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  • Nov 22 - Iron Heart Fade

Nov 22 - Iron Heart Fade

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/ Fade Friday /

This week’s Fade Friday introduces us to a pair of Iron Heart 21oz 666 denim from Philidelphia. For exactly one year and through one wash, the owner has put these heavyweight jeans through a vigorous regiment which includes a full-time construction job, hiking five national parks, renovating his first home, and–just for good measure–upland bird hunting. Although any of these activities over a period if time could yield impressive fades on their own, the reader didn’t want to play favorites and the results are seismic.

Though the color of the jeans has stayed relatively dark, there is a lot of variation in hues, indicating a well-seasoned pair. The whiskers possess shadows giving them a uniquely mysterious appearance. If you wanted to see how light the 21 oz. denim can get, look no further than the seat where there is barely any fading left to do. But the star of the show on this pair has to be the honeycombs. Possessing the same shadowy fading as the whiskers, they are thick, evenly spaced, and very deep.

And if you were wondering, these jeans are the reader’s fifth and favorite pair of raws. We can see why.

/ In Partnership with Iron and Resin /

Whether you’re a commuter, explorer, or globetrotter, it pays to have a rugged bag that suits your needs. And while techy waterproof bags are useful ‘n’ all, they don’t have the rugged charm or aging potential of the time-honored combination that is waxed canvas and leather. A brand that knows this is Iron & Resin, which has bolstered its luggage offering with the new Overland collection.

Built for the journey, each bag in the Iron & Resin Overland collection is made from a super hefty Alley Stevenson oil-waxed cotton canvas that weighs in at a whopping 38oz. per-square-yard. For context, that’s over double the weight of Filson’s iconic oiled Tin Cloth fabric. In addition to its impressive weight, this canvas is oil-waxed, meaning it has water-resistant properties to help keep your gear and valuables dry. All bags in this trio also come with contrasting 20 oz. 3mm French full-grain bovine leather on the straps/handles, reinforcements, and internal zip welts. Waxed canvas and leather – a match made in heritage heaven.

First up, we’ve got the Nomad Bag. The largest in the collection, the Nomad is for longer trips and vacations with its spacious 50-liter interior, shoulder strap, and handle combo, and zipped internal pocket for valuables. What really sets this bag apart is the external shoe pocket which keeps your spare footwear separate from your other goods.

Next is the Weekender, which is kinda like the Nomad Lite. It’s got the same shoulder strap and handle combo but a more compact 23-liter capacity perfect for weekends away. The external zipper pocket is the perfect size for your passport and any other travel documents, and the internal compartment has an additional 2 zippered pockets to organize your carry.

Last but not least, we have the Tote. Despite Iron & Resin’s affinity with the great outdoors, the Overland Tote is perhaps best suited to all the commuters out there. With a 20.5 liter capacity, this Tote sits at 17 x 13 x 5″, making it the perfect size for the typical commuting carry with the prerequisite laptop/tablet, chargers, and water bottle. Speaking of laptops, the Overland tote has a leather padded laptop sleeve with a leather welt and magnetic closure. An external bovine leather patch pocket features two compartments for easy access to your essentials.

Each bag features gold-finished zippers throughout, solid brass hardware, a leather-reinforced jacquard cotton webbing shoulder strap, full-grain leather handles, brass rivet reinforcements that resist rust and erosion, and bright orange polyester lining for improved visibility. All of this is sewn up using thick nylon stitching that is strong enough to handle the robust materials used to craft the overland collection.

Available at Iron & Resin from $255

/ New Releases /

In the sea of like-minded sweatshirts, the Half-Zip Sweatshirt from Wythe took a leap of faith – or rather a strong understanding of vintage garments and created a new icon. Inspired by early work shirts, especially wool examples, which featured half zip closures and a pullover design, dual chest pockets, and extended collar tabs, Wythe subbed out the itch for something much cozier for your skin: 100% BCIS-certified cotton.

Overlapping perfectly with the tradition of half and quarter-zip sweatshirts from the 1920s-1960s but approaching it from a different context, the result is something that looks familiar but with detailing you literally will not see anywhere else. That is until this undoubtedly gets bitten.

