Carhartt products don’t come cheap. But when you factor in fit, durability, service and satisfaction, they’re arguably the most affordable in the world.
These are the words of Hamilton Carhartt, the founder of the brand, who spoke of his products in this way. From these two sentences we can already deduce a company that does not think about savings, in order to guarantee quality workwear and shoes for all the professionals who rely on Carhartt Inc. A name, a guarantee, for 135 years now.
Founding of Carhartt
Detroit, 1889.
Today the largest city in the state of Michigan, USA, and famous for being the capital of the automotive industry on the continent. But today for us it is the cradle of a brand dedicated to Work & Uniform.
Carhartt, Inc began as a clothing brand for U.S. railroad workers and over the years became a legend among the best tradesmen and craftsmen on the new continent. The characteristics of its products, in fact, are everything you look for for workwear: durable, resistant, with an innovative design and able to protect the body even during the most dangerous tasks without being uncomfortable.
Those were the years of industrialization. Of course, not the period when a worker or a peasant earned a lot of money. That’s why quality has always been one of Carhartt’s strengths. Designed both for people’s health and for their wallets. Because yes, the price of each garment was not cheap. But it gave workers the security of investing their earnings in a valuable ally to wear day after day and for a long time.
Carhartt will always remain synonymous with the best buy for everyone who knows the value of money
Hamilton Carhartt
Hamilton Carhartt: the Visionary Entrepreneur
Today, the Carhartt brand represents all people, men and women, who face the world of work with conviction and confidence in their own means. A spirit that has been infused into the brand’s products over the decades by the founder.
Hamilton Carhartt was an independent thinker. This is how it is described on the various pages of the web. He was a tireless mind who believed in all the projects he decided to develop. Its motto was: “an honest deal, (for every man) whether he works for me or buys from me.”
Because, as we have seen, the quality of the products comes from the desire to protect the health of its customers. And it is with this spirit of care that Hamilton himself has built not only a brand, but solid friendships that have lasted for more than a century.
When I pause to think that more than a million honest and indefatigable workers, strong and vigorous, who constitute the backbone and strength of the United States, Canada, Great Britain and France, wear every day the overalls which I make: I am deeply impressed by my duty to them; I would be a traitor to this vast army of world-builders if I did not give them all the best of me.
These words that Hamilton Carhartt wrote in 1925 have come down to us today. The company that takes his name is still family-owned. His successors wanted to make sure that his spirit and ideas lived on in every product.
The Birth of a Workwear Icon
Hamilton Carhartt founded his company over a century ago after several professional and personal experiences. It was a chat with a railway engineer that made him turn on the so-called light bulb. And his previous experience as a furniture business manager convinced him to set up his own business to create his own products. The idea was to produce high-quality, durable workwear. Thus was born the first heavy-duty suit, made precisely for the railway workers who had inspired him.
The adventure began with only two sewing machines and five employees, working to create the first jumpsuits in duck and denim fabrics. A winning idea that also managed to ride an optimal historical period. In America, in those years, there was an industrial boom that would require dedicated workwear.
Evolution from Clothes to Shoes
As we have seen, the first products of Carhartt Inc were overalls. But soon the production expanded to offer its customers new garments with distinctive characteristics. In fact, fine fabrics were chosen, with a robust structure, to ensure optimal durability of the product and safety during work. In addition, the fit and comfort of the clothes was emphasized, equipping them with solid seams and capacious multifunctional pockets that were well suited to different tasks.
Some of these features can also be found in Carhartt work shoes, a natural evolution of the brand’s clothing lines. Because correct and complete safety does not only pass through the denim suit, but also protects the most exposed and injury-prone parts of the body, such as hands and feet.
That’s why Carhartt is proud to walk in the footsteps of the pros, to help them face any situation, even the most dangerous. From construction, manufacturing and agricultural contexts to more informal ones, such as an outdoor adventure.
Carhartt Work Boots
Safety in the workplace also depends on what you decide to wear on your feet. For this reason, the Carhartt brand has not limited itself to clothing, but has developed its own line of footwear that stands out for a perfect combination of design, resistance and practicality. Always produced with premium quality materials, following the ideas and quality standards that have made the brand so loved in the world.
From construction sites, to farms and in all industrial contexts, choosing Carhartt has always given you an extra security. Because everything is possible when you have the right equipment on your feet to stay focused on your work and face the working day, always on the move, with the right spirit.
Features of Work Boots
As with clothing, Carhartt footwear stands out for the excellent quality of the materials and the exceptional durability of its products, specially designed to provide the necessary support and safety for every type of task.
Since they are accident shoes, they are equipped with all those characteristics that we have learned to recognize from the various articles on professions and what is necessary to work in more particular contexts, such as dielectric shoes. But let’s see them together.
Among the most common technical features we find the steel or fiberglass protection placed on the tip. However, there are models available without this feature, designed to meet other work needs. But being part of the elements that make a shoe safe, we preferred to count it as the first point.
The upper is always made of full-grain leather and integrates Rugged Flex® technology that provides unparalleled elasticity where it is needed most, making the fit more comfortable, even in the most stressful movements for the shoe and foot, and Storm Defender® technology which, as the name suggests, is designed to prevent water from penetrating the fabric, while not preventing proper foot perspiration.
All Carhartt footwear, whether work boots, boots or shoes with a more casual design, offer extreme comfort and exceptional durability. This is also due to the care with which the soles are chosen. All non-slip and resistant to heat, oil and other chemicals.
