You can say what you like about Howies, but I can still remember their two topless models with painted on t-shirts at the Malvern’s Classic in 1996. That’s a lifestyle choice I could get used to;-)

wow, thats pretty harsh. i love howies clothing. yeah, its expensive, but just wait for the sales? thats what i do 😀 also, i dont think the people “have” to forage for food on the beach, i would guess its a choice of theirs to do so, and might be the reason they can afford expensive clothes if they want. i like howies, and i definitely like charge!

if they have to forrage for food on a beach, will they risk getting their sixty pound Scrumper Jumper dirty? or is it that they just do it to be cool: not to put food on the table. it dosen’t make sense.

I think they may have been doing it for a photoshoot. To make a catalogue. To sell things.

Do you know, I don’t think Michael Winner really crashes into people when there just happens to be a camera crew handy and then thinks “hey, this could be used to advertise car insurance!”

I have three Howies T shirts and a pair of trousers that I bought in the sale 3 or 4 years ago. They’re all good as new. I’ve not worn them to forage for food on the beach, but I think I did wear the trousers when I built our chicken coop and I’ve probably worn them while cleaning them out.

I don’t have car insurance.

Wasn’t there a little box to check if you didn’t want to receive a catalogue?

I think they may have been doing it for a photoshoot

well that’s what i thought but Tim seems to think otherwise

Wasn’t there a little box to check if you didn’t want to receive a catalogue?

No. and i doubt they would have charged me any less for postage if there was one either. No doubt if i ordered an item from that catalogue they would send me another catalogue with the new order.

I think they are currently sending my household an average of three catalogues……

On topic

Oakley’s techno BS always makes me smile

On Howies – £80 jeans made in China, blimey.

I like Howies becuase it provides quality. £25 for a t-shirt is not overpriced if it last 5 times longer than a typical high street one that shrinks, mis shapes or fades within six months. I bought a BFJ from them, it is the best item of clothing I have ever owned. It works brilliantly and it makes me feel slightly better about myself knowing that it is made from recycled plastics.

But by far the best thing I have had from Howies was a small booklet last September about the way teenagers think and live their lives. It inspired me to know that a group of young people that receive such a bad image in this country can have such mature, relevant, interesting points of view. For Howies to make that booklet and make those in it happy is worth me paying a little extra for postage etc.

On the other hand, I don’t buy Howies bike clothes because I choose Endura instead. I like their fit, and the value. Everybody has a choice to make on whether to buy from one company or the next.

I used to love Howies clothes and was a regular customer, then about 2 years ago they start selling weird sized poor quality t-Shirts. Bought two of them and then stopped. Never bothered since. And I also receive around 3 catalogs every season, which is utter rubbish from a company that forces environmental issues down your throat! De-dupe your marketing database on address and make everyone happy! 🙄

well that’s what i thought but Tim seems to think otherwise

It was done specifically for a photoshoot, but if the Howies people genuinelydo forage for wild food, grow stuff on allotments, etc. then it’s not really BS, is it?

Are there not far better things to get annoyed about than how Charge and Howies market their clothes. Like how M&S markets its food 😉

Not seeing the BS either – sure they’re going in a certain direction with the 700c road bikes but I find the MTBs to be simple, well thought out, handsome bikes. I almost bought a Duster SS recently but just so happened the Genesis iO floated my boat a little bit more.

I grew up in Radstock (well Norton) anyway so leave my boys alone! 😉

👿 I WANT TATS OUT ON DISPLAY DAMN IT 😈

I think they are currently sending my household an average of three catalogues……

And I also receive around 3 catalogs every season, which is utter rubbish from a company that forces environmental issues down your throat! De-dupe your marketing database on address and make everyone happy!

When you’re posted a catalogue on its own, the envelope has a set of tick boxes to allow you to send it back if you don’t want it or have been sent multiple copies.

There won’t have been one on bomberman’s as it came with an order not on its own.

The only thing bugging me about Howies at the moment is that their sale page still shows stuff that’s sold out. I really want some Epic Towpath trousers for work but they’re sold out in all sizes (as are all their trousers).

