The Carhartt Detroit work jacket is an unlikely darling in the vintage clothing world. It has been in production in various forms for 70 years and can be seen in car shops, construction sites and hardcore shows. But thrift stores and vintage resellers dream of coming across one of these now coveted, beloved garments on a Goodwill rack. The more blurring and distress they show, the better. Entire subreddits sweat over identifying and dating jackets originally designed specifically for wear during heavy labor. Matthew McConaughey even wore one in Interstellar.
The first of these jackets debuted way back in 1954, and some versions have remained in the lineup almost continuously since then. However, it has gradually evolved as the classic form changed to better suit modern tastes. Now Carhartt has redesigned and re-released the classically styled Detroit, with its shorter length and slimmer fit, as part of its current range.
The Redesigned version offers the same durability and shape as the vintage models with some added benefits. It’s more environmentally friendly, the break-in period is shorter, and you don’t have to spend months searching through thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace to find one. The company brought back a classic look with modern materials.
Digging back into the Carhartt archives
Carhartt started in Detroit in 1889. Originally the Hamilton Carhartt & Company, it produced work overalls for steelworkers, railroad workers and anyone who needed tough clothing for hard labor. Looking at the company’s clothing lines through the generations, you can see them evolving without ever losing their identity, which helps explain the old-fashioned feel of the garments. That is not a mistake, especially not in recent years.
“Carhartt has worked diligently over the past decade to build an extensive internal apparel archive,” Vice President of Global Product Design, Research and Development Ben Ewy told PopSci via email. “It is regularly referenced by internal departments and has found a prominent place within the company.” The warehouse full of reference garments provides a tangible record of the company’s history and reference material for future releases.
The redesigned Detroit is part of what Carhartt calls its Icons Re-Engineered program. The offer also includes the K87 T-shirtwhich debuted in 1992 (the modern version of which has been the bulk of my personal wardrobe for years), and the K288 hooded sweatshirt with a slightly slimmer fit and lighter fabric than its modern offerings.
What goes into redesigning a jacket?
I remember my first Carhartt jacket as a teenager. I had only worn hand-me-downs, which were already very well broken in. The new model felt – even in the 1990s – almost like a suit of armor. The heavy blanket lining and woven duck canvas exterior took a few weeks of regular wear before it really felt worn. But textile science has changed over the years, giving Carhartt the opportunity to streamline the breaking-in process without sacrificing sustainability.
“Lighter fabrics are the main technical advantages of the collection,” Ewy explains. “The new fabrics provide added flexibility and stretch, while also allowing for more form-fitting cuts and sizes, and are better for layering and seasonal versatility.” The new liner in the Detroit feels noticeably lighter than the traditional (and still great) blanket liner. The Re-Engineered model also has the lining completely removed from the sleeves, making it more suitable for the fall and spring seasons.
The 1954 Detroit was denim with a shorter cut than you might expect compared to modern cold weather jackets. It has two side pockets, one on each side, and a zippered chest pocket on the left side. The best-known design is based on the same basic construction, but uses Carhartt’s signature brown color scheme with a corduroy collar.
The company sells a modernized model of the Detroit outside of the so-called Icons Re-Engineered line the WIP version. It is made of 100 percent cotton, compared to 99 percent cotton in the Re-Engineered version. That last percent is made of Spandex, which makes a much bigger difference in freedom of movement than those percentages would suggest (Carhartt calls this ‘Rugged Flex’). There are no more folds where the sleeves attach to the back because the stretch allows the jacket to move without the extra fabric. The Icons model is more compact in almost every way. Instead of a dropped hem, it has a straight hem at the back, making the garment two inches shorter. The chest, sleeves, shoulders and sweep are all about an inch smaller than those of the modernized Detroit, making the throwback more compact and in keeping with its predecessors. Coincidentally, this also ensures that it fits in better with current styles, which prefer a cropped look.
Make it last
The Re-Engineered Detroit qualifies for Carhartt’s respectively Herdaan and repair programs as part of a larger effort to keep clothing rotated regularly and out of landfills. Launching in 2023, the Reworked program allows customers to trade in worn clothing for gift cards to purchase new gear. The company inspects these trade-ins and resells them at a discount. The garments may have some imperfections, but the company ensures that they are still very wearable. With the current state of the second-hand clothing industry, these imperfections can actually make the garments more attractive. Sadness is in right now.
The Repair program allows customers to send jackets, overalls and other garments to the company so that expert seamstresses can replace buttons or repair tears. It’s a free service for eligible models, including Carhartts that are decades old. “Carhartt Repair is available free of charge to anyone with a Carhartt garment in need of repair, regardless of how old the garment is,” says Ewy. “Our team of experienced sewing operators has decades of experience keeping equipment in good condition for longer.”
If you don’t want to send your jacket away, the company offers that too DIY repair kits for everything from zippers to patches. Carhartt really plans to keep these jackets in the world for a long time. According to its 2023 reportCarhartt sold approximately 35,000 used garments through the Reworked program and completed 3,744 repairs.
With the new Icons Re-Engineered Carhartt Detroit
Some purists are hesitant to change the Detroit jacket at all. That’s fair, but it’s really necessary to put this jacket on to understand why the changes make so much sense. When first worn, it is noticeably more flexible and easier to move than a fresh, old-fashioned Carhartt. The lack of lining in the sleeves makes it cooler and the whole thing feels lighter overall, giving it a longer wearing season. But it still feels like a work jacket. The shorter length and straight hem give it a distinctly old-fashioned look. You wouldn’t think that a few inches here and there could change the entire look of a jacket, but it really can. Pair it with a pair of Levi’s 501s (a vintage big E on the tab, of course) with a white tee and work boots, and you’ve got a look that will last. Especially because Carhartt repairs your jacket so that you can continue to wear it until you pass it on to the next generation.
