What is the Carhartt K87?
The K87 is Carhartt's Workwear Pocket T-Shirt — a heavyweight cotton tee with a left chest pocket carrying the small woven Carhartt label, a rib-knit crew neck with a tagless neck label on later production, and side seams for durability. It has been in continuous production for decades and is the brand's single best-selling item.
How heavy is the fabric?
Around 6.75 oz cotton jersey — noticeably heavier than a standard tee. It drapes straight rather than clinging and holds its shape through hundreds of washes, which is why vintage examples survive in such numbers and why they fade so evenly.
How does the K87 fit?
Boxy and long. It was cut to be tucked into work pants, so a vintage K87 is longer in the body than a fashion tee and generous through the chest. Many buyers size down one for a modern fit or wear it oversized. Shrinkage after years of washing has usually already happened on a vintage piece.
What makes a vintage K87 better than a new one?
The fade. Heavy cotton worn for years develops a soft hand and an even, lived-in colour that a new garment-dyed tee only imitates. Older production also used slightly different cotton and labels, which collectors can date. Black fading to charcoal and brown fading to tan are the most sought-after.
What should I check on a vintage K87?
The collar — a stretched or bacon-rippled neck is the most common failure. Look at the pocket corners, which take strain, and check for pinholes along the hem and underarms. Faint marks are part of the appeal; large stains are not. We state the fabric condition on every listing.
How do you rework a tee?
Lightly. Tees are usually re-cut for length or re-collared when the neck has gone. We sometimes combine two tees into one with a contrasting pocket or yoke, and sleeveless cuts from damaged-sleeve originals are popular for summer.
Which K87 colours are most collectible?
Carhartt brown, black and the heather greys are the classics. Faded navy and army green sell well. The scarcer colours — dark teal, dusty purple, steel blue — attract collectors because they were produced in smaller runs and few survived.
Every piece we sell is reworked by these standards
Everything written here comes from grading and reworking Carhartt every day. Browse what's in now, or message us and we'll send photos and measurements of anything.