Written by Ivan Yaskey in New Collections on the 5th September 2022

If you’re an outdoor-focused brand, regional landscapes shape the performance of the jackets, layers, and other garments you introduce. It’s a bit overkill to design something for Arctic temperatures if most of your customers will be venturing off in the nearby woods or across the nearest mountain range – either via a day hike or multi-day backpacking trip.

This approach has long shaped the TOG24 brand. Inspired by the performance needed to explore the British landscape and related weather, and taking inspiration from such aesthetics, TOG24 builds clothing that keeps you dry and comfortable throughout each season – whether that’s breathability during the warmer months or streamlined insulation for autumn and winter.

About TOG24 

Donald Ward, who previously apprenticed as a millwright in Dewsbury’s textile facilities, made the decision to start TOG24 in 1958. Then and today, the brand reflects its origins in Yorkshire’s Spen Valley, and continues to design its clothing in this region and for its weather. Its name stands for “Truth Over Glory Everyday,” which serves as a testament to its garments’ construction and performance: Jackets, shells, knits, and other apparel give you the protection, comfort, and flexibility to explore the outdoors locally throughout the year – from hikes to camping to skiing – with enough style and adaptability for the city later. Originally, TOG24 created footwear out of its Heckmondwike factory before, over the next couple of decades, branching out into other active essentials, including sports bags, football gear, waterproof garments, and fleece. With time, TOG24 started considering the full four-season outdoor experience, and added ski essentials and casual staples in response.

Still a family-operated company, TOG24 has turned its attention to sustainable design and production in recent years. Recycled polyester goes into various products, as fabric or as fill for warmth. The goal here, particularly coupled with more extensive repair services, is to reduce soil contamination, dependence on petroleum, and the number of plastic bottles ending up in a landfill environment. On average, 30 plastic bottles go into one sustainable TOG24 jacket. This is joined by sustainable cotton, a plant designed to diversify soil use through agroforestry-trained farmers and provide greater supply chain transparency in terms of working conditions. Other practices in this direction include traceable, responsible down standard (RDS)-sourced down feathers, non-mulesed merino wool, and only using synthetic furs. As with other outdoor brands, TOG24 strives to avoid a disposability mindset and instead tests products for durability, provides clear care instructions, and is prepared to provide repairs and aftercare to extend a garment’s lifespan. Today, collections blend classic pieces with new editions, all crafted to last and protect you against the elements. Aspects providing this degree of performance include water-resistant yet breathable materials, anti-pill fleece and other fabrics, large pockets for holding onto and organizing your belongings, ventilation in key spots, and taped, reinforced seams that prevent water from seeping through. Beyond the technical attributes, colours and design are inspired by the Yorkshire countryside.

Autumn/Winter 2022 Collection 

TOG24’s AW22 collection treads similar territory. Its men’s offerings look to the coastlines of Staithes, as well as the misty moors of Dovestone Reservoir. Visually, you see this relationship among a colour palette of muted blues, greens, and hints of tan – symbolizing the transition to cooler days and a changing landscape that will eventually be blanketed with snow once January arrives. Thematically, this approach extends through the garments offered. Autumn and winter outdoor offerings are a diverse bag. September through most of November is ripe for a hike along leaf-covered dirt trails as barren tree branches extend above. You might even schedule a weekend excursion to the campgrounds, where, too, you’ll do a bit of hiking and sit by a crackling fire into the evening. Yet, based on where you are, December’s arrival means snow. So, your exploratory endeavours transition to some snowshoeing, or you head to the ski trails or resort, prepared to layer efficiently and move.

TOG24’s seasonal offerings factor in this transition and range within the context of the Yorkshire landscape. Outfitting you for cool and damp to snowy and below freezing are puffers, fleece, gilets, and shell jackets, all designed to be layered based on the conditions you could encounter. Later, as you’re having a drink at the ski lodge or a pub in town, the style looks like anything you’d put on for your morning commute – distinctive in colour and versatile in silhouette. Of course, there’s more to this framework, embodied by AW22’s Calverly and other puffer jackets and vests. Quilting with stitched baffles and recycled polyester fill retains body heat for warmth without adding significant weight. At the same time, performance also works from the exterior to block out wind, fortified with elastic cuffs at the sleeves. This construction does double duty: strategic for a hike or a winter adventure along the local trails, while colour-blocking with neutral shades positions it as an everyday winter go-to. 

tog24.com

Founded by Donald Ward, we take a first look at the Autumn/Winter 2022 Menswear Collection from TOG24.