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Some fabrics became iconic because of how they looked, but hickory stripe earned its reputation on the job. Worn by railroad engineers, mechanics, and factory workers for generations, its distinctive vertical stripes helped disguise dirt, grease, and wear, making it a practical choice for long days around machinery, workshops, and rail yards.
The Selvedge Hickory recreates this workwear staple in a 10oz Japanese selvedge hickory twill, complete with woven indigo stripes and traditional workwear details that stay true to its hardworking roots.
✦ Releasing June 4 at 11am ET.
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Long before it became a staple of heritage clothing, hickory stripe was worn by railroad engineers, mechanics, and factory workers who needed garments that could stand up to hard use. The vertical stripes weren’t just distinctive, they helped disguise dirt, grease, and wear, making them a practical choice for workers spending long days around steam engines, machinery, and coal-fired locomotives.
By the 1920s, hickory stripe had become so common that the U.S. government published specifications covering everything from stripe spacing to fabric construction, treating it as a recognized category of workwear fabric rather than simply a pattern. The standards page shown below comes from a 1924 Bureau of Standards publication and specifies exactly how hickory stripe cloth was to be
woven.
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The Selvedge Hickory takes that same workwear staple and reproduces it in a Japanese shuttle-loom fabric built with the same straightforward purpose: durability, utility, and character earned through wear.
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Woven in Japan from 100% cotton, the Selvedge Hickory uses bold indigo stripes against a natural ground, creating the classic railroad pattern that became synonymous with American workwear throughout the first half of the twentieth century. Railroad workers, engineers, and shop crews wore hickory stripe overalls, jackets, and caps for decades, helping turn the pattern into one of the most recognizable
fabrics in workwear history.
The fabric is woven on traditional shuttle looms at 10oz, producing a firm, structured hand that will gradually soften with wear while maintaining the crisp definition of the stripes. Unlike printed patterns, the stripes are woven directly into the fabric, a point manufacturers proudly advertised more than a century ago as a mark of quality and durability.
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To keep the focus on the fabric, the Selvedge Hickory is finished with natural low-contrast stitching, allowing the stripes to remain the visual centerpiece.
Tin hardware provides an authentic workwear finish, while a 5oz natural vegetable-tanned leather patch will darken and develop character alongside the fabric as it ages.
- 10oz Japanese selvedge twill
- 100% cotton
- Indigo hickory stripe
- Traditional shuttle-loom construction
- White selvedge edge
- Tin hardware
- 5oz natural vegetable-tanned leather patch
- Made in Canada
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Thursday, June 4 at 11am ET, in Weird Guy, Easy Guy, True Guy, Strong Guy, and Chore Coat.
Available through Naked & Famous Denim, Naked & Famous Denim NYC, and select retailers worldwide.
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Learn more, watch the video:
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