Which Models are Most Popular?
Over the years, Carhartt, while producing specific clothing for work contexts, has slowly created a small fashion trend, going so far as to launch its products as style icons. A classic example of this is the iconic beanie that carries the brand in full view, now an accessory of streatwear fashion. But if we will talk about Carhartt WIP in the next paragraph, in this one we will focus on the Carhartt work shoe models that have most impressed workers.
Detroit Rugged Flex S3 6 Inch Safety Boot
These boots fully reflect the main features of Carhartt’s branded work shoes. They are in fact made of water-resistant full-grain leather and are equipped with a fiberglass safety tip. They are suitable for both work and leisure in outdoor activities even in the presence of water.
The Detroit boot meets S3 standards for safety and protects the foot up to 200 joules of weight and impact. In addition, they have a cushioned insole that absorbs shocks and shocks and reduces fatigue. It is equipped with an anti-puncture foil made of non-metallic material. And the Vibram rubber sole guarantees perfect traction that prevents slipping and resistance to both heat and oils.
Photo credit: Carhatt
It is also possible to request a model equipped with an optional anti-scratch tip because the outer skin can be scratched and damaged in contact with abrasive surfaces. Therefore, it is advisable to occasionally treat the boots with a special polishing cream to be applied with a soft cloth.
Rugged Flex S3 Chelsea Safety Boot Crankcase
If the previous model had a decidedly more classic design, the Carter boot looks much more like a lifestyle shoe than a product designed for workers and their safety. But being a boot, Carhartt has all the necessary guarantees to protect the foot in the best possible way.
This rival is a bit like the classic models, with stretch panels on both sides for an easy fit. Made of water-repellent leather with a fiberglass safety toe cap, it complies with S3 safety standards and also protecting the foot up to 200 joules. It is also designed to have a fit that offers more space to your feet after many hours of work, also thanks to the padded insole that absorbs shocks and fatigue.
Photo credit: Carhatt
Finally, the sole. This model is also equipped with a rubber sole by Vibram with a tread designed to offer greater traction and with non-slip properties (SRC). In addition, as standard Carhartt, it mounts a lightweight non-metallic foil that prevents sharp objects from piercing the sole and injuring the foot. In addition, it has insulating (HI) and heat resistance (HRO) and oil properties.
Michigan Rugged Flex S1P Safety Shoe
Finally, a more casual, sneakers-style shoe designed for those looking for foot protection. The peculiarity of this shoe, however, is the non-waterproof upper. The Michigan shoe is made of lighter materials, while not sinning in quality.
Compared to the two previous models, this shoe achieves an S1P safety standard, but is equipped with the classic fiberglass toe cap, protection up to 200 joules of impact and a lightweight non-metallic anti-puncture plate.
Photo credit: Carhatt
Its sole also has insulating (HI), anti-slip (SRC) and heat resistance (HRO) and oil properties. But the difference from the other models lies in the design. Designed above all to have a more relaxed style and for less heavy work contexts, while supporting the foot with the padded and shock-absorbing insole.
Carhartt Nowadays
Carhartt was born in America at the end of the nineteenth century, but quickly made a name for itself overseas, becoming a point of reference for the entire Work & Uniform sector. Over the years, in fact, the brand has also landed in the old continent by opening a branch in Amsterdam. To date, Carhartt has added a few zeros, increasing its five employees to over five thousand.
The substantial difference, however, is that in America the brand remains known for workwear and accessories. While in Europe it is also marketed as fashionable streatwear, like other style brands such as Element, Volcom and Dickies. Same thing in the land of the Rising Sun, where Carhartt is known as a brand that, thanks to collaborations with other similar companies, dictates the laws of street fashion.
Carhartt WIP: from Work to Lifestyle in 2024
Founded in 1994, Carhartt WIP (Work in Progress) is a division of the Carhartt brand that we have talked about so far. Founded by Edwin Faeh, it takes a different path, launching itself towards a style that combines the typical resistance of original garments with a bolder design. This is how collections of clothing and accessories for the world of work are born, but with a touch of contemporary fashion. A few years later, in 1997, the first store was opened in London.
To date, Carhartt WIP has more than 80 stores, bringing the brand’s style and quality to the whole world, combining the two characteristics under a single name. Around which he has also founded a hotbed of talent. Artists, skaters and musicians come together to be supported. Carhartt has also always been close to women. In 2007, she launched the first women’s clothing line.
Carhartt, Inc. is and remains a pioneering brand in many ways. Over the years, it has been able to give value to a winning idea, leading it to mature and evolve when the market and consumers required it, covering different needs for the world of professionals. Today, the company is still based in Detroit because it wanted to keep its roots strong. So that one day, the already lush fronds can continue to grow and thrive.
You may also be interested in the following articles:
TRAXxs: re-charge your safety shoes as a phone and improve your security while working
Companies need to ensure the protection of their workers and research all effective solutions. Workers want simple protection solutions in order to dedicate their time to their work.
The concept behind XSole PTI, a revolutionary device/insole, is that if the worker moves, his or her protection system must follow.
Safety shoes brands 2024
New year, new fashions. Here are the ones that await us in this 2024 for safety footwear.
How to be sustainable even when buying a safety shoe
Technologies that can ensure a good degree of environmental friendliness are also becoming increasingly popular in the world of work shoes. It all starts with innovative technologies for recycling materials.
