FRAHM Lightweight Worker’s Jacket

FRAHM is a British company that makes some classic jackets with classic fabrics. They offer pre-orders for their items (at a 20% discount), and this Lightweight Worker’s Jacket sold out before they started making it for 2021, so they’ve already launched their 2022 pre-order (for delivery May 2022).

What got me excited about FRAHM was their attention to detail and use of fabrics like Ventile (waterproof 100% cotton) and British Millerain (machine washable waxed cotton). Of course, this makes their jackets very pricey. So I went with the Lightweight Worker’s Jacket (in French Blue), which is made from an Italian ripstop, to not blow my whole budget. As I dug in further, I also thought their ethical policy was interesting and love the fact that they sew in a small factory in Bulgaria they have a close relationship with.

Material

The material is listed as “brushed Italian fabric is a tough ripstop”, and the content label lists it as 64% cotton/39% nylon. No weight is listed, but it is fairly light while still having structure. The handfeel is smooth, with the outside having a bit of sheen.

This results in a fabric that looks normal except for the slight sheen giving it away as not just cotton and has a great structure, while being really comfortable to wear.

Fit & Style

The fit on this jacket is excellent. It’s not slim, but also not baggy. FRAHM targets their cuts to fit most men, while leaving room to move and for layers. If you take a look at their size guide, you can see photos of various builds wearing their jackets and what size they are in. I find this to work really well for me. It looks sharp, while still letting me move and fit a layer underneath if necessary. I ended up with an XL after using their fit tool and chatting with their customer service (note that the jackets ship from the UK, so returns aren’t straightforward, although their customer service is very helpful and responsive).

The pockets on this jacket are done perfectly as well, plenty of storage without getting in the way. They also didn’t forget the most important feature, side entry hand pockets behind the lower pockets. This is a detail that when missing on jackets like this drives me crazy.

For those that need it, there are also two holes for the cuff button for adjustment. The collar can be flipped up for a little extra wind protection.

The style makes this a versatile jacket. It dresses up your t-shirt while staying on par or dressing down button-up a bit. It fits in in a casual situation and works well going to the office. The slight sheen the fabric has out of the box actually makes it a bit dressier, so I’ll be interested to see if that changes with more wear.

Performance

The performance here surprised me. FRAHM describes the fabric as “crease resistant, showerproof and cool against the skin”. Let’s hit those points:

Crease resistant: Yep, I folded the jacket and packed it away in a small backpack for my first post-vaccine road trip. I expected some creases or wrinkles to form due to the feel of the fabric, but it came out with no creases or wrinkles.

Showerproof: While this jacket isn’t going to keep you dry in a downpour, the fabric beads water like it has a DWR coating (but I don’t think it does). Definitely my choice for a drizzly day rather than a rain jacket or windbreaker.

Cool against the skin: FRAHM lists the temperature range as 50-75°F (with a t-shirt), and I think that’s about right. I haven’t gotten to test it in cold weather yet, but I could see it going cooler with a heavy button-up, sweater, or flannel. And the reason it’s comfortable into the 70s is that the fabric really does feel cool against your skin. I’m guessing it’s a combination of the smooth feel of the fabric, as well as the excellent breathability.

Even though this is a majority cotton jacket, I haven’t had to wash it. When I got some dirt on it, it was easily brushed off with a damp cloth.

And for durability, FRAHM talks about how they make all their jackets to last and stand up to actually wearing them, and I think the fabric will stand up to whatever I can throw at it. The quality is tops here, and even goes as far as adding to the style. The buttons are real horn, with smaller holding buttons behind the fabric and some fancy strong stitching. The stitching is heavy duty twin needle for durability and the seams are bound with a nice contrasting red.

Overall

Overall, I love this jacket. The only downside is now I want more pieces from FRAHM. The fit, finish, and performance on this jacket is better than anything else I’ve owned, so this is very easy for me to recommend. With a pre-order price of £176 ($244 USD), it’s not a quick decision to purchase, but the price is justified.