# Barbour Waxed Cotton Jackets No Longer Made in England?



## Halbermensch

Gentlemen,

Sometime this spring my Barbour Bedale was stolen, and now that fall is upon us, I decided to replace it with a Beaufort. I ordered this jacket two weeks ago, and when it arrived I ensured it was the brand and model I wanted, and that it fit. Since it has been unseasonably warm, I hung it up in my coat closet until the proper weather arrived. That weather arrived yesterday, and I took the jacket out for a spin. Upon return, I noticed something peculiar about the tag on the back inside of the coat.










Notice something missing?

I thought that surely, Barbour has simply changed where they place the country of origin tag on their coats. In my Bedale this tag clearly said "Made in England," so I continued to look. Then in the front pocket I found this tag.










But still no country of origin tag; So I turned it over.










Now&#8230; I had known that Barbour made some of their products outside of England, but I was pretty certain that they would keep their staple, wax cotton jackets, in England. Apparently not.

This morning, Barbour's customer service assured me that all their waxed cotton jackets are made in England. The answer was fairly canned, and omitted any reference to the country of origin tag photo that you see above, and that I also sent them. 
The well-known establishment where I bought this jacket appears caught unawares as well, and seems sympathetic. They offered to swap this jacket out with one they ensured was made in England, despite the fact that I took the tags off and briefly wore the previous one.


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## bd79cc

From my own experience, I believe Barbour manufactures only jackets at it South Shields facility. Everything else - hoods, vests, etc. - seems outsourced. 

Did you pay full freight to a Barbour dealer for your Beaufort? I've found that the outsourced jackets are made to a slightly different specification in terms of materials than the Made in England ones. But the design, construction quality, and general serviceability of the jackets are similar. One of the outsourced jackets would be well worth owning, although I would expect to pay about 35 to 50% less for one than for a Made in England jacket.


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## Halbermensch

This particular jacket was full Barbour price actually. I had contemplated waiting for a sale, and really should've just got it at JPress while they were on sale all summer, but I procrastinated. I don't necessarily mind where a jacket is made really, but I can't help but feel that Barbour is trying to hide the fact that their jackets are being outsourced. Now, it appears that both the dealer and Ihave been duped by Barbour. I mean, theyeven hid the country of origin tag. Quality wise, it appears comparable to the previous Barbour jackets I have owned, so that's not really an issue. It's just that Barbour is omitting the fact that these are no longer made in England, yet charging the made in England price. It's a lie by omission, and false advertising really.


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## Semper Jeep

Halbermensch said:


> This particular jacket was full Barbour price actually. Ihad contemplated waiting for a sale, and really should've just got it at JPresswhile they were on sale all summer, but I procrastinated. I don't necessarily mindwhere a jacket is made really, but I can't help but feel that Barbour is tryingto hide the fact that their jackets are being outsourced. Now, it appears that both the dealer and Ihave been duped by Barbour. I mean, theyeven hid the country of origin tag.
> Quality wise, it appears comparable to the previousBarbour jackets I have owned, so that's not really an issue. It's just that Barbour is omitting the factthat these are no longer made in England, yet charging the made in Englandprice. It's a lie by omission, and falseadvertising really.


It's hardly a lie by omission, as the jacket is tagged saying it was made in Lithuania. If the buyer doesn't look for the tag at the time of purchase, but the tag is there, the fault is clearly on the buyer.

That being said, I have recently handled both English-made and other country of origin (I cannot recall off the top of my head what country it was though) Bedales and couldn't find a difference.

In the end, FWIW, you can always go with Filson who makes comparable (and IMO, better) products with many of them still being produced in the United States.


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## Earl of Ormonde

Here is an Ask Andy thread from way back in 2007! https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?73693-Barbour-Jackets
And have a look what it says in entry No. 24!!!!
*Lithuania *


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## godan

Waxed cotton does not fit my needs, but I checked the label of my Barbour Beauchamp Travel Jacket, which is, as an interior label says, "waterproof and breathable." Another interior label, somewhat more difficult to find, says "Made in Bulgaria."


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## DannoRye

I believe the Beaufort is still made in England, at least the orvis listing says so.


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## catside

Why don't you just accept the shops offer of exchanging it?


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## bd79cc

I've had good luck buying Barbour products from Stafford's and Aaron's of Eastham. For me, both vendors have represented their products fairly, have offered excellent service, and have taken immediate and definitive steps to correct problems. When I've asked after the origin of a particular Barbour jacket they carry, they've told me where it came from. Or, if they didn't know, they've found the answer for me.


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## DannoRye

bd79cc said:


> I've had good luck buying Barbour products from Stafford's and Aaron's of Eastham. For me, both vendors have represented their products fairly, have offered excellent service, and have taken immediate and definitive steps to correct problems. When I've asked after the origin of a particular Barbour jacket they carry, they've told me where it came from. Or, if they didn't know, they've found the answer for me.


