Labour Union Clothing

[Benny Holiday]

Hey All,

I think this site is Japanese? Though the prices seem more in line with something from China. Anyway, I immediately thought of @ton312 when I saw these wool jackets, but I know he's not alone in his love for them. A small would still fit me fine according to their measurement listings, so hopefully the larger sizes will still work out for you bigger guys too. Check these out and see what you think:

https://labourunion-1986.com/collec...p-coats/products/burgundy-plaid-sports-jacket

https://labourunion-1986.com/collec...mp-coats/products/mustard-plaid-sports-jacket

https://labourunion-1986.com/collec...mp-coats/products/scarlet-plaid-sports-jacket

https://labourunion-1986.com/collec...s-amp-coats/products/navy-plaid-sports-jacket

https://labourunion-1986.com/collections/outerwear-jackets-amp-coats/products/filed-sports-jacket

There are some other cool things on the site too. Salt and pepper work shirts etc. Hope someone here finds something they like.

 

[Jasonissm]

This is a Chinese brand, here is their Taobao link: https://guzhuokangzhen.taobao.com/?spm=2013.1.1000126.2.6fe56b9f6bk2zA

The things I am interested are their tweed trousers (I was recommended them, and they're around $80) and they also have some 30's style suits which seem quite nice. Have yet to buy anything from them so far, but I really like their clothing styles!

 

[Edward]

Nice looking stuff. I chanced across the brand a year or two ago. Not ordered anything, though, as I'm still wary as to whether I'd fit the top end size; those wool jackets I might be ok in the 44, though I suspect I'd probably want what a 46 would come out as in their grading to have space for layering. Made the mistake in the past of buying a wool jacket that I could only wear a shirt under; really limited its use.

I live in hope that somebody will open a London store stocking these Chinese brands, and aimed at those of us who love to look at the like of RMC and Clutch Cafe but can't hope to afford their stock.

I've always got half an eye out when I'm in Beijing, but there mustn't be a market for this stuff there as I never see anywhere selling it. Either that or all the Beijingers into this buy online...

 

[Blackadder]

Yes, from China. Started a few years ago, initially selling IMO copies of Butchers Products aka At Last & Co style jeans and products.

 

[scurvyfreedman]

I wonder if they recognize the irony of the brand name when Chinese textile and apparel companies pay so little, have terrible working conditions, and the workers are prohibited from forming independent trade unions. Only government sponsored CCP unions are permitted and they don't represent the workers.

 

[Edward]

I wonder if they recognize the irony of the brand name when Chinese textile and apparel companies pay so little, have terrible working conditions, and the workers are prohibited from forming independent trade unions. Only government sponsored CCP unions are permitted and they don't represent the workers.

Variations in labour laws across the world are often commented on; it's a real issue of concern for many of us. Of course, in countries where standards are not mandated, things vary significantly. Some factories in China have their issues, others have good conditions and pay well relative to the local economy. It's a real mix. Salaries out there are much lower than the West generally - though in real terms, relevant to the local economy the headline figure from a Western perspective can be deceptive. I have colleagues in academia who chose to return to China on completion of their PhDs knowing they would earn half what they would in the UK, but relative to the local economy they actually have a much higher standard of living than they could afford in London, or most UK cities. UK laws mandate that all companies manufacturing abroad have to be responsible for ensuring their manufacturing partners. Not that labour laws protect everyone even where they do arise, sadly - here in England there was a whole string of sweatshops discovered up North not so long ago.

Let's not get into the CCP and its policies, as that would contravene House Rules which forbid discussion on contemporary politics.

 

[torfjord]

I would be cautious with them. Haven’t tried their jackets but I bought a wool cable knit sweater from them a few months back. The material and construction seemed solid but the pattern was absolute shit. The tightest sleeves I’ve ever experienced. I could not put it on cause my arms could not fit in the sleeves. I am (very) far from a body builder mind you. I gifted it to my girlfriend who now wears it. Bony girl arms.
Study the pictures carefully before ordering.

 

[ton312]

I want one of those wool sports jackets soo damn bad but as @torfjord mentioned, the sizing seems crazy small. A few L have appeared on eBay but the measurements seemed to indicate a size L is actually the equivalent of a western size S.

 

[Craig from Craigslist]

Hopefully I’m not breaking the rules by saying this, but regardless of the country it’s made in or the actual working conditions, it does leave a bad taste in mouth when a company co-opts unions for branding purposes as if unions are a fanciful notion from the 1950’s. That’s immaterial to their output, but it’s a significant non-starter for me.

