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Trutex was one of the primary manufacturers of schoolwear in Britain. A British reader tells us, "I remember Trutex only from posters put up in shop windows. This was a more expensive range and was not sold in chainstores like BHS but through smaller menswear/boyswear shops (some of which also stocked the specialised items like blazers for individualschools that chain stores didn't sell). Trutex also did not advertise in the tabloid press like BHS did so these adverts also probably appeared in the more upmarket woman's magazines. They also did not sell through catalogues such as Freemans or Littlewoods. As you can see, Trutex tried to be a bit more 'fashionable' than the chain stores. HBC pointed out on the English school uniform page the waist tab feature of the shorts here. Another innovation was the round-collared (or penny-collared) shirts. BHS did not catch on to this style until a couple of years later when everyone wanted them rather then pointed-collar shirts."
Trutex plc dates back to 1865. It began as the Clitheroe Shirting Company in Grindleton, near Clitheroe, Lancs. The company introduced the Trutex brand after World War I in the 1920s. The brand became so popular that the company changed its name to Trutex in 1965. It is now the United Kingdom's leading name in schoolwear and sportswear.
Trutex was one of the primary manufacturers of schoolwear in Britain. The company reports, " With a commitment to producing comfortable, well-designed clothing coupled with Trutex's unique ability to keep in touch with the needs of its customers, the company has led the way for over 130 years.
To date, Trutex plc has provided clothing for school children spanning four generations, proving that the formula of design, comfort and value for money is welcomed by its customers. Remaining true to its roots in Clitheroe, Trutex produces an extensive range of schoolwear items, from casual wear to
sportswear, blazers to rugby shirts. Four collections; Trutex main range, Trutex Kids, Tru-value and the very latest fashion- inspired, range Connected, all
combine fabric, styling and the wealth of Trutex experience. Like many suppliers, Trutex distributes its uniforms and sportswear in the UK through a chain of independent retailers, a 'Direct To School' scheme and a unique mail order 'Trutex Direct' service where the school receives a donation from Trutex
with every purchase of uniform made. Little wonder that Trutex remains the single, largest independent school brand and this year the company continues to be a
pioneer changes in the UK market."
Trutex I think in the 1970s offered there styles of grey school shorts. They were: 1) Bermuda, 2) Dorset. and 3) Essex. Click on the images for details about the three styles. I understand the term Bermuda, it was a reconizeable style of shorts--somewhat longer than regulr school shorts. I am not sure why the other two were called Dorset and Essex.
It's interesting that Trutex started as a Lancashire firm. There are also many clothing firmns in neighbring Yorkshire. Yorkshire and Lancashire have a rivalry going back to the "Wars of the Roses".Later this carried on in
commerce and particularly cloth manufacture - Lancashire was cotton based,Yorkshire wool due to the climate.
Talking of material - technology meant flannel gave way to terylyne but a new devolpment was Teflon treated clothes - agian for easier cleaning. They look the same - but they make a big thing of their clothes being Teflon treated.
Teflon treatment is often emphasised in the company's adverising.
A British reader tells us, "I remember Trutex only from posters put up in shop windows. This was a more expensive range and was not sold in chainstores like BHS but through smaller menswear/boyswear shops (some of which also stocked the specialised items like blazers for individualschools that chain stores didn't sell). Trutex also did not advertise in the tabloid press like BHS did so these adverts also probably appeared in the more upmarket woman's magazines. Here is a Trutex advert from the early 1970s (figure 1).
They also did not sell through catalogues such as Freemans or Littlewoods.
Trutex were catering to a different market than BHS and the mass retailers.
As you can see, Trutex tried to be a bit more 'fashionable' than the chain stores. [HBC noteL: See a 1969 advertisement.] HBC pointed out on the English school uniform page the waist tab feature of the shorts here. Another innovation was the round-collared (or penny-collared) shirts. BHS did not catch on to this style until a couple of years later when everyone wanted them rather then pointed-collar shirts."
A British reader tells us, "BHS brought at a new range of schoolwear in the late 1960s and soon became the standard wear at my school – so most boys were wearing exactly the same clothes which is why labelling was so important.Trutex competed by having the “fashionable” elaborations like the waist tabs and rounded collars and were more expensive. BHS shorts did have half elastic backs and I wonder if the long ones on the Trutex ones did away with the need for that. Something else has occurred to me in looking at the enclosed image. You are correct in saying on the advertisments page that the shorts were only offered in grey – I didn't know of any schools that had any other colour. However while our BHS shorts were exactly alike I do recall that Trutex offered them in two “colours” - grey and “charcoal”. Charcoal was simply a darker grey. I think that you can see this in this image – the boy on the right in the white shirt is wearing charcoal shorts, the other boy grey. I remember now that these adverts were carried in the more upmarket woman's magazines like House and Home that you'd find in doctor's waiting rooms. I recall noticing this as a kid – although I don't know why I was reading a magazine like that. Maybe my mum was reading it and I was being nosey or I'd gone through all of the comics in the
waiting room– because we used to use charcoal to do drawings with at school sometimes and I liked the word but didn't associate it with a colour.
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