FWIW, Orvis just lists the country of origin on the website, and if one compares the Bedale and the Beaufort, we can see that the former says "imported", where the latter lists "England".


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## blue suede shoes

Don't get too upset. The quality coming out of those Eastern European clothing factories (Ukraine, Lithuania, etc.) is as good as what is coming out of the UK. Besides, if it were made in England, the workers making it would be from Poland and the Baltic countries anyway, just as if it were made in the US, the workers would all be from Mexico. You can start to panic when you see a label that says made in Bangladesh or China.


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## DannoRye

You've highlighted the real problem here, for which there are limited solutions.


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## firedancer

Interesting indeed. 
My local dealer still carries the Made in England beauforts. So I guess it's safe to assume that they're made in multiple facilities?


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## Barrister & Solicitor

Very interesting : that tag and lining looked very familiar so I had to take a look at my Barbour. Mine is a classic Durham that I won on Ebay a few years back and it truly was new without tags. The large black tag below the collar indicates Made in England and, oddly enough, ”Fabriqué en Angleterre”. Ça doit être vrai!


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## Barnavelt

I recently obtained a previously owned Border on fleabay and read everything I could find on the coats. The company line has been that all the "fashion" clothing and much of the other stuff too is outsourced. However, the "classic" wax cotton coats are supposedly all made in South Shields. But a poster on TOF ("Barbour, where made?") was told by Barbour that his was "made overseas", and this was only back in February.

As per the label my own vintage fleabay Border was made in England and has no sewn on name on the pockets, which is nice. It is in great shape, and I have actually seen a lot of Barbours for sale that at least look nice, and much cheaper than new. I did want one made in England.


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## bd79cc

DannoRye said:


> FWIW, Orvis just lists the country of origin on the website, and if one compares the Bedale and the Beaufort, we can see that the former says "imported", where the latter lists "England".


I had an excellent experience buying a Gamefair at Orvis last year. Because they have stores spread across the US, and because those stores have good-sized stocks of the jackets, the local Orvis is the place most people who want a Barbour jacket will be able to "try and buy."


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## DannoRye

Good point about being able to try one on. I find them fairly true to size, but it can't hurt.


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## Delmarco

That is so sad and so wrong!

I'm sure the price tag is still *$399.99* *USD* for the same jacket that was made in the UK a few years ago!

I read long ago (2005/2006) in a Vanity Fair article that since the 'Barbour' daughters took over the company in the early 2000s one of the first things they wanted to do was spiff up the line to attract a new younger 'urban' demographic while improving the profitability of the brand.

Funny enough in that very article the most shocking thing that struck me was their desire to move manufacturing out of England! However they promised that the traditional wax Sporting product lines and knit wear would still be made in England and ALWAYS made in England.

Hence, why I never bought one of those Heritage Brand-mash ups Barbour items and I no longer look at the sloppy fitting India/China/Asian made-Barbour Quilts as products I would wear or purchase.

But to come to this forum and see that the Classic Bedales and Classic Beauforts are now fabricated in an Eastern European Sweatshop(?) has just left me with PURE and UTTER disgust for the Barbour brand!

This is really sickening!


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## Delmarco

blue suede shoes said:


> Don't get too upset. The quality coming out of those Eastern European clothing factories (Ukraine, Lithuania, etc.) is as good as what is coming out of the UK. Besides, if it were made in England, the workers making it would be from Poland and the Baltic countries anyway, just as if it were made in the US, the workers would all be from Mexico. You can start to panic when you see a label that says made in Bangladesh or China.


That is not the issue. First of all companies do NOT move manufacturing overseas because of labor shortages at home!

They move production overseas to SAVE MONEY (cheap labor, cheap factories) and INCREASE PROFITS (retail price of product paid by consumers remain the same or increases).

I'm 100% sure that the labor force in India, Lithuania and China are very well skilled (perhaps more so than in western countries) BUT these people are surely underpaid-by western standards, overworked-by western standards, factory conditions will most certainly be NOT environmentally friendly, nor have any inspection or workplace safety codes and standards.

Another thing that also ALWAYS happens when production is MOVED to a cheap labor market is QUANTITY of Goods become the PRIMARY FOCUS of Barbour. More styles, more lines, more cuts, more units, more more more in less time. The flip-side of this is QUALITY takes a BACK SEAT!

I'm not saying quality isn't a concern anymore. It still is but when quantity of goods moved in the same space of time this year than last year makes the shareholders happy and puts bonuses in their pockets then the trickle down effect will always favor quantity over quality.

From our perspective as consumers prices stay high or prices increase for the same goods that used to be made in England.

Another thing that bugs me is that Barbour made certain to bury that MADE IN LITHUANIA tag way inside the pocket behind the regular tag on a tiny white strip that doesn't even look like it would have come off the jacket had it fell off and the owner found it in his pocket. She/He would have simply asked 'when did I buy anything from Lithuania?'