Featuring a round hem,  rounded, acorn-shaped pockets, and vintage-inspired buttons, if you are confused about when and where to wear this – good. You should be. But that’s part of the fun, and versatility. Need a shirt one day? Sure. A sweatshirt another day? Say less. Even a waist or around-the-shoulder tie? Well….that one should only be tried at your own risk.

Available for $192 from Private & Co.

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If you’re looking for daily drivers that aren’t jeans, Heimat‘s Journey Pant coming at you in Ink, Military Green, Seashell, and Desert. You may know the German label for its masterfully crafted knitwear, but in the last year, Heimat has been putting together some non-fuzzy garments for your wardrobe and they’re solid.

We get it, you’ve had enough exposure to jeans and even chinos on the daily and you’re ready for an alternative to knock your socks off. The Journey Pant abides in more ways than one. Constructed out of a midweight herringbone cotton, you get the softness you know and love, sans the break-in process. Providing a nice bit of texture and visual intrigue, the HBT also pays homage to the history of military fatigues and discerning workwear.

Fitted with a button fly closure and a single back flap pocket — because we all know you only use one anyways — these garment-dyed beauties are ready to accompany you on your next adventure. And the one after that, only to look better with each passing wear.

Available for $215 from Heimat.

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Companion Denim is letting you cook up your own denim with their incredibly user-friendly Custom Denim maker. Integrated seamlessly into their website, the 8-step custom jeans maker allows you to pick out all the features and details you want on your jeans. No more wondering and overthinking about fit or fabric before buying – you decide what goes into your new raw denim. And, since you’re the one making the decisions, doesn’t that make your jeans all the more special? You can customize the fit, fabric(s), hardware, thread color, and even the leather (or fabric) patch for your new waist overalls.

There are 8 options to customize: To start, you pick the silhouette from Companion’s selection of fits or go truly madly custom and leave your measurements with Companion for a tailored experience. Can’t decide? Well, you can’t go wrong with a classic straight leg, and yes, everyone still looks good in a fitted pair of jeans if you’re leaning toward more slim fits.

From here you pick the style of the jean. Yes, you can go with a classic 5-pocket style, but you can also try out a vintage style, back-cinching design. Or, you can request a ‘Freestyle’ design, with which can truly elevate your jeans with your own spin.

After you decide on the fit and style, there are over 40 fabric choices to mull over. Yeah, 40. From classic indigo denims to crazy-colored wefts, stripes, and beyond. Whether or not you want something more typical and straightforward, or you’re thinking a wild hue of color you’ve never tried before, you have options. Your pick of fabric is very important, and probably the coolest choice you get to make. How often do brands let you pick out your own canvas for fades to come? Maybe you’ve been hunting a particular shade of selvedge since you started out in this little niche of ours…

After those two major choices you’ve got to make, pick the fabric for your pocket bags, the thread color (Want to go with classic yellow and gold? Or something more tonal? Go off.), hardware choices (now’s your opportunity to try some rusty metal buttons out for once), and finally you can decide if you want to go with a classic leather patch, or if you’re keeping things vegan, a fabric patch. Or, no patch at all.

Once you’ve formulated your custom jeans, they’ll be handmade by a small team of artisans in a small town just outside of Barcelona, using a range of vintage machinery and your choice of stitching thread.

Available now at Companion Denim. (20% off at the time of writing with code: 11YEARS)

/ Weekly Rundown /

  • People & Product – Ben Robinson - Crown Northampton

  • Put a Pin in It! – Put This On

  • How to Look Better in your 20s and 30s with Die, Workwear - My First Million 

  • 22-Day Wilderness Trip in the Most Remote Part of North America – Lost Lakes

  • Allevol Heavy Duty T-shirt – Vacations On

  • Lifestyle: How To Handle The Holidays When It All Gets Too Intense – MR PORTER

  • Under Trump Tariffs, ‘Made In Vietnam’ Will Be The New ‘Made In China’ – Forbes

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