standard in workwear construction – enhancing wellbeing and performance in the workplace.

As featured in Resources Review > https://resourcesreview.com.au/product_news/wearing-the-pants-hemming-solution-hmz

This fashion start-up landed a $3 million deal with BHP to fix a major problem

Posted on by Luke@CreativeInd
Kym O’Leary founded her business, COgear, a decade ago after working nearly the same time in the mining industry and watching her female colleagues wear men’s gear. There was no alternative, so she created it.

Kym O’Leary was in a meeting with her then manager at Anglo American, who was heavily pregnant, and seven other male managers. She was meant to be taking the minutes of the meeting but was instead fixated on something else – all the men looked comfortable in their high-vis gear, but her manager was in a singlet top with an open high-vis shirt (when closed, it wouldn’t fit over her belly).

“I left that meeting, and something just didn’t sit right with me,” O’Leary, who at the time was a commercial graduate at the company, says.

“I’d often overhear women talking about how their pants would dig in or their shirts would always gape – there was a lot of noise about workwear. At the time, there was no maternity workwear worldwide, and something clicked – unless I created it, I wouldn’t wake up and have it.”

That instigated O’Leary’s journey to COgear, which officially launched in 2013 as She’s Empowered, a female workwear brand targeted at the mining industry. She initially sold a small number of maternity shirts to Anglo American before hitting a few design and manufacturing roadblocks, which effectively stalled her business until 2015, when the $227 billion mining giant, BHP, enlisted her help.

“Kim, would you make a women’s high-vis jacket for us?”

At that point, O’Leary had gone bust from her endeavours and took a job back in the mining industry in Queensland. “Nope, I’m out of this game. Call [an established workwear brand], and they’ll make it for you.”

“We’ve tried them,” they said. “They’re not interested in changing the range. Are you sure you won’t give it a go?”

O’Leary had a sample six weeks later and headed to Perth to conduct trials. Twenty women from the Pilbara came down to try on her jacket. Every single one of them loved it.

“Well,” BHP’s contracts officer said. “That’s a no-brainer”.

O’Leary didn’t have the funds to front the minimum order quantity, so BHP fronted it for her. That was her first major deal. In 2018, the company rebranded to COgear, and in 2020, BHP requested a full-size range of women’s pants to provide women with as many choices as men. But there was a problem: funding bespoke size ranges would be costly. That led to another major innovation from O’Leary: HMZ (pronounced: “hems”).

Inspired by a chook feed bag, HMZ (patent-pending) gives wearers the choice to select the length of pants that suit them best, then tear away the hem. O’Leary claims since the HMZ site went live in May this year, the company has already received a buy-out offer.

Today, COgear’s BHP contract brings in $3 million in revenue, but her gear is also offered to female staff at Anglo American, The Gold Fields and Rio Tinto. “It’s happened organically because we keep delivering,” O’Leary says. According to a 2021 EY report, Australia’s uniforms and workwear market was worth $1.2 billion annually. That same year, around 19% of mining employees were women; there were also 273,100 women in manufacturing, 35,700 in oil and gas and a further 145,900 in construction. “Our tagline is ‘Always comfortable’. You know, our clothes should change to us, not us changing to our clothes.”

 

As featured in Forbes > https://www.forbes.com.au/covers/innovation/mining-womenswear-cogear/

Building a Safer Future: Workwear that Supports Women’s Life Stages

Posted on by Luke@CreativeInd

Twelve months ago, my world turned upside down when my husband and I faced the heartbreak of a miscarriage at 10 weeks. The pain was profound, and as we began to heal, we discovered that what we went through was far from rare – sadly, it’s an all-too-common reality. In fact, 1 in 3 pregnancies end in miscarriage. This realisation opened my eyes to the fact that life’s twists and turns can affect us anywhere, even in unexpected places like a mine or a construction site.

Women’s bodies are incredibly resilient and complex, capable of experiencing a spectrum of changes. From navigating perimenopause to enduring bloating and embracing the natural rhythms of menstruation, our bodies are indeed designed to fluctuate. And you know what? That’s a beautiful truth.

There’s a common saying that’s along the lines of, “No two days are the same.” And boy, is that ever true for us women. One month, our cycle is a steady 28 days, and the next, it surprises us with 30 days. The days we bloat change every month, the days our energy is a bit lower change, the days we get PMS change and the days we want to stay in bed all day change. That’s a lot of change wouldn’t you agree?

