Guelph-based clothing company brings comfort and safety to women working in skilled trades
The Dirty Seahorse teamed up with George Brown College to create various garments
When Dianne Finnigan's daughter Chantel was preparing to enter the trades, the family's biggest struggle was finding clothes that fit her properly.
With garments in the store being too baggy, Chantel opted to wear her father's or brother's oversized gear.
"When she got on the job site, it ended up being a huge problem for her because she had tripping hazards," explained Finnigan.
Upon further investigation, she said they quickly realized this was a problem many women in the trades were facing.
That's what sparked her to create The Dirty Seahorse back in 2020, a Guelph-based women's work wear line.
Though having some previous design knowledge, Finnigan said she wanted to ensure the garments were crafted properly so she went back to school.
Finnigan had already gone to school for interior decorating, so to go into garment design was "very easy because basically you use the same skills," she said.
After improving her sewing skills, while learning to construct garments and make patterns, Finnigan said she felt prepared to launch the line.
But to ensure it was the highest quality clothing she enlisted some help.
George Brown College partnership
The Dirty Seahorse partnered up with George Brown College's School of Fashion to create and test prototypes of a fitted glove and overall.
"The Dirty Seahorse is a small company and they don't have in-house research and development capabilities," said Krista Holmes, associate vice president of research and innovation at the college.
The goal was to create garments that would properly fit, but also be durable and safe.
In 2022, the standards organization CSA Group surveyed roughly 2,000 female workers and found a significant number of the women reported problems with the protective equipment they had to wear on the job.
More than half of the workers said they had the wrong size and 28 per cent reported not wearing the proper clothing and equipment because of those issues with the fit.
Many of the women admitted to modifying their clothes as a quick fix, using rubber bands, safety pins and duct tape.
Overall, 40 per cent of the surveyed women reported they had been injured or there have been on-the-job accidents related to their clothing and safety gear.
With that in mind, a team of George Brown researchers and students were assigned to the project.
"The research team looked at existing products from different brands to understand things like functionality and design features and also consider things like durability and flexibility of materials," Holmes explained.
"Making sure they're choosing materials that meet industry standards and are also comfortable and breathable."
All constructed clothes were then put to the test by working women and changes were made accordingly from their feedback.
Work wear in action
Following four failed prototypes and many revisions, the overalls were ready to be worn on the job site.
Kayla Beckett is a brand ambassador for the company and wears their clothes regularly when she works for her drywall company.
"I'm doing massive renovations so I'm up and about, then I'm tearing walls down. With these overalls, I'm able to move comfortably," said Beckett.
"You don't have to worry about hiking up your pants when you're about to bend down because there's no stretch in the material."
Along with the perfect fit, the overalls also feature deep pockets, removable knee pads, abrasion and water-resistant panels, as well as a secret feminine hygiene pocket on the inside.
"It was to support women in trades and to build a community that was supportive of them. I didn't just do this for my daughter or granddaughter. I did it for all women because I wanted to make a difference," Finnigan said.
Mentorship in mind
The overalls as well as sweaters, T-shirts, and hats are available for purchase on The Dirty Seahorse website.
Though, Finnigan says the company has much more to offer.
During the entire process interns from the University of Waterloo, George Brown College, Toronto Metropolitan University and other schools were hired on to help with marketing or social media growth.
"It didn't matter what aspect of it, I believe in giving interns opportunities," she said.
The goal was to give the students hands-on and tangible experience before they entered their industries. A notion that Holmes said was extremely beneficial.
"In the classroom, you can teach about concepts and theory and practical skills like how to sew and manufacture garments," she said.
"But being able to work with a partner like The Dirty Seahorse and very practically see the way in which this product is going to have a direct positive impact on the people who need it is really incredible and an invaluable learning experience."
Plans for future growth
Finnigan says the future goal is to continue crafting clothes but also to grow the company.
Beckett also works with a trade school in Iowa and hopes to bring some pveralls for the women there.
"A big part of learning the trade is also being comfortable in your own skin and not worried about being too sexy, or too covered, or looking masculine," Beckett shared. "Her overalls and her clothing line gives women more peace of mind that you can be clean and respectful and comfortable while you build your confidence in the trade."
Meanwhile, Finnigan says she's already been contacted by people in the U.K. and Australia interested in her products.
"Our biggest complaint is the fact that we don't offer men's work wear," joked Finnigan.
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