Workshirt – Red/Black Check

All that you ever really require of a shirt is for it just to… well… work. So I got my head down and had a think about all the things that I like about shirts and all I did was end up at the same point where I wanted to make a workshirt. I am not talking about the type of thing your mum made you wear for your first job interview, I am talking about a shirt that can do a series of tasks and still keep you looking good when you go to the pub/out for a meal when the working day is done. So let’s get into it, welcome to the workshirt.

The shirt you are currently looking at is the heavy-duty shirt, which is designed to be worn over a couple of layers or just over a t-shirt if you are hardcore and like the feel of wool on skin. The fabric is woven in Selkirk by our mate Robin who I only discovered whilst I was driving through Scotland looking for a Bannock to sink my teeth into. I first met Robin unannounced, clutching a pair of socks, asking him if he would make fabric for my clothing brand. He looked at me like I was lost, but we soon got chatting about football and we have been friends ever since. So it turns out I’d managed to find a world-class weaver of British wool fabrics and (of course) found a bannock in Selkirk too. Happy days! The colour of this shirt is a beautiful mix of black and red, but the red is super special because it has flecks of about six other colours running through it, just look at the detail images. The lighter patches in between the darker checks are woven in a herringbone pattern, because I think it looks ace and it is a nod to the original tweed that shirts like this were made from. None of this cotton stuff for a workshirt around here!

The first thing to note is that the shirt is made entirely on a chainstitch machine, right here in the UK, by Bob and his team in Leicester. Using a chainstitch machine means that the threads are thicker, more robust and can stand more pressure on them. All of the main seams on the shirt are triple-stitched for extra security and to give a knowing nod to how the shirts were originally made. This type of sewing takes years of training and experience to perfect and is seldom seen in factories here in the UK, it is usually the reserve of Japanese master craftspeople. The stitching inside the shirt is pink for two reasons, the first being so that we can show off how accurate and beautiful each thread is and the second is because I like the colour. You will notice the ‘run-off’ stitching at the side seams, this is a classic indicator of the shirt being chain-stitched and it is what all the classy Japanese brands do, so we thought we should copy… so don’t cut them off!!! The shirts come with a lifetime guarantee against any manufacturing details and we believe that you’ll wear out the fabric before you wear out Bob and his team’s handiwork.

The shirt comes with two buttoned pockets on the front with a pen/pencil pocket on the wearer’s left chest. Because we wanted to celebrate everything that is good about British manufacturing with these shirts, we will be supplying each shirt with a UK- manufactured carpenter’s pencil. This will make you look like you know how to put up a shelf and fill up that pocket. The collar is a little bigger than usual to make your head look smaller and because it falls nicer when you have your shirt unbuttoned. There is also a hanging loop on the inside of the shirt so that you don’t put a ‘pucker’ in the neck when hanging it up.

On the inside of the shirt, there is our new workshirt label and screen-printed washcare instructions. I’m really proud of how these labels look, which is why I am mentioning them. The cuffs are buttoned as well as the placket and now seems like a good time to tell you all about the best buttons in the world. These buttons are slightly oversized so that you can unbutton your shirt whilst wearing gloves. They are, if you can believe it, made from casein protein, found in milk! This means they are completely biodegradable and manufactured in the UK… like everything else on this shirt!

The fit is a classic workwear fit in that it has some room to move, but is by no means baggy or oversized. I recommend going for your normal size and wearing a t-shirt/thinner jumper underneath, that way you will be ready to take on anything. However, if you do like things a little trimmer maybe consider going down a size. Of course, there are always plenty of layering options for cooler weather in the TRiCKETT shop at this time of year so head on over if you’re after a new hoodie, zip sweatshirt or jumper for added warmth under your workshirt. If you want to wear it with ‘bulkier’ pieces underneath, I still recommend going for your normal size as they have been designed with some room in them.

The shirts are expertly put together by Bob and his team, a fact that we feel so passionately about, we have printed it on the inside of the shirt. Without such skill and attention to detail, beautiful shirts like this would never exist and by treating yourself to one of these you are ensuring that these skills endure for the next generation. It will also be a nice story to tell when you are in the nursing home about how you bought a lovely workshirt from Accrington and you still use it to this day.

I have basically written an essay here about how great these shirts are, because they deserve it. So now all you need to do is think about what type of work you are going to do and get one on your back. Guaranteed to get the job done.

100% wool.

Made in Leicester.