In a world where change is a constant companion, one would assume that women’s workwear is designed to adapt accordingly. However, reality proves that not all workwear is created equal. So, the next time the idea of introducing a women’s range of workwear arises in your business, I encourage you to ask the below three questions to ensure that the range selected is not merely labelled as “women’s” to tick a box, but the brand genuinely understands the significance of catering to women’s needs.

The 3 Questions

  1. What are we trying to achieve by wanting to add a specific women’s range to our uniform list?

Understanding the true motivation behind adding a women’s range is of utmost importance. Is it because of external pressure from the union, or to tick a corporate inclusion box? Or is it to genuinely value all employees, seeking to ensure their comfort at work? While it’s true that a worksite is far from a fashion show, we must acknowledge that work clothes are not just about appearances; they play a vital role in safety and productivity.

Technical fabrics, buttoned-up cuffs and venting are quite standard these days, but what about catering to the unique needs of women’s fluctuating bodies? Ensuring that women’s workwear accommodates body changes during menstruation, menopause, IVF, bloating etc. is crucial for preventing discomfort and allowing them to perform at their best. Let’s not simply treat women’s workwear as a checkbox task, but rather, an opportunity to ensure women are never uncomfortable at work.

  1. Can gender specific products improve outcomes in the workplace?

The concept of “unisex” revolves around being non-gender-specific, which is seen as a progressive notion in certain industries and forums. However, in our line of work, where safety is paramount, the idea of unisex can present challenges. Men’s and women’s bodies have unique characteristics, requiring distinct forms of support and protection, especially concerning safety wear and equipment.

Emphasising a “one-size-fits-all” approach in such critical areas may lead to compromises in safety and comfort. Tailoring workwear and safety equipment to suit the individual needs of men and women ensures each worker can perform their duties with confidence.

  1. Should budget limitations be the key driver behind PPE choice?

Drawing from experience as a site Management Accountant, I’m all too familiar with the age-old response of “but that’s not in budget”. However, it’s essential to take a step back and look at the bigger picture. As budgets go, PPE often sits outside of the operations budget and is a relatively minor cost compared to missing a production target or recovering from a significant safety incident. Let’s consider the consequences when a site fails to meet a production target or lags in exploration – the cost implications enter the millions.

At times, production targets are missed because a site was unable to recruit the right personnel or because a valuable team member resigned as they did not feel valued because of the peripheral actions of the employer – overlooking items such as fit for purpose equipment, suitable break room facilities, or safe and comfortable workwear. In such situations, the value of a mere $100 investment in a pair of comfortable work pants becomes astonishingly trivial. It’s important we look beyond immediate budget constraints and recognise that the right PPE can directly impact productivity, employee retention, and overall operational success.

Prioritising the well-being and comfort of workers should not be an afterthought. By making the right investments in appropriate workwear and equipment, we can potentially save significant costs in the long run and ensure a safer, more productive, harmonious, and profitable work environment.

I hope these three questions prove valuable in your future discussions about women’s workwear. Let’s strive for workwear that surpasses a mere checklist and truly enables and supports women throughout their career journey. After all, every woman deserves to feel comfortable at work.

 

This article was written for HSE People by Kym O’Leary who is the founder of COgear Women’s Workwear and Inventor of HMZ: The perfect fit, effortlessly achieved.

https://www.hsepeople.com/building-a-safer-future-workwear-that-supports-womens-life-stages/

Inventing against the odds: HMZ creator Kym O’Leary shares five tips to transform your idea into a patented invention

Posted on by Luke@CreativeInd

Imagine this scene: you’re gathered around the table with your family, sharing laughter and stories. Suddenly, someone utters those familiar words, “I wish there was such a thing as this product”, or “Imagine having something like XYZ to make this job easier”.

We’ve all been there, right?

The truth is, we all have those brilliant ideas bubbling within us. As Sara Blakley, the visionary founder of SPANX, once wisely said, an idea is most vulnerable in its infancy – and I couldn’t agree more.

When my own lightbulb moment struck, I kept it to myself, sharing it only with my husband (over a bottle of red wine, but that’s a tale for another time). I hesitated to divulge it to anyone else, fearing their dismissive words or disheartening statistics like, “Did you know that women hold only 13% of patents globally?”

But here’s the thing: I refused to let any of that hold me back.

