Dickies workwear and Carhartt workwear are often compared as two leading names when it comes to reliable and durable workwear. Dickies boasts features such as durability, cost-efficiency, and suitability for everyday use, whilst Carhartt is often regarded as a more premium brand, with premium prices to match.
We’re here to help answer your questions once and for all, should you really pay the extra money for Carhartt workwear?
Overview of Dickies workwear
Dickies offers a wide range of workwear, safety shoes, and safety boots. What started as a small, family run business, has evolved into a multinational supplier, who places the emphasis on quality and affordability alike.
Dickies aims to offer a wide range of choice for workers across a variety of occupations and industries, be it electricians, plumbers, bricklayers, and a variety of other trade types.
Advantages of Dickies workwear
Dickies Workwear is commonly regarded as one of the best options for finding workwear, whether buying in bulk or just for yourself.
Here are some of the main benefits of Dickies workwear:
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Cost-effective - Not only is Dickies highly affordable, but it’s also extremely high quality given the price. Many cheaper alternatives are only cheap because they lack quality and reliability. Not Dickies, whose clothing is renowned for lasting a long time.
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Variety of styles/designs - A diverse trouser range, as well as multiple styles of safety boots and other workwear is another thing which makes Dickies stand out from the rest.
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Comfort - Because workwear needs to be strong and durable, it’s often uncomfortable and heavy. Dickies avoids this issue through the use of innovative materials such as breathable fabrics and elasticated waistbands.
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Functionality - Almost all Dickies workwear includes features like multiple strong pockets, reinforced stitching, and wide belt loops for heavy toolbelts.
Check out our guide to Dickies workwear.
Disadvantage of Dickies workwear
Whilst Dickies workwear is suitable for almost all jobs, there are some drawbacks you should consider before making a final choice:
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Lack of suitability for heavy-duty work - As a result of Dickies’ comfort features, it is often suggested that this workwear is not as suitable as other brands for more abrasive or damaging conditions.
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Inconsistent fit - Some users complain that Dickies sizing is inconsistent, which often leads to fitting issues. However, our returns policy means that you can get a refund or exchange on any items which don’t match expectations.
These are the primary concerns with Dickies clothing, which goes to show that they are a great option for almost all workers. If you’re not convinced, have a look at our comparison of the best workwear brands.
Overview of Carhartt workwear
Carhartt is an American clothing/workwear brand founded in 1899 in Detroit, Michigan. It’s well-known for providing heavy-duty clothing and work clothes, designed for manual labour. Their products were initially aimed at railroad workers, which is why they’re built primarily with durability in mind, as opposed to comfort/wearability.
The quality of Carhartt workwear is evident, but the functionality and comfort aspects of the clothing is often questioned.
Advantages of Carhartt workwear
Here are the main advantages of Carhartt workwear:
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Maximum durability - Carhartt clothing is famously tough thanks to features like triple-stitched seams, and abrasion resistance.
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Suitable for heavy-duty work - Carhartt is designed for the heaviest of jobs. This could be environments with an extra high hazard risk, or extreme weather conditions, as opposed to most industrial or manual labour.
Disadvantage of Carhartt workwear
Here are the key disadvantages of Carhartt workwear, which may make you want to consider alternatives such as Dickies:
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High cost - Carhartt workwear is considered a premium brand, and as a result is much more expensive than many alternatives. Whilst you do get quality for the price, it’s often questioned whether it’s worth it in terms of cost-efficiency.
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Not suitable for bulk purchase - Thanks to the premium prices, Carhartt workwear is not best suited for buying in bulk for your team of builders, bricklayers, or similar. For this, Dickies is much more suitable.
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Limited slim options - Carhartt is known for a more rugged fit, which means there are limited slimmer options. This means they aren’t always suitable for all job types.
Should you choose Dickies or Carhartt workwear?
Dickies and Carhartt are both popular and reliable workwear brands, so whichever choice you make, you’re likely to be satisfied with your purchase.
However, if you’re looking for guaranteed quality on a budget, or looking to equip a larger workforce without breaking the bank, Dickies is definitely the better choice. Dickies workwear and safety footwear is comfortable, durable, and affordable.
The Clifton safety shoes come in at under £25, and are sturdy black leather work shoes with lace-up fronts, metal eyelets, and a padded tongue and collar for increased comfort. It’s unlikely you’ll find that quality and durability cheaper elsewhere. They also feature slip, acid, and oil resistant outsoles, as well as an anti-penetration midsole.
For work trousers, check out the Industry 260 Elasticated Trousers. With an elasticated waistband, and external knee pad pockets, these highly affordable work pants are an absolute no-brainer.