I thought the original owners of Howies bought it back from Timberland?

BBC Linky

And if so do they own both Hiut and Howies?

I tried the Howies site and it’s a bit coy about their history 🙂

No.

The team that worked for howies at the time bought it back from Timberland.

David and Claire had left by then and have since started Hiut.

And 99% certain they sold it way before 2011 for nothing like 3.2m.

In fact I think, and I may be completely wrong, that 2011 was when it was bought back.

Your link appears to be broken, maybe Howie’s have got more of a ‘reach’ than we think!

As I remember it, Howies sold to Timberland way-back-when then in 2011 Timberland were bought up by VF who own loads of brands – North Face, Wrangler, Lee, Dickies Vans and more, but rather becoming a sub-brand of a sub-brand they completed a MBO and are now Indie.

Seems Hiut are owned by the former owners of Howie’s.

Expensive, long-lasting, ‘Organic’ Jeans – seems they haven’t changed the bait much.

Yeah, the management buyout was a good few years ago now.

Yeah, the management buyout was a good few years ago now. Got a pair of their jeans on now, circa 10 years old.

aaah, that explains my confusion. Always Liked Howies, havent bought anything from them for ages, guess I’m not their demographic anymore 🙂

They’ve brought loose fit back, hoping for something in the sales

No HebTroCo?

…and £145 for jeans 😯

…and £145 for jeans

What proportion of an average weekly wage did a good pair of jeans cost when they were all made in Western factories?

If clothing was still sensibly priced it wouldn’t be so disposable…

I agree – that said a set of organic, ethically made Patagucci jeans are under £100. I think the original HebTroCo trousers were less. Herring are too IIRC.

A tax on trendy IMO.

What proportion of an average weekly wage did a good pair of jeans cost when they were all made in Western factories?

If clothing was still sensibly priced it wouldn’t be so disposable…

I wonder what percentage of the £145 is Labour?

Their website seems to suggest their staff make 100 pairs a week each which doesn’t seem a lot, estimate £25k a year for a seamstress (is that what they’re called) in West Wales.

That’s 5,200 pairs of jeans for £25,000 gives a Labour cost of £4.80 per pair or a little over 3% of the cost.

Or is that overly simplistic?

I have to admit to quite liking howies stuff – cycling kit, chinos (wearing a pair today at work right now), polos, hoodies, jackets

It’s a bit embarrassing actually

Hiut will repair their jeans forever f.o.c.

big howies fan as well. Trousers never seam to fit well, but my himmalaya base layers are the most comforting warm things ever. I live in mine. Fingers crossed the sale is a good one

I’ve got a few pairs of howies jeans, they last a lot longer than the £30 Burtons ones I used to wear, wear them practically every day and not worn them out yet, so they are good value, £145 quid ones will have to do pretty well to last longer than them…

Cycling kits been good, though the 3d knit stuff is not flattering on me at all.

Polo shirts where a bit rubbish, dye either washed out really quickly or got sun bleached really badly with one day on the line, gave up on them.

Their website seems to suggest their staff make 100 pairs a week each which doesn’t seem a lot, estimate £25k a year for a seamstress (is that what they’re called) in West Wales.

That’s 5,200 pairs of jeans for £25,000 gives a Labour cost of £4.80 per pair or a little over 3% of the cost.

there’s a BBC article here which says it’s about 70 mins per pair.

So perhaps 7 pairs a day. At 25K a year, for 46 weeks (let’s include bank hols and 5 sick days), I make that £15.53 per pair. Or £18.12 if they do 6 a day.

£150 – £200 per pair still seems like quite a bit.

But I do think we need to be spending more on clothes, less often.

Seems Hiut are owned by the former owners of Howie’s.

where did you see this, BTW? Can’t see it mentioned online or on the VF site.

Just curious because I’ve come across Hiut before and always thought it might be nice to support them when I win the lottery. But I thought they were independently owned etc

They are independent Doris, the people who used to own Howies set up Hiut.

I have a couple of pair, I like them a lot. But I do have an addiction to Denim 🙁

where did you see this, BTW? Can’t see it mentioned online or on the VF site.

Just curious because I’ve come across Hiut before and always thought it might be nice to support them when I win the lottery. But I thought they were independently owned etc

It’s in the FAQ section of their website, or if you’re odd like me with a history of working in fraud prevention you might go straight the the companies house site, find the company, find the director details and look up former directorships. Even I make myself feel creepy sometimes.

