The Carhartt Detroit Work Jacket is a surprising favorite in the world of vintage clothing. For 70 years, it’s been making its appearance in various incarnations in auto shops, construction sites, and hardcore shows. But thrift shops and vintage resellers dream of stumbling across this now-coveted, beloved garment on a Goodwill rack. The more faded and distressed it is, the better. People across the subreddit are sweating to identify and date the jacket, which was specifically designed to be worn during heavy labor. Matthew McConaughey even wore one in Interstellar.
The first model of this jacket debuted in 1954, and some version has remained in the lineup almost every since. But as the classic shape changes to suit modern tastes, the jacket has evolved. Now, Carhartt has redesigned the classic Detroit style with a shorter length and a slimmer fit and re-released it as part of the current lineup.
The re-engineered version has the same durability and shape as the vintage model, with a few added benefits: It’s more environmentally friendly, has a shorter break-in period, and doesn’t require months of scouring thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace for a replacement. Here’s how the company revived the classic look with modern materials.
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Digging into the Carhartt Archives
Carhartt was founded in Detroit in 1889. Originally known as the Hamilton Carhartt Company, the company manufactured work overalls for steelworkers, railroad workers, and anyone who needed durable clothing for heavy-duty work. If you look at the company’s clothing line through the generations, you’ll see that it has evolved without losing its identity, which is why the clothes have a quaint feel to them. And it’s no mistake, especially in recent years.
“Carhartt has been working diligently over the past decade to build a comprehensive in-house apparel archive,” Ben Ewye, vice president of global product design, research and development, told PopSci in an email. “It’s heavily referenced across departments across the company and holds a significant place within the company.” The warehouse full of reference garments serves as a tangible record of the company’s history and a reference point for future releases.
The redesigned Detroit is part of what Carhartt calls its “Icons Reengineering Program,” which also includes the K87 T-shirt, which debuted in 1992 (this latest version has been a big part of my wardrobe for years), and the K288 hooded sweatshirt, which has a slightly slimmer fit and lighter fabric than the current version.
What does it take to redesign a jacket?
I remember getting my first Carhartt jacket as a teenager. Up until that point, I’d only ever worn hand-me-downs that were already pretty broken in. The newer models felt like armor, even back in the ’90s. The thick blanket lining and woven duck canvas exterior required a few weeks of regular wear to truly break in. But fiber science has advanced over the years, and Carhartt saw an opportunity to streamline the break-in process without sacrificing durability.
“Lighter fabrics are the main technical benefit throughout the collection,” Ewai explains. “The new fabrics offer increased flexibility and stretch, allowing for more form-fitting cuts and sizing, as well as greater layering and seasonal versatility.” Detroit’s new lining feels noticeably lighter than the traditional (and still great) blanket lining. In the reengineered model, we removed the lining from the sleeves entirely, making it more suitable for the fall and spring seasons.
The 1954 Detroit was cut in denim and shorter than you’d expect for a modern winter jacket. It had two slash pockets, one on each side, and a zippered chest pocket on the left side. The most famous design is based on the same basic construction, but features Carhartt’s trademark brown color scheme and corduroy collar.
Outside of the Icons Re-Engineered line, the company sells a modernized model of the Detroit, called the WIP version. It’s made of 100 percent cotton, compared to the Re-Engineered version’s 99 percent cotton. The last percent is made of spandex, which makes a much bigger difference in terms of freedom of movement than those percentages would suggest (Carhartt calls it “Rugged Flex”). There are no pleats at the back where the sleeves attach, because stretch allows the jacket to move without excess fabric. The Icons model is more compact in almost every way. It has a straight hem across the back, rather than a dropped hem, and the garment is two inches shorter. The chest, sleeves, shoulders, and sweep are all about an inch smaller than the modernized Detroit, making it more compact in line with the previous model. Coincidentally, this also makes it more compatible with current styles that favor a cropped look.
Make it last
Reengineering Detroit meets the requirements of Carhartt’s Rework and Repair Programs, and is part of a larger effort to keep clothing in circulation and out of landfills. The Rework Program, launched in 2023, allows customers to trade in worn-out clothing and receive gift cards to purchase new clothes. The company inspects the trade-ins and resells them at a discount. While the clothing may show some wear, the company ensures that it is still fully wearable. Given the current state of the secondhand clothing industry, these wears may actually increase the clothing’s appeal. Distressed clothing is now in style.
The repair program allows customers to send jackets, bib overalls and other garments to the company where its skilled seamstresses can replace buttons and repair tears, a free service for qualifying models, including Carhartts that are decades old. “Carhartt Repairs are available free of charge to anyone with a Carhartt garment in need of repair, regardless of how old the garment is,” Ewai says. “Our team of skilled seamstresses has decades of experience working to keep your garments in good working order for longer.”
For those who don’t want to throw out their jackets, the company also offers kits that allow customers to repair everything from zippers to patches themselves. Carhartt intends to keep these jackets in stock for a long time: Carhartt sold about 35,000 worn garments through its Reworked program and made 3,744 repairs, according to a 2023 report.
Carhartt Detroit redesigned with new icon
Some purists may balk at the very idea of modifying the Detroit Jacket. That’s fine, but it’s important to try it on to understand why the change makes so much sense. When I first put it on, I noticed that it was noticeably more flexible and easier to move in than a brand new old-school Carhartt. The unlined sleeves make it cooler and it feels lighter overall, which means it can be worn for a longer season. But it still has that work jacket vibe. The short length and straight hem give it a decidedly old-school vibe. You wouldn’t think that a few inches would make a huge difference in how a jacket looks, but it does. Pair it with a pair of Levi’s 501s (with the vintage Big E on the tab, of course) and a white t-shirt and work boots for a timeless look, especially since Carhartt will repair your jacket so you can keep wearing it for the next generation.
