Sustainable Redesign
of Bupa’s Uniform

Leading the way – Deane’s first customer to go sustainable.

Bupa NZ, a subsidiary of the Bupa ANZ Healthcare Holdings Pty Ltd, a leading aged-care provider sought a contemporary, fit-for-purpose, and sustainable redesign for their uniform. Their objective was to ensure that uniforms aligned with their brand image, suited the varied roles of staff and that sustainability was considered.

Their objectives were to:

• ensure uniforms aligned with their brand image,
• suited the varied roles of staff and,
• that sustainability was considered.

Sustainable Uniform Design

Whilst the whole Bupa range was reviewed, a key focus was on modernizing the Nursing and Care uniform. As well as moving away from a clinical look, they hoped to find a sustainable option that would align with their values and help lessen their environmental footprint. They were particularly interested in using sustainable fibres for their uniforms, plus the roll out itself had to deliver a low environmental impact.

Following a thorough evaluation, Bupa ultimately selected a tunic design that was made with 42% Repreve^© recycled polyester, a sustainable fibre made from recycled plastic bottles.

Repreve^© is a branded recycled polyester which uses plastic waste to make polyester fibre. As well as diverting plastic from landfills, the conversion process uses less water and energy compared to traditional petroleum-based virgin polyester.

Sustainable Solutions for Packaging & Redundant Uniforms

Additionally, a packaging and labelling review was completed which saw all plastic packaging and swing tickets (including the plastic tag hangers) eliminated in favour of a single barcode sticker applied directly to the garment. The removal of individual garment plastic bags and swing tickets for Bupa's nursing and care tunics has resulted in 12,548 fewer plastic bags and swing tickets going into landfills, equivalent to 200kg worth of waste removed from Bupa's waste stream.

Bupa NZ also addressed the garment waste which results from changing uniforms by encouraging all sites to collect old uniforms and send to garment recycler, ImpacTex (formerly Upparel NZ). This ultimately re-uses the waste and diverts it from landfill.

By teaming up with Deane Apparel and selecting sustainable options, Bupa has successfully modernized its uniform range. This partnership highlights the significance of sustainability in the aged-care industry and showcases the positive impact of opting for environmentally friendly alternatives.

System Integration – Unimarket

And not forgetting the commercial side, Deane’s customer-friendly uniform order portal, Silk was integrated with Bupa’s purchasing system, Unimarket. This gives Bupa staff the benefit of an easy-to-navigate uniform catalogue which is viewed on Silk, coupled with the operational benefits of ordering through Bupa’s own procurement system.

Welcome Australia

And in 2023, Deane welcomed more subsidiaries from Bupa ANZ Healthcare Holdings Pty Ltd; Australia’s Bupa Health Insurance, Optical and Dental Care.

The project focussed on implementing a new uniform range that upheld Bupa’s strong brand image, onboarding a 2,000 strong workforce onto Deane’s online uniform allocation system, Silk and delivering cost savings.

In embracing sustainability and modernizing their uniform range, Bupa has significantly reduced their environmental footprint while ensuring staff have contemporary, fit-for-purpose uniforms. By partnering with Deane Apparel and adopting Repreve^© recycled polyester, Bupa is leading the way in sustainable practices within the aged-care industry. Integration of Deane Apparel's Silk portal with Bupa's Unimarket purchasing system has streamlined the procurement process, providing staff with an efficient and convenient ordering experience.