Kaizen – or “continuous improvement” – is the Japanese philosophy that wagamama has followed since opening up its first restaurant in Bloomsbury in 1992, and it hasn’t let up in the decades since. That’s why, besides shining a spotlight on Asian cuisine and generally spreading good vibes, the company has committed to take actions to tread more lightly on planet Earth. And, when it comes to its uniforms, who better to help it in this mission than the pioneering materials science company PANGAIA?
PANGAIA has been pushing the frontiers of eco-friendly design since 2018, be it through fabrics made from nettles or pineapple waste, or lab-grown alternatives to destructive substances like palm oil. Now, it has teamed up with wagamama to launch a new collection of sleek, slow-fashion uniforms, titled wagamama, powered by PANGAIA.
With a focus on reducing the brand’s ecological footprint while ensuring its employees look stylish and stay eco-friendly, the collection marks a fresh foray into streetwear, following its first ever fashion collab with Michiko Koshino, in 2019.
PANGAIA has streetwear credentials of its own, of course. The company’s deep commitment to inclusivity has helped garner a following as much as its technological innovations, which have previously seen it craft fabric alternatives from seaweed, banana leaves, and recycled consumer waste.
That said, wagamama, powered by PANGAIA is all about keeping it simple. Think: short-sleeve and long-sleeve variations on uniforms made from organic cotton, grown without pesticides and treated with PPRMINT™, a plant-based peppermint oil that neutralises bacteria and cuts back on wasteful washing. The resulting garments aim to set new industry standards when it comes to combining environmental consciousness and slick design.
Building on wagamama and PANGAIA’s commitments to inclusivity, they’ve also assembled a diverse cast of real team members to showcase the new collection, via a nationwide casting call spanning all 180 restaurants. Photographed by Kaj Jefferies, the shoot showcases the redesigned uniforms both in the kitchen and in the studio – flick through some of the images in the gallery above.