Shamal Workwear | Crescent Enterprises

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Construction worker wearing Shamal high-visibility workwear and hard hat on a site, carrying timber on his shoulder.

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Case Study

Shamal
Workwear

Lightweight workwear for the world's harshest climates.

A product engineered to help construction workers stay safer, cooler, and more visible in extreme Middle East heat.

Client

CE-Creates (Crescent Enterprises)

Year

2017

Category

Product Design & Innovation

Services

Product & Service DesignBrand Identity & GuidelinesDigital Platforms & UXB2B Digital StorytellingMobile ExperiencesExperiential Activations & Events

At a Glance

ClientCrescent Enterprises (via CE-Creates)
BrandShamal Workwear
What it isISO-certified, safety-led workwear engineered for extreme heat
Our roleProduct design and innovation, brand strategy, naming, identity system, design direction, website UX and development
Launch visibilityIndustry coverage and regional trade visibility

Three construction workers wearing Shamal high-visibility workwear sit and talk on a job site during a break.

01 — The Brief

Create a workwear for the world’s harshest climates

Shamal was already in motion when we were brought in, with early development underway. The ask was to help turn an ambitious concept into a credible product and brand that could withstand real construction environments in extreme climates.

Construction worker carrying steel poles on a high-rise site under harsh sunlight, wearing a safety helmet and gloves.

A construction worker carries steel poles across a high-rise site in the Middle East, pushing through 50°C heat.

02 — The challenge we raised

The risk was not design taste.

It was a design method.

If you design workwear as "just clothing," you miss the engineering realities that keep people safe on site: snag-risk, low-light visibility, fabric performance under sweat and heat, abrasion resistance, and long-wear durability.

When heat and fatigue are part of the job, details stop being details. So we reframed the assignment: before aesthetics, we needed a system that could protect lives, reduce heat burden, and stay dependable shift after shift.

Engineering Realities

Key site hazards addressed

Snag-risk on high-traffic sites
Low-light visibility failures
Fabric breakdown under sweat & heat
Abrasion in construction environments
Long-wear durability demands

So we reframed the assignment:

Before aesthetics, we needed a system that could protect lives, reduce heat burden, and stay dependable shift after shift.

Designer sketching workwear concepts on paper, showing garment features and construction details.

Workwear sketches pinned to a board alongside fabric swatches, zips, buttons, and reflective tape samples.

03 — The Strategic Reframe

Treating workwear
like an engineered product

We treated the workwear like an engineered product.

That meant going back to first principles and defining the real requirements with discipline:

Safety-first construction logic: no loose elements that can snag in high-traffic sites
Visibility under low light: reflectivity that performs at night
Heat management: rapid sweat-wicking and fast heat dissipation
Durability: abrasion and construction wear realities
Compliance mindset: design features that could be tested and certified (ISO-led)

Design Principles

Approach: First principles engineering
Method: Iterative design → prototyping → testing
Standard: ISO certification pathway
Validation: Real-condition performance testing

Only once the requirements were clear did we

move into iterative design, prototyping, and testing, then finally brand and launch.

04 — The Idea

Inspired by the desert.
Engineered for the job.

Create a workwear system inspired by the desert, engineered for the job. A brand and product designed around one simple truth: the Middle East heat is not a backdrop. It is the opponent.

Shamal needed to feel effortless to wear, but uncompromising in performance, safety, and visibility.

Two construction workers in Shamal high-visibility workwear review large site drawings on a worktable.

05 — What We Made

An end-to-end product
and brand platform

Product design and innovation

We led design development through a functional, test-led approach: research, sketching, prototyping rounds, and performance validation in real conditions.

Key fabric and performance systems were defined as a clear innovation stack — six integrated systems covering seam integrity, durability, ventilation, moisture management, visibility, and UV protection.

Innovation STACK

Tight-Fix System Engineered stitching to limit seam failure and maintain garment integrity through hard wear
Durassist System Reinforcement in high-stress areas for long-term durability in construction environments
Airvent System Ventilation-led design supporting airflow where the body needs it most
Hydropores System Sweat management and moisture movement to reduce heat retention
Omni-Reflect System Visibility system for recognition in low-light and night work conditions
Hydropores System Sweat management and moisture movement to reduce heat retention. Omni-Reflect System Visibility system for recognition in low-light and night work conditions. UV-Fense System UV exposure protection for workers operating long hours outdoors

This is where we moved from design to deliver:

Turning performance intent into a buildable, testable product.

Six stages of prototype tests, reduced garment weight, improved thermal comfort.

Construction worker in Shamal high-visibility workwear walks on site carrying a tool case, wearing a safety helmet.

Construction worker in Shamal high-visibility workwear and hard hat handles timber on a job site in bright daylight.

6 stages

Prototype testing rounds

6systems

Integrated performance systems

ISO Certified

Safety compliance

Brand strategy, naming, and identity

Once the product foundation was solid, we created a brand that could carry the same purpose and credibility. Shamal draws from the desert context and the Northwesterly wind, with a story rooted in the region and the realities of harsh climates.

The identity system was designed to feel industrial, functional, and confident, with graphic cues that connect naturally to construction environments.

Brand System

Naming: Shamal (Northwesterly wind)
Tone: Industrial, functional, confident
Graphic language: Construction-environment cues
Identity: Logo, mark, type system, colour palette

Website experience and build

We designed and developed the Shamal website as the primary place where the product story, innovation stack, and brand system come together, translating technical performance into clear, accessible language for decision-makers and procurement teams.

Digital Platform

Purpose: Product story + innovation stack hub
Audience: Decision-makers, procurement teams
Approach: Technical performance → accessible language
Goal: Scale beyond word-of-mouth and trade-floor conversations

06 — How it showed up to the world

Shamal launched as a complete system, not a logo and a garment

A performance-led product story supported by testing and validation narratives
A brand identity that signals safety, reliability, and industrial credibility
A digital platform that communicates innovation clearly and helps the product scale beyond word-of-mouth and trade-floor conversations

Construction worker in Shamal high-visibility workwear and hard hat adjusts rebar and scaffolding on a job site.

Construction worker in Shamal high-visibility workwear measures rebar and formwork on a job site, with another worker in the background.

07 — Impact

Engineered credibility.
Market belief.

Shamal was positioned publicly as engineered workwear designed for extreme climates, with coverage highlighting rigorous testing and performance outcomes.

Industry reporting described Shamal as having gone through six stages of prototype tests, with outcomes including reduced garment weight and improved thermal comfort, validated through a structured testing process
Coverage also highlighted Shamal’s purpose-built nature for extreme heat environments and its launch under Crescent Enterprises’ venture-building efforts

This is the Delight moment:

The market response reflects not just a launch, but belief in the product's credibility.

Shamal Workwear exhibition booth with branded signage, product display, and with Samer Choucair, Director at CE-Creates standing in front at a trade show.

Samer Choucair, Director at CE-Creates, at the Shamal Workwear booth, showcasing lightweight high-visibility gear built for extreme Middle East heat.

Press

“Improved thermal comfort superior to any previous garment worn.”

08 — Why This Matters

Most workwear branding starts at the surface

Shamal started at the seams, the sweat, the snag-risk, the visibility, and the long shifts. By treating the brief like an engineering problem first, we helped turn a struggling in-progress effort into a product and brand system built to earn trust in the harshest conditions.