Oh sorry, yes they’re indie and owned by real human beings and not some Global Brand thing – it’s the former owners and founders of Howies, not Timberland etc.

there’s a BBC article here which says it’s about 70 mins per pair.

So perhaps 7 pairs a day. At 25K a year, for 46 weeks (let’s include bank hols and 5 sick days), I make that £15.53 per pair. Or £18.12 if they do 6 a day.

£150 – £200 per pair still seems like quite a bit.

That piece also says 15 people make 120 pairs a week.

Which (EDIT: Using your labour rate) works out at £60 a pair.

Plus selvedge denim is about £15-£40 a metre, and you need about 1.5-2m to make a pair of jeans.

But anyhow.

But I do think we need to be spending more on clothes, less often.

Yep, and I manage to do that without spending anything like £150 on a pair of trews.

Not throwing shade at anyone who does of course, it’s better than spunking your money on watches or flashy motors.

🙂

Is this going to be one of those STW threads where people with no idea of the specifics of a particular business make wild claims about how that business finances itself, costs it’s products, and how they market and sell those products?

Those types of threads are always illuminating

Is this going to be one of those STW threads where people with no idea of the specifics of a particular business make wild claims about how that business finances itself, costs it’s products, and how they market and sell those products?

I think you’ve just spoilt it.

damnit

That piece also says 15 people make 120 pairs a week.

so they’re doing a 9 hour week then. Sounds good, I should try for a job there. Especially for 25K

damnit

No wait. I think it’s got legs.

I would **** well hope so for £145

Sat here in a pair of Hiuts now, they’re lovely, and were made by a lady called Kathy.

Best jeans Howies ever made were the flannel lined warm jobbies, been living in them this last week.

I love jeans me.

It never ceases to amaze that those folk who have no clue about manufacturing (in UK or offshore) think they understand the costs. But hey carry on. If it ain’t made in Yorkshire its no good, its a truth thats hard sometimes.

mt – Member
It never ceases to amaze that those folk who have no clue about manufacturing (in UK or offshore) think they understand the costs. But hey carry on. If it ain’t made in Yorkshire its no good, its a truth thats hard sometimes.

It sort of amazes me that folk think that think this is some sort of think tank for the government or something – it’s a chat forum for people to chat shit they don’t really know about when they should be working. 😉

None of this matters. None of it.

That piece also says 15 people make 120 pairs a week.

Clearly part time workers then.
The owner of Hiut is no fool, he was a very successful marketeer working for Saatchi in London. There is no chance in the world that he doesn’t have a significant mark up on £145 jeans. Notably they use very lightweight 12oz denim which is obviously at the cheaper end of the spectrum. The source fo the cotton and mill seems difficult to nail down too. Hiatt caused a bit of a stink after the MBO of Howies IIRC, it wasn’t pretty.
I love jeans and good denim, I wouldn’t buy Hiut. I’d certainly consider a pair of hebcotro’s, but nowhere to try a pair on!

Just bought a pair of Huit jeans and think they’re the mutts nuts. But a rare treat and will be saved for going oot. Would appear to be better quality than the Howies I have, but they’re also good.
Might treat myself to some HebTroCo if they go for straight and not tapered fit on the moleskins and they do a 36″ leg without paying a tenner extra. (hint to Brant)
I’m trying to buy better clobber, but less of it.

Might treat myself to some HebTroCo if they go for straight and not tapered fit on the moleskins and they do a 36″ leg without paying a tenner extra. (hint to Brant)

Whilst I try not to talk about future projects (I have lots of moleskins in stock, and want to sell them), we are looking to expand our offerings of cloth in all cuts, and add different cloth to existing cuts too.

Nice one. Will keep an eye on the website.

£145? Daaamn. I could get 14 pairs from Primark for that.

I have been checking Huit out for a while as I like to occasionally buy a nice pair of jeans. I always feel that there is better value for money out there – especially from places like Gustin and Denham. But because I have never committed to a pair I am unable to speak on the quality of their jeans. It is interesting to hear about the Howies connection though.

I ordered two pairs of Gustin. One pair I thought was really good quality but the others were average. But I got stung for import tax/duty on them so they didn’t work out as cheap as hoped.

Best jeans Howies ever made were the flannel lined warm jobbies,

Got mine on now. It feels like cheating in winter.

🙂

Dunno if it was this thread or another but in addition to Uniqlo I’d be looking at Moji for reasonably priced high street jeans.

Also looking at community clothing.