The only thing bugging me about Howies at the moment is that their sale page still shows stuff that’s sold out. I really want some Epic Towpath trousers but they’re sold out in all sizes

yeah, that one got me too. oh well.

but yeah. marketing. it obviously works, as it’s got us talking about these companies. and even if it’s got you riled up, that in itself may prompt someone else who’s never taken much notice of them to go look and see what all the fuss is about, and maybe be impressed by what they see…
so, their approach was the right one.

oh, and when you order howies online there is a box you can check to let them know you don’t want the catalogue sending out with your stuff.

but yeah. marketing. it obviously works, as it’s got us talking about these companies

Yep. Also, name another company that makes organic clothes you wouldn’t mind being seen in.

“organic” clothes. made in china.

what exactly are organic clothes?? are Howies trying to associate their clothes with organic food?

“organic” clothes. made in china.

what exactly are organic clothes?? are Howies trying to associate their clothes with organic food?

Clothes are made from cotton. Cotton is a plant. Cotton grown using organic methods is organic cotton.

How does the country in which they’re made affect whether they’re organic?

Please don’t type another word bomberman. Or at least go and have a think before typing.

I got one of the last pairs of the ‘new’ towpath trews in the sale, they’re nothing like the old Ventile ones, much more like something Rohan would do. Not tested outside the office yet… being strange I do prefer the old stiff ones with the marbling effect you get as they age.

Oh, and when ordering there was a box to indicate if you wanted a brochure or not.

When you’re posted a catalogue on its own, the envelope has a set of tick boxes to allow you to send it back if you don’t want it or have been sent multiple copies.

There won’t have been one on bomberman’s as it came with an order not on its own.

I don’t think the return is freepost though is it? Either way I’ve not been bothered to sort this out and after all it’s Howies who are espousing an eco-friendly approach not me and it’s Howies who just need to clean their database.

Can you not do anything for yourself ChrisS? Just send it back and they’ll pass it on to someone that hasn’t got one and would like one. We had a spate of getting 2, as we’d both separately ordered things in the past. Annoying, but the brochures did get sent back rather than ending up in our bin.

Oh, and when it comes to other companies, if they’re sending me catalogues I don’t want, they just get sent back ‘return to sender.’ Costs me nothing.

Clothes are made from cotton. Cotton is a plant. Cotton grown using organic methods is organic cotton.

How does the country in which they’re made affect whether they’re organic?

How about clothes made from Organic Cotton? Minimum inputs for the manufacturing process is probably something to avoid.

Interesting thread.

I’ve no opinion on Charge bikes (other than they look nice) but I have spent a lot of money on Howies clothes over quite a few years now and am pleasantly surprised to find someone from the company willing to enter a debate in this way, especially when it verges on hostile.

I still do like and buy clothes from Howies – the polo shirt I’m wearing now, the merino long johns and baselayer and the jacket I’m about change into to ride home from work – but there are plenty of valid concerns raised here. Good on the fella from Howies for taking the time to respond.

The catalogues – never mind sending them, stop making as many of them! That’s a lot of paper and while it contains interesting articles and nice pictures, the demographic you’re aiming at is overwhelmingly web-enabled and probably not hugely in favour of so much paper being used. Recycled and reclaimed paper is all very well, but its better not to need it in the first place! You have a database with customers’ details – query it properly and stop sending out multiple copies to the same address.

The fiver postage – fair enough, the postal service isn’t free, but there’s no way it costs 5 quid to post a kids’ t-shirt. I think you need to rethink this. Consumers are used to free postage.

More easily accessible info about the provenance of clothes is needed – I’ve got 2 small kids and a full life, I want to raise them, work, ride my bike, read books, ride my snowboard when there’s snow, cook food, play football, skate, watch films, bake bread and listen to music. I don’t have time to fit in lectures and seminars that reek heavily of preaching to the converted, however unlike that they may be. I do want to know that my clothes aren’t being made in conditions that would make me ashamed to wear them – the onus is on you to tell me, not me to find out. Sorry if that’s lazy, but that’s the way it is just now.

The models you use – why is it ok for the guys to look like regular guys but the women can only look like skinny catwalk models? Come on.

The comment about Audi drivers is a weak one – I know what the poster means, but that’ll always happen with good things that start small and get bigger. That’s life. If you’re that bothered by this phenomenon, then how much do you actually buy into ‘marketing BS’ without admitting as much to yourself?