Today, as the founder of workwear brand COgear and inventor of hemming solution HMZ, I’m here to share with you my tips for inventing because I’ve been in your shoes and I know that ideas deserve to be nurtured, celebrated, and transformed into reality.

Let me share my top five tips to transform your ideas into a patented invention.

Tip 1: Embrace your unique perspective and the freedom of limited industry know-how

Embracing your unique perspective becomes all the more empowering when you lack industry know-how, just like I did. It’s fascinating how not being confined by traditional expectations opened up a world of limitless possibilities.

Despite never seeing myself as an inventor or aspiring to hold a patent, and even without expertise in garment construction (relying on skilled professionals for my industrial workwear brand COgear, my lack of conventional knowledge became a catalyst for boundless thinking. It liberated me from the constraints of “how things should be done” and granted me permission to venture beyond the ordinary.

So don’t underestimate the power of your fresh perspective and the remarkable potential that emerges when you fearlessly think outside the box.

Tip 2: Begin with research, but let it enhance rather than stifle your idea

Before immersing yourself in the development of your invention, conducting thorough research is essential. Explore existing products and patents in the market to ensure the novelty of your idea.

However, if you find it challenging to navigate the complex realm of intellectual property, don’t let it discourage you. Intellectual property can be tricky for those of us without specialised training, but don’t let it reduce your enthusiasm. Instead, focus on gaining a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape.

Tip 3: Tap into research and development (R&D) opportunities with expert guidance

Unlocking government funding and grants designed to foster innovative thinking can provide crucial support for your inventive journey. To navigate this landscape effectively, I highly recommend reaching out to experts like Rimon Advisory. They specialise in advising inventors on potential grants and assistance available, especially for groundbreaking ideas warranting a patent. It’s wise to contact them early in your journey, as the application process often involves tracking of time and expenses.

Starting on the right foot allows you to maintain organised records from the outset, saving you the hassle of combing through diaries and documents later on. By proactively seeking grants and other forms of assistance, you place yourself in an advantageous position to secure the support you need.

So seize the opportunity and stay ahead by leveraging the valuable resources provided through R&D initiatives and government funding programs.

Tip 4: Securing your idea with a provisional patent

When it comes to applying for a provisional patent, you don’t need to have all the answers right away. What matters is having a simple prototype and a clear vision of how you will progress from concept to creation. When I applied for the HMZ provisional patent, I didn’t have all the specifics worked out, such as securing the threads.

However, I did have a few ideas and relied on input from our workwear factory. This collaboration was essential as we planned to implement HMZ across a large manufacturing line.

In my journey, Jack King-Scott from Kings Patent & Trade Marks Attorneys played a pivotal role. Jack’s extensive knowledge and down-to-earth approach were invaluable. Unlike some legal professionals, he readily offered his direct opinion when asked. Securing a provisional patent provides you the reassurance that your idea is protected from being copied while you focus on refining the intricate details.

Remember, the provisional patent serves as a stepping stone with a limited 12-month timeframe, giving you the freedom to further develop your invention. So leverage the expertise of professionals like Jack to safeguard your idea and confidentially move forward with the necessary steps to bring your invention to life.

Tip 5: Test, iterate and persevere

Securing your provisional patent marks the beginning of the real work ahead. Prepare for challenges and hurdles along the way, each one more daunting than the last. But remember, it’s only ‘no’ when you choose to give up. Embrace testing and iterating as opportunities to refine your idea and overcome obstacles.

Expect setbacks and failures – they are integral to innovation. Learn from them, adjust, and persist with unwavering determination. Every test brings you closer to realising your invention’s full potential. Stay resilient, passionate, and committed. Your breakthrough awaits as you conquer the final obstacles.

Hold onto your vision, learn from setbacks, and remember that success requires perseverance. With unwavering determination, watch your idea transform into a reality.

In conclusion, remember this: never dismiss your ideas simply because they seem uncharted or unfamiliar. Embrace them instead. Rather than dwelling on potential obstacles or what could go wrong, grant yourself permission to dream about the possibilities of what could go right. Envision how your life could transform, the impact it could have on your family, and the inspiration it could ignite within them.

So go forth with confidence, fuelled by your imagination and driven by the belief that your idea has the power to make a remarkable difference. Your invention awaits its moment of glory – seize it!

 

As featured in Smart Company > https://www.smartcompany.com.au/plus/hmz-creator-kym-oleary-tips-transform-idea-patented-invention/