Coal Breaker Chambray “Jelt” Chore Jacket

 Inspired from a 1940’s vintage chore Jacket, we chose a Japanese “Jelt” 11.5 oz denim for a period correct denim. Jelt was developed by Lee in 1925 to make a lighter more comfortable denim to work in with the strength of a 13 oz denim. This was a special process developed by Lee with a tighter weave and twisted yarn to achieve the tensile strength of a heavier denim. We chose the name Coal Breaker because it is the logo on our Work Uniform clothing and was an iconic symbol of the Industrial Age.

A huge factory building that would pull the coal carts from the mine to the top of the Breaker by a long steel cable. A man would throw a lever and the cart would tip into the grinders reducing large chunks of coal into smaller chunks to send down the coal chute where the breaker boys would wait at the bottom and pick out any slate or rock from the coal. Large plumes of smoke would come down over the boys blackening their faces and clothing. They would wear bandannas over their face to keep from inhaling the dust. Many would chew on wads of chewing tobacco since smoking wasn’t allowed and the chewing tobacco was supposed to keep your mouth moist and prevent coal dust from going down your throat. Boys as young as 8 worked in the breaker until 1885 when the minimum age for the breaker boys changed to 12.

All Jackets have been washed and hot dried in our local Ridgewood, Queens Laundromat. We recommend cold rinse hang dry for future washes. 

Note since this is a raglan sleeve there is no shoulder measurements. Sleeve is measured from the center of neck to the end of the sleeve. Center back length is measured from the bottom of the collar on the backside to the bottom of the jacket. 

Cut and Sewn in the USA

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