Pointer Brand Banded Collar Chore Coat

C. King Manufacturing has been sewing workwear in Bristol, Tennessee since 1913, and the Pointer Brand chore coat is their signature piece — a garment so authentically American that it has been co-opted by fashion brands charging three times more for inferior copies.

The 12-ounce brown duck cotton canvas is heavyweight enough to resist thorns, sparks, and abrasion while breaking in over months into a soft, personalized fit that no new jacket can replicate. The banded collar sits flat under a heavier coat and does not interfere with tool belts or harnesses.

Four patch pockets provide functional storage without the complexity of zippered or snapped closures that add failure points. Every seam is double-stitched on vintage Union Special machines, and the bar tacks at stress points are reinforced to survive years of reaching, bending, and carrying.

At roughly $80, this is American-made workwear at a price point that should not be possible given the labor costs involved. The canvas develops a patina that records years of wear — paint splatters, grease stains, and sun fading create a jacket that is uniquely yours.

The Pointer Brand chore coat is the anti-fashion statement: built for work, adopted by people who respect the difference.