That my friend the what makes this sickening! I'm sure if labeling wasn't a regulated industry thing then there would not have been any MADE IN LITHUANIA tag there.

Barbour has LOST ALL MY RESPECT!!!!

I will no longer support them _(although I will keep wearing my MADE IN ENGLAND Classic Tartan A830 Beaufort and A835 Bedale Jackets in the Fall Season and in the Spring Season my Dress Gordon A150 Beaufort and A100 Bedale Jackets)_


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## DoubleDDownUnder

I purchased my Beaufort last Australian Winter/Northern Summer through https://www.outdoorandcountry.co.uk/. Right on the label behind the neck "Made in England."

On a separate issue. I visited the new Barbour store in Chicago in September. Absolutely fantastic place.


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## TsAr

I am pretty sure that a company like Barbour would never compromise on quality whether the jackets are made in England or any other xyz country....When I go to buy clothes or shoes I donot bother at the country of orgin, to me quality is the foremost thing.... Halbermensch you have a very nice jacket, wear it in good health regardless of where it is made...


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## Langham

Delmarco said:


> That is not the issue. First of all companies do NOT move manufacturing overseas because of labor shortages at home!
> 
> They move production overseas to SAVE MONEY (cheap labor, cheap factories) and INCREASE PROFITS (retail price of product paid by consumers remain the same or increases).
> 
> I'm 100% sure that the labor force in India, Lithuania and China are very well skilled (perhaps more so than in western countries) BUT these people are surely underpaid-by western standards, overworked-by western standards, factory conditions will most certainly be NOT environmentally friendly, nor have any inspection or workplace safety codes and standards.
> 
> Another thing that also ALWAYS happens when production is MOVED to a cheap labor market is QUANTITY of Goods become the PRIMARY FOCUS of Barbour. More styles, more lines, more cuts, more units, more more more in less time. The flip-side of this is QUALITY takes a BACK SEAT!
> 
> I'm not saying quality isn't a concern anymore. It still is but when quantity of goods moved in the same space of time this year than last year makes the shareholders happy and puts bonuses in their pockets then the trickle down effect will always favor quantity over quality.
> 
> From our perspective as consumers prices stay high or prices increase for the same goods that used to be made in England.
> 
> Another thing that bugs me is that Barbour made certain to bury that MADE IN LITHUANIA tag way inside the pocket behind the regular tag on a tiny white strip that doesn't even look like it would have come off the jacket had it fell off and the owner found it in his pocket. She/He would have simply asked 'when did I buy anything from Lithuania?'
> 
> That my friend the what makes this sickening! I'm sure if labeling wasn't a regulated industry thing then there would not have been any MADE IN LITHUANIA tag there.
> 
> Barbour has LOST ALL MY RESPECT!!!!
> 
> I will no longer support them _(although I will keep wearing my MADE IN ENGLAND Classic Tartan A830 Beaufort and A835 Bedale Jackets in the Fall Season and in the Spring Season my Dress Gordon A150 Beaufort and A100 Bedale Jackets)_


I think you're right to be agitated by this - it's fantastically sly of Barbour to operate in such an underhand way. If anyone from Barbour is reading this, it's time to come clean.


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## Oldsarge

TsAr said:


> I am pretty sure that a company like Barbour would never compromise on quality whether the jackets are made in England or any other xyz country....When I go to buy clothes or shoes I donot bother at the country of orgin, to me quality is the foremost thing.... Halbermensch you have a very nice jacket, wear it in good health regardless of where it is made...


 A most rational approach, sir. Well put, that man.


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## jonathanbaron

One more anecdotal data point: I bought a Bedale last month (for about half price) at the outlet store in Milford, NH and it says "Made in England."


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## Dr. D

I was at Orvis this afternoon so I checked their stock and all of the Beauforts and Bedales said they were made in England.


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## Jovan

Delmarco, your signature is just a little over the top...


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## wiredroach

I've purchased four Barbour waxed cotton jackets...all from eBay. All are made in England, pre-embroidered Barbour logo on the bellows pocket. If you want to make sure you have the real deal, I recommend this approach. You may roll the dice a bit on minor points of wear, but you know you'll be getting a piece that was made with the true spirit of the brand. I snagged a Northumbria jacket that looked like it was hanging in the showroom—for about 85 dollars shipped. It's a gorgeous jacket, with none of the ticky-tack stuff they've been adding lately in an effort to wring every last dime out of their brand heritage (search for Barbour's "International" jacket for examples of this trend). 

Plus, if you're disgruntled with Barbour for cheapening their wares and selling them in an underhanded fashion, the eBay route means you'll get your hands on one of their really good coats without paying them a dime.