 

[ES335]

I wonder if they recognize the irony of the brand name when Chinese textile and apparel companies pay so little, have terrible working conditions, and the workers are prohibited from forming independent trade unions. Only government sponsored CCP unions are permitted and they don't represent the workers.

Bingo.

 

[Edward]

I want one of those wool sports jackets soo damn bad but as @torfjord mentioned, the sizing seems crazy small. A few L have appeared on eBay but the measurements seemed to indicate a size L is actually the equivalent of a western size S.

Chinese letter sizing ime has a much broader range, from xxxxs to xxxxxl. I'm usually a UK XL/ US L, which tends to equate to XXXL in China.

 

[torfjord]

I want one of those wool sports jackets soo damn bad but as @torfjord mentioned, the sizing seems crazy small. A few L have appeared on eBay but the measurements seemed to indicate a size L is actually the equivalent of a western size S.

In my case it wasn’t the actual sizing tbh. Measurements like chest and shoulder width worked fine. It was just the sleeve circumference that was similar to something on a clothing item suited to 8 year old girls.

 

[navetsea]

I see alot of this union tag on raw denim jeans merely as decoration, mall jeans that is mass produced never carry this tag, but limited quantity overly prized jeans minimum 2x the price of levi's strauss done by small studio of graduated university students typically carry this tag so they are protected by the union of jedi to have the right to chill out sipping capuchino and playing mobile phone games to rest their hands after finishing each pair of pants.

 

[Jasonissm]

I see alot of this union tag on raw denim jeans merely as decoration, mall jeans that is mass produced never carry this tag, but limited quantity overly prized jeans minimum 2x the price of levi's strauss done by small studio of graduated university students typically carry this tag so they are protected by the union of jedi to have the right to chill out sipping capuchino and playing mobile phone games to rest their hands after finishing each pair of pants.

I feel with a lot of the Japanese and Chinese brands that do repro of vintage American clothes, they just see the Union label as a mark of quality or just an iconic feature of heritage clothing and they just copy it onto their clothes to match the design, even when it's not a repro and just a period inspired design. They don't really do it to misrepresent themselves as unionised labour, more out of lack of knowledge/ignorance about what it represents or how it can be misconstrued, etc.

Still doesn't excuse it, but makes it more understandable why it's done.

 

[Joseph Hill]

There are some very likable pieces in their line. I could easily see myself wearing any of those wool hunting coats, and I like some of the liberty taken with materials that are not historic, but could have been. Unfortunately one bit sticks in my craw for personal reasons. I was a bit shocked when I saw the LVRR discharge print. I knew Andrew Phelps of High Grade US Standard when he had gotten the original length of material it was based on. At the time I was furiously trying to develope a garage based method that would be practical for discharge printing Wabash and related patterns. He had approached me about whether we could reprint the original he had found. I had run into some dead ends and reluctantly had to pass. I got to see the finished products that resulted from his efforts and it was drool worthy. I don't want to rehash all the various moral and economic arguments that these companies always seem to stir up as it is well trodden ground. It's just kind of a funny feeling when something so far flung hits close to home.

 

[RiteStuffBryan]

The LVRR thing was a bit cheeky, wasn’t it?

 

[Will Zach]

There are some very likable pieces in their line. I could easily see myself wearing any of those wool hunting coats, and I like some of the liberty taken with materials that are not historic, but could have been. Unfortunately one bit sticks in my craw for personal reasons. I was a bit shocked when I saw the LVRR discharge print. I knew Andrew Phelps of High Grade US Standard when he had gotten the original length of material it was based on. At the time I was furiously trying to develope a garage based method that would be practical for discharge printing Wabash and related patterns. He had approached me about whether we could reprint the original he had found. I had run into some dead ends and reluctantly had to pass. I got to see the finished products that resulted from his efforts and it was drool worthy. I don't want to rehash all the various moral and economic arguments that these companies always seem to stir up as it is well trodden ground. It's just kind of a funny feeling when something so far flung hits close to home.

Is this screen printing?

 

[Joseph Hill]

The LVRR thing was a bit cheeky, wasn’t it?

I get the argument that 'everything in this genre is a copy, etc.' but they had to include in the ad copy (not used for their other discharge printed articles) that this was in their "respect series", and to bring this fabric to us they spent two years of development. I might speculate, but would hesitate to assert that maybe a cultural lack of emphasis on irony makes this sort of thing common.
I hate to say though, that if I hadn't known the history, I probably would have bought one.

Is this screen printing?

Yes. Whilst the proper method involves multiple rollers for continuous printing, I was attempting piece-meal screen printing. Too many details for this thread. I think Simon Cathcartt had some success with this method. I also think his heart pattern may have been the source of one of Labour Unions patterns.