Technical product designer Veera Kivipelto knows that high-quality workwear is not a matter of chance. Every stitch, seam, structure, and material choice affects how the garment feels when worn, how well it withstands washing, and how well it supports the wearer's workday. At Medanta, quality is built detail by detail.
Veera's tasks involve bringing a product to completion, from product development and technical guidelines all the way to quality control. A significant part of her job involves the technical instructions and drawings that factories use to manufacture Medanta's workwear. These instructions define all the details related to the garment's production, from seam structures and stitches to accessories and sizing.
"The work is practically done with stitch-level precision," Veera describes.
Interest in workwear began during her studies
Veera's path to Medanta began during her studies. She was particularly interested in the technicality and practicality of workwear.
"Instead of fashion, I was interested in the functionality of workwear. I wanted to create products that genuinely make a difference in the user's daily life. Workwear can influence people's well-being, safety, and how the workday feels. I feel that my work has meaning."
After internships, summer jobs, and part-time work, Veera graduated from Metropolia University of Applied Sciences as a clothing and textile engineer four years ago and transitioned to a permanent position at Medanta. The company's growth and the opportunity to develop her own expertise have kept the work engaging.
"I've continuously had the opportunity to grow and expand my role. That motivates me a lot."
Quality starts with the material and continues throughout the garment's lifecycle
For Veera, quality doesn't just mean a neat end result. It's visible throughout the garment's entire lifecycle.
"A durable and well-made product that retains its properties through use and washing, year after year, is concretely quality."
At Medanta, quality assurance begins with material testing. Every new model is wash-tested at least 25 times, and new materials over 100 times before being put into use. Additionally, Medanta's materials are tested in third-party textile laboratories according to international ISO standards.
The tests examine, among other things:
- wet shrinkage
- abrasion resistance
- color fastness
- pilling
- material durability in long-term use
However, it's not enough for just the material to be high-quality; the entire garment must be structurally designed to withstand use. Quality control also continues during production. Each production model is approved individually before manufacturing begins, and Veera inspects products in detail with a tape measure.
"For example, I check the number of stitches per centimeter and readily provide feedback to production. Even small details have a big impact on durability and user experience."
For the past year, Veera has been updating Medanta's internal quality control process and quality manual. The process defines what properties are required of product quality internally and what we demand from our partners. Quality control is continuously developed, as human errors can occur in the manufacturing industry. The goal of quality control is to prevent errors and detect them as early as possible.
"We have high quality criteria, and we don't settle for less."
Daily cooperation between customers and production
Veera's work is built on close cooperation with various experts. Her days consist of continuous dialogue between sales, design, procurement, and logistics. The sales team brings customer needs, feedback, and practical observations from the field to the table, based on which products are further developed.
Weekly, Veera also collaborates with Medanta's production partners in Europe and Asia. Technical product design requires continuous communication to ensure that product quality, structures, and details are implemented exactly as planned.
Product development is done in close cooperation with Medanta's designers Taina Steiner and Anssi Ruokokoski. Customer needs may manifest as new features, pocket solutions, or changes in sizing, based on which Veera prepares new technical instructions for production.
"My job is to consider how solutions can be implemented with high quality and in a material-efficient way. Sometimes, I also need to make counter-proposals to make the product more functional or cost-effective."
Customer feedback plays an important role in Medanta's product development. Changes are continuously made based on user experiences, while also considering the evolving requirements of different industries and the regulations that guide customer operations.
"We are part of our customers' supply chains, so we must constantly stay abreast of industry changes and future requirements."
Beauty and practicality go hand in hand at Medanta
Alongside technical work, Medanta's strong design philosophy is also emphasized in Veera's work. Workwear must be functional, but it must also look good.
"Visual quality is also of great importance to us."
Veera cites Medanta's bestseller Sulo shirt as an example, whose details and cuts have been meticulously refined.
"Almost all the shirt's seams are double-stitched. They are not always the cheapest solution, but we want the garment to look high-quality and withstand use."
Many solutions are not directly visible to the user but significantly affect comfort. For example, pocket design, reinforcement stitching, or seam structures can make the workday smoother and the garment last longer.
According to Veera, one of Medanta's strengths from the outset has been the courage to do things in its own way.
"Medanta has always been a unique player. Design has been strongly present from the beginning, and we have wanted to bring alternatives to the market."
Quality is the best act of responsibility
Quality and responsibility go hand in hand at Medanta. According to Veera, responsibility brings new demands to product and material development. The importance of workwear is constantly growing in new industries, where ergonomics, hygiene, and user comfort have become even more critical.
"In the future, we must be able to maintain a high level of quality while transitioning to increasingly responsible materials and solutions."
The workwear industry is also governed by rapidly changing international regulations, such as digital product passports and growing sustainability requirements.
"It's a positive challenge. The industry is constantly changing, and we need to keep up with the developments."
Finally, the standard question. Veera, what is your favorite tool?
"Adobe Illustrator. It's the software I use to create technical drawings and instructions for our production partners. It's a communication tool for me."
Leave a comment
This site is protected by hCaptcha and the hCaptcha Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.