The Classic Smock

Cut & sew: Yarmouth Oilskins (in house), Yarmouth, UK
Natural fabric: P&R Fabrics, Manchester, UK. Navy fabric: Carrington Textiles, Lancashire, UK.

This jacket was made in house by Yarmouth Oilskins. Yarmouth Stores Ltd employ a dedicated team of 20 machinists and pattern cutters many of whom have been with the company for 25 years (the company has been in operation at the same site for over 100 years). Brothers We Stand have spoken in person with the factory manager and an employee who shared that it is a family like atmosphere at the factory. This is supported by the length of time many workers have stayed at the factory for.

The natural fabric is sourced from P&R Fabrics a textile agent in Manchester, UK. P&R Fabrics have a CSR statement which sets out basic worker rights. P&R fabrics source their khaki fabric from a mill in Turkey that dyes the fabric. They are not able to trace the provenance of the fabric further back.

The navy fabric is sourced from Carrington Textiles and dyed by sister company, Pincroft Dyeing & Printing Company, located at the same premises as Carrington Textiles in Adlington, Lancashire. Carrington textiles source the cotton twill fabric from one of four suppliers in Pakistan. Senior management visit these mills and Carrington are in the process of introducing a policy where all suppliers must have some form of external social audit.

This smock made to last. It will be worn for many years negating the need for a replacement to be produced.

Fabric Oeko-tex certified. This means it is free of harmful substances and safe for human health and the environment too.

The fabric dyeing and finishing company are working to reduce their environmental impact through specific actions such as installing one of the largest heat recovery units of its type in Europe, reportedly saving over 4,000 tonnes of Co2 per year.

Cotton is a water hungry crop and conventional cotton requires a lot of pesticides which can leach into the environment where adequate safety measures are not in place.