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## jeffreyc

Although I am proud of the respect that English clothing has around the world, I am always surprised at the reaction of people when they find that our manufacturing industry is constantly looking for the cheapest way to make a product assuming that the customer will not notice. Unfortunately we have this short term outlook ingrained in the UK. I mentioned 'manufacturing' not hand made as the latter has managed to keep its reputation intact.
Having owned similar Barbour, Belstaff, Musto, Schoffel, Fjallraven, Beretta Jackets, (I think Barbour is at the bottom of that list personally) I am not surprised that any of these Companies outsource.


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## Earl of Ormonde

Delmarco said:


> But to come to this forum and see that the Classic Bedales and Classic Beauforts are now fabricated in an Eastern European Sweatshop(?)


Two points:
How do you know it was made in a sweatshop? Lithuania is not India or China, it is a modern European country.

Lithuania like Estonia and Latvia is one of the Baltic Countries in Northern Europe, which are not traditioanlly considered part of Eastern Europe.


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## FLMike

wiredroach said:


> I've purchased four Barbour waxed cotton jackets...all from eBay. All are made in England, pre-embroidered Barbour logo on the bellows pocket. If you want to make sure you have the real deal, I recommend this approach. You may roll the dice a bit on minor points of wear, but you know you'll be getting a piece that was made with the true spirit of the brand. I snagged a Northumbria jacket that looked like it was hanging in the showroom-for about 85 dollars shipped. It's a gorgeous jacket, with none of the ticky-tack stuff they've been adding lately in an effort to wring every last dime out of their brand heritage (search for Barbour's "International" jacket for examples of this trend).
> 
> Plus, if you're disgruntled with Barbour for cheapening their wares and selling them in an underhanded fashion, the eBay route means you'll get your hands on one of their really good coats without paying them a dime.


Well on that note....if anyone wants to try going this route, I just listed a great, MADE IN ENGLAND, Classic Beaufort here:


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## bd79cc

Delmarco said:


> That is not the issue. First of all companies do NOT move manufacturing overseas because of labor shortages at home!
> 
> They move production overseas to SAVE MONEY (cheap labor, cheap factories) and INCREASE PROFITS (retail price of product paid by consumers remain the same or increases).
> 
> I'm 100% sure that the labor force in India, Lithuania and China are very well skilled (perhaps more so than in western countries) BUT these people are surely underpaid-by western standards, overworked-by western standards, factory conditions will most certainly be NOT environmentally friendly, nor have any inspection or workplace safety codes and standards.
> 
> Another thing that also ALWAYS happens when production is MOVED to a cheap labor market is QUANTITY of Goods become the PRIMARY FOCUS of Barbour. More styles, more lines, more cuts, more units, more more more in less time. The flip-side of this is QUALITY takes a BACK SEAT!
> 
> I'm not saying quality isn't a concern anymore. It still is but when quantity of goods moved in the same space of time this year than last year makes the shareholders happy and puts bonuses in their pockets then the trickle down effect will always favor quantity over quality.
> 
> From our perspective as consumers prices stay high or prices increase for the same goods that used to be made in England.
> 
> Another thing that bugs me is that Barbour made certain to bury that MADE IN LITHUANIA tag way inside the pocket behind the regular tag on a tiny white strip that doesn't even look like it would have come off the jacket had it fell off and the owner found it in his pocket. She/He would have simply asked 'when did I buy anything from Lithuania?'
> 
> That my friend the what makes this sickening! I'm sure if labeling wasn't a regulated industry thing then there would not have been any MADE IN LITHUANIA tag there.
> 
> Barbour has LOST ALL MY RESPECT!!!!
> 
> I will no longer support them _(although I will keep wearing my MADE IN ENGLAND Classic Tartan A830 Beaufort and A835 Bedale Jackets in the Fall Season and in the Spring Season my Dress Gordon A150 Beaufort and A100 Bedale Jackets)_


Glad to see you posting about Barbour again, Delmarco. I only wish it were under happier circumstances!

I agree with your analysis, and I can understand why this upsets you, someone who has had a keen knowledgeable interest in Barbour for a while, who feels deceived and betrayed by Barbour's recent activities.

I think Barbour, on their website, should have made the very explanation you made. Of course, if I were them, I would have emphasized how I was doing everything possible, sparing no resources anywhere on Earth, to bring Barbour products to all who wanted them. And I would have explained how I was maintaining the quality expected of a Barbour product - whether it originated in South Shields, Lithuania, Bulgaria, India or New Zealand. I would at least have had a video on the website that demonstrated how product is specified the same, irrespective of factory, and how all these people who make the product, in all these countries, help maintain the Barbour name. And I would have made the particular garment's origin bold on the label in order to show that the makers were proud of having manufactured it. I would have done everything possible to make my process transparent to someone like you and to take away any reason someone like me would assign a drastically lower value to a Barbour jacket made outside of England.


