Simplifying Uniform Management

While Elevating a Premium Brand Experience.

Customer Overview

Qestral is a New Zealand owned operator of new generation lifestyle retirement villages, offering independent living, serviced apartments, and integrated care across multiple sites. With each village designed around its own character and community, Qestral places a strong emphasis on quality, dignity, and a premium resident experience.

The Challenge

When Qestral began reviewing its uniform programme, the organisation was managing six to seven different uniform suppliers across villages and care centres.

According to Qestral’s Operations team, this created several challenges:

• Uniform styles were dated and inconsistent
• Ordering was complex, with managers unsure where to source specific items
• Lead times were unreliable, particularly for clinical uniforms
• Administration was time consuming for village managers, administrators, and finance teams

In addition, Qestral operates both independent living villages and clinical care environments, each with different functional and presentation requirements. The existing supply model made it difficult to maintain consistency across these teams while still meeting practical needs.

The Objective

Qestral set out to create a uniform programme that was:

• Centralised
• Easy for every village to use
• Brand consistent, but flexible for each village’s identity
• Fast, reliable, and proactive in service

As Klaudia from Operations put it:

“The goal was to have one supplier, one invoice, and make it easy for our village managers and admin teams.”

The Approach

Deane Apparel worked closely with Qestral to review uniforms by department, beginning with village teams and progressively rolling into care centres.

Key elements of the approach included:

• Consolidating uniforms under a single primary supplier
• Building a curated, approved range for each role
• Supporting phased rollout to manage budget and change effectively
• Setting up site specific ordering portals, allowing village managers and administrators to order confidently within approved parameters
• Sourcing alternative items, when required, to maintain consistency of look and feel

Throughout the process, Deane Apparel worked collaboratively with Qestral’s Operations team, adjusting ranges and designs as feedback was received.

Post Implementation Outcomes

Following implementation, Qestral reported clear improvements across both operational efficiency and user experience.

Simplified ordering and administration

Village managers and administrators now order through a centralised platform with pre-approved ranges by department. This removed uncertainty around what could be ordered and significantly reduced administrative friction.

Improved delivery reliability

Compared with previous suppliers, delivery times were described as “way better,” with proactive communication when delays occurred, allowing Qestral to plan and stock accordingly.

Consistency with flexibility

While Qestral’s villages each have their own identity, the uniform programme now delivers consistency across sites, with small customisations (such as trim, colour accents, or logos) to reflect individual village themes.

Responsive, solution focused support

Qestral highlighted the importance of having a supplier who could respond quickly when needs arose — whether sourcing alternative fabrics, adjusting designs, or supporting individual staff requirements. This responsiveness reduced escalation and allowed the Operations team to delegate confidently.

Supporting people, not just process

Beyond systems and logistics, Qestral emphasised the impact of the uniform programme on staff experience. Teams were able to trial garments, provide feedback, and feel included in decisions; contributing to higher acceptance and comfort across villages.

For Qestral, uniform is not viewed as a static product, but as part of an ongoing partnership that evolves alongside new villages, new roles, and changing workforce needs.

Why Qestral chose Deane Apparel

When reflecting on supplier selection, Qestral ranked priorities as:

1. Product and design quality — ensuring teams look and feel premium
2. Service and reliability — proactive, responsive, and easy to work with
3. Cost — competitive pricing without compromising outcomes

The ability to combine all three — while maintaining a strong working relationship and consistent service levels — was a key differentiator.

Looking Ahead

With additional villages planned, Qestral now has a uniform framework that can scale with confidence, supporting growth without re introducing complexity.

By simplifying uniform management and aligning workforce presentation with brand intent, Qestral has created a solution that supports both operational efficiency and resident experience.