Behind the Seams: How Berghaus Built Zonal Adapt

What happens when you put 100 women, a group of designers, scientists, and product developers in a room (and on a lot of muddy trails) and ask them what’s wrong with leggings?

You get ZonalAdapt Berghaus’ new legwear technology that adapts to women’s bodies as they move and change.

This wasn’t just tweaking existing kit, it was about starting from scratch and asking uncomfortable questions: why does performance wear ignore bloating, cramps, and waistbands that dig in? Why are women still adapting to their clothes, instead of the other way round?

The project kicked off with hours of honest conversations. As Rosie O’Sullivan, Head of NPI Solutions, puts it:

“To truly design for the female form, you have to start with it. Hours of conversation, and real world testing in the outdoors, meant for authentic, meaningful conversations. These surfaced genuine problems and gave our brilliant in-house creatives the opportunity to use their talent to make a real difference.”

Those insights became the foundation for everything that followed.

ZonalAdapt was a true cross-functional experiment where design, technology, marketing and science collided.

Sophie Smith, Senior Marketing Manager, says what made the difference was the mix of minds in the room:

“Everyone brought their own expertise, and it was that mix of ideas, challenges, and problem solving that made the project so strong.”

From material breakthroughs to consumer trials, it was collaboration at its most creative.

The team didn’t just run fittings in a studio, they went hiking with consumers, cut new patterns on the fly and validated every decision against real-world feedback.

Emily Wall, Product Concept Technologist, explains:

“It was exciting to be really involved with the end consumer in our focus groups; going on wear test walks and gathering feedback in a way that transcended the standard ‘fitting session’.”

For Sarah Nyikos, Senior Product Developer, the process showed the value of staying close to consumers:

“The opportunity to bring consumers along on the journey, hearing their voices in focus groups and seeing their reactions in wear testing made the process feel so real and connected.”

Yes, ZonalAdapt is already award-winning (Red Dot, Fit Design 2025). But more importantly, it’s proof that when you listen differently, design bravely, and collaborate without silos, you can create something that changes the conversation.

Or, as Margot Gandelin, Senior Designer – Apparel, sums up:

“It’s been refreshing to focus on comfort and functionality in a way that truly reflects women’s experiences, rather than adapting existing standards. This project has felt innovative and empowering.”

ZonalAdapt is a blueprint for how innovation at Pentland Brands should feel: curious, consumer-driven, and collaborative.

The legwear is now available exclusively at www.berghaus.com