Carhartt WIP vs Carhartt: What Is the Difference?

Carhartt WIP vs Carhartt comes down to who each is made for. Carhartt is the American workwear company, founded in Detroit in 1889, making tough, roomy clothes for people who work outdoors. Carhartt WIP (Work In Progress) is a separate, European-run line that started under licence in the late 1980s and 1990s and remakes those same workwear classics for streetwear: slimmer and more modern fits, more colours, collaborations and seasonal collections. Same name and logo, same roots, different cut, different shops and a different customer.

Where Carhartt WIP came from

Hamilton Carhartt started making overalls for railway workers in Detroit in 1889, and the company is still family-owned and still makes clothes for building sites, farms and workshops across North America.

WIP began in 1989, the year of Carhartt's centenary, when Edwin Faeh and his wife Salomée, who worked in the denim trade, visited the United States and set out to bring Carhartt to Europe. They started by importing American products; Work In Progress then became Carhartt's European distributor in the mid-1990s, and in 1996 it gained the licence to make Carhartt products outside the United States, releasing its own collection soon after. The first London shop opened in 1997.

From there WIP grew up with skateboarding, hip hop and graffiti in Europe, sponsoring skaters and working with musicians and artists. Today it has its own shops around the world, including the United States, and its own design team. That is why a WIP jacket looks related to, but clearly different from, the one you see on a building site.

Carhartt WIP vs regular Carhartt: the differences

Fit

The biggest difference. Mainline Carhartt is cut for movement and layering at work: boxy bodies, long arms, wide legs. Even its "Original" fits are generous, and its relaxed and loose fits more so.

WIP cuts the same garments for everyday wear: narrower shoulders, higher armholes, shorter bodies and a range of trouser shapes from slim to very loose. Some reviewers note that the WIP versions lose some of the working details, such as the full swing back and shoulder gussets on certain jackets, so they do not move quite as freely.

Fabrics

Both use heavy cotton canvas and twill. Mainline Carhartt's firm duck is famously stiff and breaks in slowly; WIP's Dearborn canvas, used for its Detroit jacket and its knee pants, has the same tough character, and WIP adds seasonal fabrics, washes, cords and colours the mainline rarely touches.

Range

Mainline Carhartt sells function: insulated, waterproof, flame-resistant and high-visibility workwear, sold by size and fit for the job. WIP sells a fashion collection: seasonal colours, graphic tees, accessories, collaborations and limited runs.

Price

In most markets WIP costs more than the equivalent mainline piece. You pay for European design, smaller runs and the shops that sell it. Mainline Carhartt is easy to find in North America and much harder in Europe and Asia, where WIP is the version most shops carry.

Quality

Both are well made for what they are. Mainline gear is built for daily hard use and it shows in the stitching and reinforcement. WIP is still sturdy compared with most streetwear, and its core pieces last years, but if you actually work in it on site, mainline is the safer bet.

Sizing

• Mainline Carhartt runs big. Many people size down one in tops and jackets, especially in relaxed and loose fits.
• WIP runs closer to standard European sizing. Most people take their usual size; size up if you want the boxy mainline look.
• Trousers vary by model. WIP lists a fit for each pant, from slim to loose, so check the specific model and the shop's measurements.

The pieces to know

The Carhartt WIP Detroit jacket

A short, boxy canvas work jacket with a corduroy collar and a blanket lining, based on the mainline's classic. WIP's version is cut cleaner and shorter. It is the brand's signature and works over a hoodie in autumn. See Carhartt WIP jackets, which also include the Michigan coat and the OG Active jacket.

Carhartt WIP pants

WIP's trousers are its best sellers:

• Single Knee and Double Knee pants: canvas carpenter trousers with a hammer loop and utility pocket; the double knee has a reinforced front panel. Relaxed and straight.
• Simple Pant: a twill trouser with a clean, slightly wide leg.
• Landon and other loose fits: the wide, baggy shape that matches current denim; see our guide to baggy jeans.

Browse Carhartt WIP trousers and jeans to compare cuts.

The Carhartt WIP hoodie

WIP's hooded sweats, including the Chase hoodie with its small embroidered logo, are mid-to-heavyweight cotton fleece with a regular fit. Mainline Carhartt's loose-fit hoodies are larger and more utilitarian. See Carhartt WIP sweats, or our guide to heavyweight hoodies for other makers.

The Watch hat

The ribbed beanie with the square label is a mainline classic that WIP sells in dozens of colours. It is the cheapest way into either brand; see Carhartt WIP hats.

Which one should you buy?

• Buy mainline Carhartt if you need workwear for actual work, want the roomiest fit, or live in North America and want the lower price.
• Buy Carhartt WIP if you want the workwear look in a modern cut, more colours and the seasonal pieces, and plan to wear it every day rather than on site.

On Kounter Kulture we compare Carhartt WIP only, since that is the line the independent shops we cover stock. If you like WIP's workwear-meets-streetwear idea, Japanese labels take it further; see our guide to Japanese streetwear brands.

Compare Carhartt WIP prices

WIP is sold by many shops and the same piece is often priced differently between them, especially in sales. Go to the Carhartt WIP brand page to compare every shop's price and see who has your size in stock.

Questions people ask

Is Carhartt WIP the same company as Carhartt?

No. Carhartt owns the brand; Carhartt WIP is a separate company that makes and sells its own collections under licence.

Is Carhartt WIP worth it?

If you want everyday workwear with a modern fit, yes: the core trousers, the Detroit jacket and the hoodies last for years. If you need clothes for heavy work, mainline Carhartt does the job for less.

Is Carhartt WIP better quality than Carhartt?

Not better, just aimed differently. Mainline is built harder for work; WIP is tough for streetwear and finished with more attention to fit and colour.

Does Carhartt WIP run small?

Not really. It runs close to standard sizing, smaller than mainline Carhartt, which runs big.

Why is Carhartt WIP more expensive?

European design, smaller seasonal runs and fashion retail pricing, compared with the mainline's large-volume workwear.