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## DannoRye

Earl of Ormonde said:


> Two points:
> How do you know it was made in a sweatshop? Lithuania is not India or China, it is a modern European country.
> 
> Lithuania like Estonia and Latvia is one of the Baltic Countries in Northern Europe, which are not traditioanlly considered part of Eastern Europe.


The only reason to produce them in Lithuania rather than England is cost, therefore it's a safe assumption that a cheaper jacket is of lower quality, given the relationship between the two.


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## Bjorn

DannoRye said:


> The only reason to produce them in Lithuania rather than England is cost, therefore it's a safe assumption that a cheaper jacket is of lower quality, given the relationship between the two.


That correlation isn't a given. Lithuania is not Bangladesh.


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## DannoRye

Bjorn said:


> That correlation isn't a given. Lithuania is not Bangladesh.





Fraser Tartan said:


> If Barbour were looking for the cheapest place to manufacture a waxed jacket, it certainly wouldn't be Lithuania.


What would the reason be them? I struggle to find a better rationalization, especially the way the hide the origin tag.


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## Dr. D

Just because an item is made in Lithuania doesn't mean it isn't made by skilled craftsmen. However, what is likely is that said Lithuanian craftsmen are being paid less by Barbour than their British counterparts. 

As long as the quality of the work is equivalent, then it's still good for the consumer. But this does require the customer to carefully inspect the new jackets and make sure they are up to snuff. I am sure that such an image-conscious brand like Barbour has done their homework and verified their foreign workers can produce quality garments before releasing them to the world. But this thread is a good warning to us all to be on the lookout and make sure we are happy with the coat.


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## catside

Anybody who frequents Barbour outlet, please let me know. I am looking to buy my daughter, a young lady, her first Barbour. Doubt if she'll mind Lithuanian. If they can play basketball like that, they can make Barbours.


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## FLMike

I have a question about another change noticed in a Barbour product (not where it was made though). I just purchased a mint condition Classic Beaufort A830 off of ebay and everything looks perfect EXCEPT, instead of the hidden nylon velcro'd cuffs, it has hidden elasticized cuffs, like the Bedale. Everything about the jacket looks authentic, but I have never heard of the Beaufort having this type of cuff. Has anyone else seen this?


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## Brio1

It appears that the "Classic Beaufort" is still England, while the original/regular Beaufort is imported now (according to Orvis) :


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## FLMike

Brio1 said:


> It appears that the "Classic Beaufort" is still England, while the original/regular Beaufort is imported now (according to Orvis) :


That's not correct, according to the Lithuanian made Classic Beaufort pictured by the OP.

The one I asked about above (with the elastic cuffs) was made in England...just fyi. Anyone seen those cuffs on a Classic Beaufort?


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## Shaver

How about this- what if it was made *in* England but *by* Lithuanians? Would that make any difference?


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## Brio1

FLCracka said:


> That's not correct, according to the Lithuanian made Classic Beaufort pictured by the OP.
> 
> The one I asked about above (with the elastic cuffs) was made in England...just fyi. Anyone seen those cuffs on a Classic Beaufort?


It is clearly correct that Orvis is claiming per their website that the "Classic" is made in England whether or not this is factual. I've not located a Lithuanian tag on mine. However, I was recently informed by Barbour that they are "in the process of switching country of origin".


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## FLMike

Didn't intend to resurrect the debate over the provenance of current Barbour jackets. Just trying to find out if they recently changed the interior cuffs on the (Classic) Beaufort?


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## Brio1

^
This lady is quite aware of the history of Barbour, so she might be of assistance in your inquiry: https://www.muffyaldrich.com/2012/08/barbour-beaufort-vs-bedale.html

Also, did you try contacting Barbour yet?


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## Brio1

DannoRye said:


> I believe the Beaufort is still made in England, at least the orvis listing says so.


"Imported" Perhaps from Lithuania?


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## Delmarco

Brio1 said:


> "Imported" Perhaps from Lithuania?


That is the USA website so Imported could mean England not Eastern Europe.

-------------------------------------------I must share something off topic but gravely related to this thread:

I watched a programme on the BBC this morning about the new growing issue of high quality counterfeit luxury goods leaving Asia and Eastern Europe and entering the North American/UK markets.
These fake goods are no longer sold on the streets and the Chinatowns but rather disturbingly they are now mixed in with genuine items sold in legitimate high end retail shops.

In some cases counterfeit goods CAN'T EVEN BE DISTINGUISHED by the original manufacturers themselves without special equipment and/or full dissection.

According the programme this injection of fake items into legitimate stores selling real items has been an old issue with pharmaceuticals, kid's toys and food items but in the recent years the luxury retail industry itself has become a new target for distributing fake luxury goods.

Big volume stores like Selfridges, Harrods, Barney's NY, Bloomingdales, Macy's, (possibly) Orvis, as well as ALL online stores that legally carry Barbour are at risk and may have already unknowingly stocked or sold fake items!

