Coming Soon: OG Active Jacket 50th Anniversary Edition

Introduced in the US to serve a more casual consumer, the Active Jacket’s shape was based on the already popular Hooded Zip Sweatshirt, rebuilt with a tougher, reinforced exterior and insulated lining for warmth. In 1975, the style first appeared in denim – then considered an off-duty work fabric – with a bold red flannel lining. It was released in duck canvas shortly after, giving us the recognizable style we know today. In 1997, we introduced our own interpretation of this style – now recognized as the OG Active Jacket, thanks to its loose, oversized silhouette. The item stayed true to its roots with a hooded bomber-style shape, triple stitching, and gold-tone hardware.

Our four anniversary pieces include two canvas iterations, as well as denim and leather. Retaining the classic details of the original silhouette, each edition is also fully reversible and bears a unique, commemorative Square Label.

Two styles are constructed in our signature Dearborn Canvas – a black iteration with a red reverse, referencing the first ever Active Jacket, and a Hamilton Brown version, which pairs with a new ‘camo trebark’ motif.

There is also a denim version, which features a stone-bleached finish on one side, offering an intentionally worn-in appearance. On the reverse, the original bold red lining is reimagined in diamond-quilted sateen, detailed with anniversary labeling, graphic patches, and embroidery.

A leather edition, meanwhile, offers an elevated interpretation of this foundational style. Bridging past and present, its reverse stays rooted in the familiar with Dearborn Canvas in Hamilton Brown.

The history of the Active Jacket mirrors that of Carhartt WIP – a brand that creates products rooted in functional wear, worn by an audience that defies categorization.

Today, 50 years on, the Active Jacket remains omnipresent within culture, rarely feeling out of place in the context of music, skateboarding, cinema, or subculture. Regardless of setting, this artefact remains largely unchanged, even as new meanings and memories continue to be woven into its story. A distillation of authenticity and versatility, the Active Jacket continues to make its presence felt, as the years and decades roll on.

The OG Active Jacket 50th Anniversary Edition designs are available from October 30 at select global retailers and Carhartt WIP stores, as well as at carhartt-wip.com.