The 21st of April marks World Creativity and Innovation Day, a 24-hour celebration of new ideas and innovative solutions.

To honour the event, we spoke with our Innovation and Bluesky teams – two teams collaborating closely to create new products and develop new methods. Spread across different bases worldwide, the teams focus on research and innovation to keep Stretchline and our clients ahead of the curve.

We explore what their jobs entail, where they find inspiration, and how they stay connected while working remotely with one another.

Who are the Innovation and BlueSky teams?

Our Innovation and Bluesky teams are primarily responsible for adapting and developing new technologies. Together, they strive to continuously improve the performance and quality of what we produce.

Our Innovation team members are product development specialists – creative thinkers who push the boundaries of what’s possible. This is complemented by the expertise of our Bluesky team – whose job it is to turn big ideas into reality.

Through this combination of skills, our clients have created clothing that has won gold medals, accessories that have helped set new records, and products that have helped build multi-million pound organisations from the ground up.

What is the creative process at Stretchline?

Collaboration and driving efficiencies are two key ingredients in the team’s creative process.

Every new product they develop aims to improve current processes, enabling us to streamline service operations so that we can better serve our customers.

The team’s success depends on bringing together different knowledge. Each team member brings different skills and areas of expertise.

What are the methods for staying connected while working globally?

Communication is the key to global collaboration. Sharing insights, best practices, and developments is critical to keep them working as one.
The recent advancement of digital communications platforms, including video conferencing and messaging, has enabled the team to communicate despite geographical boundaries – sharing information and collaborating in real-time.

Where do they get their inspiration?

Curiosity and pushing the boundaries are essential when thinking creatively – to build on what has already been done.
Doing better for the environment and the world is at the heart of everything the team do. At Stretchline, sustainability is a core pillar. Our team is committed to finding new ways to reduce our impact on the environment and better help the planet.

At Stretchline, we work to a process called Made for Better – which promotes doing the best for our customers, our communities, and the planet. World Innovation and Creativity Day reminds us of the importance of these efforts and inspires us to think bigger. Of course, creativity and innovation is never-ending, but that’s what makes it exciting. You can always do something more effectively, improve old methods, and make it easier for the industry to make better decisions.