Recently, while investigating a shady looking web store that I wanted to purchase a Barbour Jacket from, I came across a long list of fake internet web stores based out of the Netherlands, Eastern Europe and Asia that 'pretend' to sell Barbour Jackets at discount prices. From what I gathered these nefarious web stores have a tendency to appear UK based and use stock photos or 'borrowed' photos from other websites.

They lure you in with low prices for Barbour items and then take your money, email tracking and shipping information to you before shipping empty packages or counterfeit items to your address.

In some cases the buyers didn't even realize the items paid for were being shipped from Asia until seeing the tracking email or receiving a parcel in the mail with Asian characters on the label.

That being said Barbour items are becoming a big target for counterfeiters. Add in the fact that a growing percentage of Barbour goods are being manufactured outside of the UK in places like India, Asia and Eastern Europe it is only a matter of time, if it hasn't happened already, before their design template and label logo are copied to perfection.

I'm not saying the Lithuania made Barbour is a 100% fake that the OP posted but after viewing the BBC programme it now seems suspicious to me that his' is the only Classic Wax Jacket that is NOT made in the UK thus far.


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## 32rollandrock

^^

I saw a similar program that centered on high-end purses--LV and Coach. They brought it on themselves, I think. By offshoring production to "save" money, they cost themselves in the end. The workers who work long hours for meager pay aren't stupid, and they have access to the Internet. They know what the stuff they're making is worth, and so they filch materials and make bags on the side that sell for $600 instead of $2,400. It's kind of hard to argue that the bags are fake, given that they're made by the same workers who make the "real" bags, and they use the same materials. If the company can't tell the difference, then I'd argue the bags are genuine. The only difference is, the capitalist pigs who exploit the workers don't get a cut. Instead, the money goes to those who made the goods, which isn't a bad thing. It serves the companies right.

Power to the people, comrades.


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## Reuben

Mine's made in the Ukraine or someplace like that.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## bd79cc

I've had opportunity to compare my made-in-England Gamefair to one made in Lithuania. These two jackets looked as though they were made to different specifications. The made-in-England Gamefair appeared made from better-inspected materials - Sylkoil, liner, nylon and Velcro at the cuffs, corduroy at the collar, even snaps and zippers - and appeared sewn up with more closely-spaced stitching. 

You can go almost anywhere in the world and find people who can sew exquisitely, even in Bulgaria and Lithuania, but the Barbour jackets from those places, IMHO, are sewn to different more basic standards as specified by the home office in South Shields. These "Eastern Bloc" jackets apparently are a completely different product than the made-in-England Barbours, much as outlet mall Brooks Brothers OCBD's are a completely different product than the OCBD's available on the first floor of 346 Madison Ave. As such, I'll pay much less for a made in eastern Europe Barbour jacket than for an English one. I'll pay equally only for truly equivalent products.


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## snowflake

I found this website after typing in `are Barbour jackets made in China`. My son bought a jacket, the label had China on it. Out of curiousity I checked with Barbour, their phone number was easy to find on their website. Customer services confirmed they do use a few other countries to produce their jackets, that they sell to China, but do not use China to manufacture their jackets, the jacket my son bought is a fake, they know this happens. They told me if there were problems returning it, I could sent a photo of the jacket and they would authenticate it or not, as in this case.


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## eagle2250

^^Snowflake:

Welcome to AAAC. Looking forward to your future postings. What does your son think of the jacket he purchased? Is he happy with it? How well made does it appear to be? Has he had it long enough to offer an assessment of the product? Again, welcome! :thumbs-up:


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## SG_67

Barbour's core and classic models are still made in the UK. 

They have other seasonal items and models that are produced in either Eastern Europe or, as the case with many accessories, in China.


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## Brio1

SG_67 said:


> Barbour's core and classic models are still made in the UK.
> 
> They have other seasonal items and models that are produced in either Eastern Europe or, as the case with many accessories, in China.


I'm afraid that you have been misinformed , sir. :hi: Alas , core models such as the Beaufort are also being made in Lithuania now. Indeed this has been confirmed by both Barbour and Orvis. Please see the photograph in the first post of this thread . :thumbs-up:

Regards ,

~ Brio


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## SG_67

Brio1 said:


> I'm afraid that you have been misinformed , sir. :hi: Alas , core models such as the Beaufort are also being made in Lithuania now. Indeed this has been confirmed by both Barbour and Orvis. Please see the photograph in the first post of this thread . :thumbs-up:
> 
> Regards ,
> 
> ~ Brio


I'm talking about the waxed cotton models and not those made maybe of technical fabric or lighter weight cotton.

So even their heritage models are now made outside the UK?


