Korean workwear company eyes Asia takeover as blue collar fashion resonates with younger generation

As a growing number of young Koreans embrace blue-collar professions not just as a means of employment but as a point of pride, industrial workwear is gaining new relevance and style in the local fashion sphere.

Workwear brand Boldest’s booth at the Korea International Safety and Health Show held at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi, from July 7 to 10 [BOLDEST]

As a growing number of young Koreans embrace blue-collar professions not just as a means of employment but as a point of pride, industrial workwear is gaining new relevance and style in the local fashion sphere.

At the recent Korea International Safety and Health Show, held from July 7 to 10, two dozen workwear brands set up booths at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi, featuring high-tech items like flame-resistant jackets and cut-proof gloves, bright neon high-visibility vests, tactical overalls and chemical-resistant boots.

But arguably the most stylish standout among them was Boldest, a workwear label under Korea's major fashion company Kolon Industries.

Launched in September 2020, Boldest initially targeted the B2C market. As of 2024, it had a 49 percent product repurchase rate and nearly doubled its annual sales growth.

“In manufacturing-driven Korea, there hasn’t been a particularly prominent ‘workwear’ brand. Boldest aims to grow beyond Korea and target the broader Asian market. We aspire to become a brand that not only ensures safety and efficiency on the field but also brings pride and identity to the workers who wear our clothes,” Park Sung-chul, head of the brand's division at Kolon Industries, told the press at the safety fair on Monday.

Boldest’s rise coincides with a shift in perception among younger Koreans, particularly those in their 20s and 30s, toward blue-collar jobs that have historically been seen as less desirable.

According to a survey conducted by the JoongAng Ilbo in collaboration with polling firm Open Survey, 53.4 percent of 1,000 respondents in this age group reported having a “positive” perception of blue-collar professions, traditionally stigmatized in a country with an over 70 percent college entrance rate. Only 2.2 percent expressed a negative view.

This preference for blue-collar work among younger generations is not unique to Korea. The Wall Street Journal reported last year that in the United States, more members of Generation Z are opting for skilled trades over four-year degrees. The outlet dubbed them the “Toolbelt Generation.”

Style, consequently, is very much part of its product, as is utility. The brand labels its clothing lines by profession — painter, carpenter, construction worker, electrician and so on — visually aligning the wearer’s identity with their craft. Items are adapted to meet the specific needs of each job, such as paint pouches for painters, grease-resistant fabrics for mechanics or pockets designed for electricians’ tools.

“Boldest studies each industrial site and designs products tailored to the environment, using safe materials and paying attention to on-site details,” Park said. “We wanted to highlight the professionalism of industrial workers.”

As safety standards evolve and industrial demand grows, Boldest is also shifting its focus to B2B.

It has already secured major corporate clients, including Hyundai Engineering & Construction and Hyundai Motor Company. Notably, it co-developed an MA-1 jacket with Hyundai Engineering & Construction, which drew attention not only for its windproof and thermal features but also for the way it challenged traditional notions of corporate dress.

Industry projections support this pivot. Korea’s domestic workwear market, valued at approximately 1.5 trillion won ($1.1 billion) as of 2023, is projected to reach 2.05 trillion won by 2030. Revisions to key regulations, including the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Industrial Safety and Health Act, are tightening workplace safety standards and driving demand for higher-performance gear.

But even as companies like Boldest push for innovation, the harsh realities of industrial labor remain stark. This week, a Vietnamese construction worker was found dead at an apartment building site in North Gyeongsang, with heat exhaustion presumed to be the cause. A second incident in Incheon saw a worker die while inspecting an underground sewage pipeline.

“There are still many workers exposed to extreme conditions while wearing workwear or safety shoes that don’t adequately consider safety,” said the brand's design director Kim Jung-hee. These tragedies underscore the real-world importance of workwear that performs beyond aesthetics.

At “Boldest Lab,” the company’s in-house showcase of technological innovation, the brand demonstrated advancements in four key categories: flame resistance, cut resistance, high visibility and chemical resistance. Boldest uses Kolon Industries’ high-strength aramid fiber, Heracron, and the cut-resistant, cooling and functional fabric, Forpe — both proprietary materials that reflect the brand’s edge in textile technology.

“Leveraging Kolon’s over 50 years of accumulated expertise in textile materials, we plan to establish our own safety standards that go beyond domestic regulations,” said Park. “Our goal is to become the leading workwear brand not just in Korea, but across Asia.”

BY LEE JIAN [lee.jian@joongang.co.kr]