Stan Ray

Stan Ray began in 1972, when Earl Beard started making hard-wearing workwear in Crockett, Texas, after losing his job at a machine company. His aims were durability and production he could control. Painter pants and fatigue trousers won over tradespeople across Texas, then found their way to Japanese vintage collectors, and eventually to direct orders from Tokyo shops like Beams. That demand helped keep the factory going while other American workwear brands moved offshore. Earl's family still runs it, with his son Larry managing the same factory. Some pieces are now made abroad, but the core range of painter pants, fatigues and jackets is still made in Texas. Worth a look if you want honest, practical trousers.