Welcome to the first in a series of Blogs called ‘Vintage Crewoom’, where we showcase some vintage, very loved, very worn (and very washed!) pieces of Crewroom kit – all of which still cut the mustard years after purchase.
This month we’re featuring a pretty special T&C Softshell Jacket, shared with us by Patricia Smith who was part of the CUWBC Boat Race Crew in 2017.
Photo Credit Chris Down
Tricia told us: "This jacket was part of our kit for the 2017 Boat Races and it always reminds me of that race. It was the first women's clean sweep of races by Cambridge on the Tideway, and winning the Women's Boat Race by 11 lengths and Blondie by 13, so it reminds me of that awesome day."
Seven years on, and after lots of wear and washing, we’re proud to see Tricia's softshell is still going strong!
History behind The T&C Softshell Jacket
This smart, multi-use jacket has been a staple in the Crewroom collection since 2010 and quickly became the go-to choice for athletes from grassroots to elite level. This included the likes of CUWBC who we were lucky enough to supply for the historic Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Race in 2015 when, for the first time in the event's history, the women’s crews competed on the same stretch of water and the same day as the men.
T&C stands for Tea & Cake as we wanted to create a multi-use jacket which would keep the user warm and dry in the elements – making it ideal for coaching or post-training when athletes are warming up with a mug of rosy and a slice of sponge!
First off, it had to be super-functional. That’s why we developed a durable, three-layer bonded softshell to give us a wind-resistant outer, internal water-resistant laminate and a cosy soft inner fleece.
Of course, it needed to be equally practical, so we added thoughtful little features including chest, side and rear pockets, adjustable cuffs, reflective branding and thumbhole loops to keep hands nice and toasty – always making sure the finish was precise and durable, building it to last!
Sensible manufacturing and making products that are built to last are central to our sustainable ethos. As well as incorporating recycled fabrics wherever we can and shipping by sea to help minimise our carbon footprint, sensible manufacturing is part and parcel of how we work.
Sustainability doesn’t mean compromising on performance. That’s why we make products with high-grade performance fabrics which are fully fit for purpose and designed for extreme training – we’re not about making throw-away products which contribute to landfills. Even the offcuts from the production process are recycled and relaunched as new fabric!
To see more Crewroom products that have stood the test of time, stay posted for the next in our series of ‘Vintage Crewroom’.