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## EnglishmanAbroad

Sadly this is the way of the world post Free Trade and Globalisation. 
I remember being in postgrad Economics in the early 90s, and being assured by my very left wing lecturer that globalisation would reduce the costs of products for everyone.
Like most economists he was an idiot. Manufacturers started supplying fromoverseas, jobs were lost back home, but did the price of goods go down? 
Why isn't that Lithuanian Barbour $100?
Look up the cost of living index for Lithuania and the UK -if true costs were taking into account that jacket WOULD be $100.

Vilniu Lithuania index= 99, London England index = 273.


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## SG_67

If you look on the website they indicate that the Beaufort and the Bedale are still manufactured in the UK. 

I've cruised the Barbour store here the above named coats indicate clearly that they are manufactured in the UK. of course that's a small sample size but at least they haven't completely abandoned domestic manufacturing. 

Now Belstaff on the other hand charges anywhere from 2-3x as much for the same jacket and those are made in Bulgaria and other Eastern European countries.


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## Brio1

SG_67 said:


> If you look on the website they indicate that the Beaufort and the Bedale are still manufactured in the UK.
> 
> I've cruised the Barbour store here the above named coats indicate clearly that they are manufactured in the UK. of course that's a small sample size but at least they haven't completely abandoned domestic manufacturing.
> 
> Now Belstaff on the other hand charges anywhere from 2-3x as much for the same jacket and those are made in Bulgaria and other Eastern European countries.


Where does it state that * each and every jacket * is still made in the UK ? Perhaps I'm overlooking something here :


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## SG_67

I didn't say "each and every jacket". I clearly indicated that mine was a small sample size. I also indicated that to my knowledge their classic waxed cotton jackets are still made in the UK. 



This is from Barbour's own website. I suppose they could be lying, but I'll stand by my observation.


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## Brio1

^

What would an AAAC thread be without a reply of a contrary nature from , Mr. SG_67 ?  ( However, I would suggest that you limit your use of the weasel word " clearly " as I'm afraid that you are not always so clear in your observations.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel_word

Thanks for the link regarding the history of the company ( I must have overlooked it ). It appears that a plurality of classic models are still made in the UK and if this is what you have been claiming all along, then I'm certainly glad that you are more correctly informed on this matter.


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## SG_67

SG_67 said:


> If you look on the website they indicate that the Beaufort and the Bedale are still manufactured in the UK.
> 
> I've cruised the Barbour store here the above named *coats indicate clearly that they are manufactured in the UK.* of course that's a small sample size but at least they haven't completely abandoned domestic manufacturing.
> 
> Now Belstaff on the other hand charges anywhere from 2-3x as much for the same jacket and those are made in Bulgaria and other Eastern European countries.





Brio1 said:


> ^
> 
> What would an AAAC thread be without a reply of a contrary nature from , Mr. SG_67 ?  ( However, I would suggest that you limit your use of the weasel word " clearly " as I'm afraid that you are not always so clear in your observations.)
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weasel_word
> 
> Thanks for the link regarding the history of the company ( I must have overlooked it ). It appears that a plurality of classic models are still made in the UK and if this is what you have been claiming all along, then I'm certainly glad that you are more correctly informed on this matter.


Clearly as in it was clearly marked made in the UK. Thank you for reference to weasel word.


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## xcubbies

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/14/...column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news


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## Chouan

SG_67 said:


> I didn't say "each and every jacket". I clearly indicated that mine was a small sample size. I also indicated that to my knowledge their classic waxed cotton jackets are still made in the UK.
> 
> This is from Barbour's own website. I suppose they could be lying, but I'll stand by my observation.


I posted this a couple of years ago, but certainly, according to Michaela Barbour, Barbours were being made in the UK at that time.

_*Dear Peter,

Many thanks for your enquiry.

At Barbour, we take great pride in our heritage and the quality of the merchandise we produce.

We carry the Royal Warrants proudly, as these are awarded to businesses that have supplied a service or product to a member of the Royal Family for a period of 5 years or more. We were awarded these warrants for supplying 'waterproof and protective clothing' to the Royal Family and they were received from HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1974, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1982, and HRH The Prince of Wales in 1987.

We are extremely proud of our products and as a British brand striving to supply the best quality products to our customers, we realise that the production of some of our products has to be obtained from outside of the UK, I can advise the all products manufactured outside of the UK are produced and examined under strict Quality Control to ensure consistency and customer satisfaction.

Like many other international brands, we manufacture around the globe to ensure we get the best quality and value. We ensure all manufacturing sites meet Barbour's very high standards of quality.

I can confirm we produce a selection of our current Autumn/Winter 2014 collection in the United Kingdom. This includes our collection of classic waxed jackets which are manufactured in our factory in South Shields, as well as accessories across our mens, womens and childrenswear collections.

We openly share with our customers, when asked, the origin of manufacture to allow customers to base the decision of their purchase on facts.

