At trade fairs, we meet a large number of customers and receive wonderful suggestions for the further development of work clothes.

For example, we will create at least two new products based on suggestions presented to us at the Finnish Dental Congress and Exhibition in Helsinki in November 2018. We will probably be able to test the first pieces before the end of 2019.

At trade fairs, we often hear the question: “What’s new?” At the Finnish Dental Congress and Exhibition in late November, we announced that we were going to introduce new colours: two muted colours to complement our existing selection. We already have a selection of 18 colours, but new options are also needed, as trends and needs keep changing.

Our entire product development process is based on customers’ needs. For this reason, meeting customers face-to-face at trade fairs is an essential part of our work. Such events are important, as professionals do not usually have much time to talk during the working day.

At trade fairs, we also receive feedback on our work clothes. At the Finnish Dental Congress and Exhibition, we discussed our antibacterial fabrics a great deal. The antibacterial treatment developed by Medanta is one of the properties our customers expect our clothes to have. The treatment prevents microbes and infections from spreading, but it also has other benefits, which many people at the event had realised: it’s resistant to the smell of sweat.

We are further developing this antibacterial property. We are also testing new antimicrobial technologies and the benefits of using resin and natural extracts.

Our previous discussions with customers at the Finnish Dental Congress and Exhibition inspired us to develop a protective apron for dentists. We heard that they needed an apron that wouldn’t be too long when working sitting down but that would also protect the neck from splatter. This idea was developed into a product and moved into production over a short period of time.

For us, product development is a continuous process. Ideas are processed on a designer’s desk and sent to the patternmaker. When the desired result has been achieved, we start production. This process is repeated time and time again, and it enables continuous progress.

We are currently preparing to participate in the Arab Health trade fair in Dubai in January 2019. At this event, we will focus on listening to our international customers, with the aim of creating solutions for preventing infections, in cooperation with our Finnish partners.