Behind the Stitch: Our Product Development Process 

When it comes to designing clothing and wet weather gear for farmers and growers, we know that there’s no room for compromising on quality. Our design team has over five decades of combined experience in sport and performance apparel, and are passionate about creating products that offer the best in durability, functionality, and comfort. From the first sketch to the final stitch, every piece is designed with one goal in mind: to keep those who work the land safe and comfortable, regardless of the conditions. In this blog, we’ll take you through our product development process and show how our commitment to quality results in clothing that works as hard as the people who wear it.

Step 1: Understanding the Needs of Farmers and Growers

Every successful product design starts with a deep understanding of the end customer. Based in Pahiatua, Betacraft has been embedded in rural New Zealand communities since our founder started the business making horse and cow covers for the local farmers back in 1952. This gives us an inherent knowledge of what long days spent outdoors in fluctuating weather, handling animals and heavy machinery requires from your workwear. We listen to the needs of our farmers and growers to identify gaps that the market might not be addressing.

We gather feedback not just on what’s needed functionally, but also how different garments could improve the overall experience. These insights are the foundation upon which every product is built, guiding our designers to create gear that blends practicality with performance.

Step 2: Design and Concept Development

Our design team then begins translating these insights into tangible concepts. At this stage, we focus on combining innovative fabric technology, ergonomic design, and thoughtful detailing to create products that stand up to the demands of a hardworking lifestyle.

For our wet weather gear, this means selecting materials that are reliably waterproof and incorporating features like reinforced seams, adjustable hoods, and storm flaps to ensure total weather protection. For everyday farmwear, durability is the key focus—whether that’s using rip-resistant fabrics, double-stitched hems, or designing garments that allow for a full range of motion. Our design process involves going through multiple iterations, each one rigorously tested on both form and function.

Step 3: Prototyping and Field Testing

Prototyping is where all the ideas become reality. But creating the first sample is just the beginning. We believe that no product should go into full production until it’s been thoroughly tested by the people it’s designed for. 

If a pocket is difficult to access while wearing gloves, or a fabric doesn’t hold up to repeated wear and tear, or even a minor functionality inconvenience when doing everyday farm tasks, we go straight back to the drawing board. This process is repeated until we’re confident the product is ready to perform in the toughest conditions.

Step 4: Final Refinements and Production

With testing complete, the final stage is refining the details and preparing for production. We implement the adjustments based on user feedback, ensuring every seam, zipper, and feature is precisely where it needs to be. Our commitment to quality means that we never cut corners.

In the end, our product development process is driven by a simple philosophy: to create clothing and gear that helps farmers and growers thrive in any environment. By combining industry expertise, innovative design, and constant collaboration with those who know the land best, we produce gear that truly stands the test of time.

Always Evolving

For us, product development is never truly finished. We’re always looking for new materials, better construction methods, and innovative ways to support our customers. With every new season, we build on what we’ve learned to keep pushing the boundaries of what performance clothing can achieve for the hardworking men and women in the agriculture sector.