I hope the information I have provided is of help to you. If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Michaela
Barbour
Customer Care Team
0800 917 3000

https://www.barbour.com

Celebrating 120 years:

 | Watch the Video*_


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## SG_67

^ And that was the point I was attempting to make....clearly! :biggrin:

Their core, heritage models are still made in the UK. The labels I've seen indicate this. Their website as well indicates this. 

All of the other knick knacks, polos, slacks, hats, teddy bears, etc. seem to be made elsewhere in the EU or Turkey.


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## Brio1

Chouan said:


> I posted this a couple of years ago, but certainly, according to Michaela Barbour, Barbours were being made in the UK at that time.
> 
> _*Dear Peter,
> 
> Many thanks for your enquiry.
> 
> At Barbour, we take great pride in our heritage and the quality of the merchandise we produce.
> 
> We carry the Royal Warrants proudly, as these are awarded to businesses that have supplied a service or product to a member of the Royal Family for a period of 5 years or more. We were awarded these warrants for supplying 'waterproof and protective clothing' to the Royal Family and they were received from HM Queen Elizabeth II in 1974, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in 1982, and HRH The Prince of Wales in 1987.
> 
> We are extremely proud of our products and as a British brand striving to supply the best quality products to our customers, we realise that the production of some of our products has to be obtained from outside of the UK, I can advise the all products manufactured outside of the UK are produced and examined under strict Quality Control to ensure consistency and customer satisfaction.
> 
> Like many other international brands, we manufacture around the globe to ensure we get the best quality and value. We ensure all manufacturing sites meet Barbour's very high standards of quality.
> 
> I can confirm we produce a selection of our current Autumn/Winter 2014 collection in the United Kingdom. This includes our collection of classic waxed jackets which are manufactured in our factory in South Shields, as well as accessories across our mens, womens and childrenswear collections.
> 
> We openly share with our customers, when asked, the origin of manufacture to allow customers to base the decision of their purchase on facts.
> 
> I hope the information I have provided is of help to you. If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact me.
> 
> Kind regards
> 
> Michaela
> Barbour
> Customer Care Team
> 0800 917 3000
> 
> https://www.barbour.com
> 
> Celebrating 120 years:
> 
> | Watch the Video*_


We Yanks struggle with nuance. And we mustn't deprive Mr. SG_67 of having the last word.


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## ButchHusy

Brio1 said:


> We Yanks struggle with nuance. And we mustn't deprive Mr. SG_67 of having the last word.


Give it a rest.


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## Brio1

ButchHusy said:


> Give it a rest.


Counsel from a man ( woman ? ) named " hussy " ( and indeed of the " butch " variety ) now. :eek2:

Be careful as suggestions regarding recumbency from one so named could be perceived in an immoral manner.


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## eagle2250

^^Gentlemen, that's enough of your childishness. We are not interested in your petty arguments and you are walking the razors edge of violating our rules for member participation. Grow up!


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## Brio1

There are certain members here that seem to think that their high post count has conferred upon them the status of a sartorial authority ( I am not referring to the moderators ). Others adopt a contrary attitude - indeed even contradicting themselves - perhaps to sow discord in the nature of ' trolling '. ( I imagine that they see any opportunity to click on the ' reply ' button as a way to increase posts and thereby raise their status.) I will not identify anyone but it is evident in threads such as this one. ( Has anyone heard from Jovan ? )

I agree with another member's (himself of outstanding character and contribution) recent assessment of the decline in the quality of education and character in member participation. I also lament the loss of noble participation during the glory days of the forum.


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## peterc

The Beaufort is available on line at Macy's for $399.00. Is it UK made or not? I am still confused after reading this thread and do not mean to upset anyone by my question. I would simply like to know.


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## Brio1

peterc said:


> The Beaufort is available on line at Macy's for $399.00. Is it UK made or not? I am still confused after reading this thread and do not mean to upset anyone by my question. I would simply like to know.


I apologize for the digression , peterc. You must look for Made in England to the right of the Royal Warrants and underneath ' Barbour ' on the tag inside of the collar. If this is missing ( as in the photograph in the first post in this thread ) , then you should search for a "Made in Lithuania " tag inside the front pocket ( see the second photograph ) .

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/com...axed-Cotton-Jackets-No-Longer-Made-in-England


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## SG_67

^ this is correct. If you look on the label on the lining, it should say made in England. 

If it doesn't, chances are it's made elsewhere.


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## FLMike

^Haha. I get it.


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## P Hudson

There is so much that is wrong here. In protest I have listed my English made (and England purchased) Gamefair (with optional hood) in the Trad exchange. Even if it doesn't sell, I might just continue not wearing it out of spite.


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## Guest

Brio1 said:


> Where does it state that * each and every jacket * is still made in the UK ? Perhaps I'm overlooking something here :


Beaufort, label in the inside the right lower outer pocket says, made in England. I bought it in 2020.


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