The price of the clothes (I think) is pretty much OK. I usually wait til the sale these days, but that’s because my disposable income is smaller now than it was 5 years ago. Stuff done properly costs money, fair enough. However, the long way home shorts – 200 quid?? Making Rapha look like reasonable value is a tall order, but Howies have managed it! (I should point out though I’d be more than willing to be sent a free pair to try out and give a glowing review to on any forum you care to mention 😉

right, hometime. I’ll be looking out for Charge bikes on the way. If the rider is wearing a howies garment, do I win a prize?

I like Howies catalogues.

To the extent that my wife buys into sustainability issues generally it has more to do with Howies catalogues than any amount of my hair-shirted nagging.

And I cut out the pictures of girls for my scrap book.

🙂

Blimey, I buy products from both companies. To all those that decide not to buy products from Charge or Howies purely on the marketing stance is odd for me. They should be admired for taking a stance and trying to educate people, if you dont like what you read, dont read it. To me, I enjoy reading their catalogues, it makes me think, which is their mission.
If you only buy products purely based on marketing then you are an advertsisers dream, once we lock into what you like you’ve had it.
They both should be awarded for putting their money where their mouths are, selling products they truly believe in and believe that people want, rather than selling 1 million units of some corporate product. I like the fact they are different and a small company that is taking on the Big Guys. As for Howies being owned by Timberland. Timberland make good products, its not like Body Shop being owne by L’Oreal is it.
Keep doing what you are doing..
Famous sales quote: Call me anything you want, just call me.
Marketing works buy getting consumers to talk about your brand. My oh my has it worked..

How does the country in which they’re made affect whether they’re organic?

I NEVER said it did. but if you use your imagination you might ask how they get the clothes from china to here? on a plane perhaps? carbon footprint? damage to environment? organic being an environmental issue after all.

Please don’t type another word bomberman. Or at least go and have a think before typing

I’m entitled to post whatever i like to stimulate debate/discussion, and you can’t tell me otherwise, nor can you stop me. and maybe i think too much kelvin

being strange I do prefer the old stiff ones

dosen’t surprise me

I still don’t know what catching you own food has to do with Howies clothing. All this organic crap smacks of Jamie Oliver the fat-tongued w*nker that he is…

All this organic crap smacks of Jamie Oliver the fat-tongued w*nker that he is…

funny, i like charge, howies and jamie oliver? i see a pattern emerging.

yeah, and what’s that PJ?

i’d like to know who put that tag up there. basically, in reply to the OP (to keep this on track) i don’t think that charge are like Howies – i can see your point but i have a deep synicism of the way howies portray themselves. lectures FFS….

Um, I know it’s a bit off topic, but does anyone have a Duster? Any good? Thinking of it as a (slightly) cheaper Soul alternative, but struggling to get a ride on one.

I NEVER said it did. but if you use your imagination you might ask how they get the clothes from china to here? on a plane perhaps? carbon footprint? damage to environment? organic being an environmental issue after all.

My Howies T shirts are from turkey. Organic cotton from Turkey must be better environmentally than ‘normal’ cotton from Turkey. Plus, if they last five times longer, that’s effectively 1/5 the CO2 on transport per ‘wear’.

Or do you get cotton T shirts made from cotton grown in Surrey?

i don’t know mike, you’ve got a point. i’m sick of this thread now…

2Tyred – I couldn’t agree more. At last some sense.

Kelvin –

Can you not do anything for yourself ChrisS? Just send it back and they’ll pass it on to someone that hasn’t got one and would like one. We had a spate of getting 2, as we’d both separately ordered things in the past. Annoying, but the brochures did get sent back rather than ending up in our bin.

Yes I can do things for myself, thank you very much. The problem is not my ability to complete simple tasks, rather the number of competing tasks that all require my attention in a limited time frame. I have other commitments and surprisingly enough faffing about posting back catalogues doesn’t rank very highly on my list of priorities, I find it’s much quicker just to lob them in the recycling bin along with the rest of the junk mail.

yeah, and what’s that PJ?

that i like everything you despise?

(i thougth that would be pretty obvious)

Oh dear 🙄