The Hickory Stripe
A symbol of American industrial history, an icon of railroad workers and famous for its aesthetics as much as for its functionality, the Hickory Stripe takes its name from hickory wood since it recalls its appearance, but also shares its virtues of solidity and resistance.
The Hickory Stripe was introduced to the United States in the 19th century and wrote its legend by being worn by railway workers and railroad workers. It quickly became associated with the American dream, with manual and hard work. It entered the collective imagination through popular culture, in films and television series, helping to establish Hickory Stripe as the emblematic fabric of the worker.
Its use was explained, obviously, by its robustness , but also by its patterns which masked grease and coal stains. All this added to the comfort of the garment, the Hickory Stripe represented the perfect choice for a functional and durable garment.
Although it was popularized by railroad workers, Hickory was also widely used by farm and factory workers, as well as mechanics. After World War II, Hickory Stripe declined in popularity due to changing industries and fashions, but later, during the 1980s, the appeal of vintage revived the history of this iconic fabric. It is now widely used in sustainable fashion for its strength as well as the powerful symbolism it carries.
Hickory stripe is usually made from cotton, necessarily of high quality, which is spun and then dyed to obtain colored threads, often blue, and uncolored threads. It is this combination of threads, woven in a twill, that is to say obliquely, that gives hickory its distinctive striped appearance.
Hickory Stripe joins the Kidur Summer 2024 collection.
For its 2024 collection, Kidur has chosen to turn to the house of Chapman , a historic weaver from Manchester, perpetuating the family tradition since 1869. The weaving company still belongs to the Chapman family and continues today to produce high-quality fabrics based on cotton work, their specialty.
Kidur has used the hickory stripe for two of the pieces in its 2024 summer collection: the Ernest Draisine shorts and the 41 Draisine jacket . Both stem from the desire to create a durable, flexible and lightweight garment suitable for a Kidur summer wardrobe made in France.
To preserve the stripes, it's best to wash your clothes inside out and at a low or medium temperature. Air drying is also preferable to machine washing. If machine washing is necessary, it should be done at a low temperature.
