Ford and Carhartt Unite to Create a Super Duty Truck Inspired by America’s Hardest Workers
On cold winter mornings in Michigan, Steve Gilmore still reaches for a faded Carhartt jacket that has been part of his life for years. The well-worn coat, handed down by his father nearly 15 years ago, has become more than a practical layer against the cold. It represents family, hard work, and the values Gilmore grew up around in the American Midwest.
Gilmore, who now serves as chief designer for vehicle personalization at Ford, inherited the wheat-colored jacket from his father Roger, a retired millwright who spent decades working at an aluminum plant in Ohio. His father told him he needed “a good work jacket” for chores around the house, whether it was clearing snow or hauling firewood during Michigan winters.
For Gilmore, the jacket symbolized something larger. Carhartt was the brand worn by people who worked with their hands — welders, mechanics, farmers, construction crews, and factory workers. It represented reliability and toughness, values that closely align with Ford’s legendary Super Duty trucks.
Today, that same connection has evolved into a major collaboration between Ford and Carhartt. The two iconic Michigan-based brands have partnered to create the new 2027 Ford Super Duty Carhartt package, a truck designed specifically with hardworking tradespeople and essential workers in mind.
The collaboration goes far beyond branding or cosmetic upgrades. According to the design teams involved, the project was built around the lifestyles, values, and everyday realities of the people who rely on both Ford trucks and Carhartt workwear every day.
A Collaboration Rooted in Shared Heritage
The partnership between Ford and Carhartt feels natural because the companies share remarkably similar histories. Both were founded in Dearborn, Michigan, just about a mile apart, and both built their reputations by supporting America’s workforce.
For more than a century, Ford vehicles and Carhartt apparel have served workers across factories, farms, construction sites, and industrial facilities throughout North America. Historical ties between the brands date back to the early 1920s, when Ford assembly-line workers commonly wore Carhartt clothing on the job.
Over the decades, the relationship between the companies continued to grow. Carhartt once held promotions featuring custom Ford vehicles as prizes, while Ford-backed NASCAR teams also featured Carhartt sponsorships. However, the latest collaboration represents the deepest connection yet between the two brands.
Earlier this year, Ford and Carhartt announced a multiyear alliance centered on workforce development, community support, and strengthening the essential economy — the industries and skilled trades that keep society functioning every day.
The new Super Duty Carhartt package has become the physical representation of that partnership.
Designing a Truck for Real Workers
Rather than simply adding Carhartt logos to an existing truck, the design teams from both companies spent months developing a package that genuinely reflected the needs and personalities of workers.
Gilmore explained that once the Ford team studied Carhartt’s customer base, the overlap between the two companies became impossible to ignore. Many Carhartt customers already drove Ford trucks, especially Super Duty models used in demanding jobs.
The shared values between the companies also became clear during the design process.
According to Gilmore, both brands prioritize authenticity, durability, practical functionality, and honest craftsmanship. The goal was to create a truck that looked and felt purposeful without becoming flashy or overly styled.
That philosophy influenced every aspect of the vehicle’s development.
Inspired by Job Sites and Industrial America
One of the most unique elements of the truck is its wheel design, which was inspired by something surprisingly ordinary: a manhole cover.
The idea emerged during a visit by Ford’s customization design team to the Carhartt flagship store in Detroit. While standing outside the store, team members noticed a nearby manhole cover and began discussing how industrial textures and heavy-duty urban materials could influence the truck’s styling.
The result was a wheel design inspired by rugged industrial infrastructure — subtle but meaningful for the workers the truck is meant to serve.
This attention to authentic detail became a defining theme throughout the project.
Rather than creating a luxury-style appearance package, Ford and Carhartt focused on visual cues that reflected hard work, resilience, and utility. Every texture, material, stitch, and finish was chosen to feel durable and functional.
Interior Design Built Around Durability
Much of the truck’s personality comes from its interior, where the Carhartt influence becomes especially noticeable.
Designer Mistry, who worked closely on the project, drew inspiration from her own family’s background in manual labor and workshop environments. She wanted the cabin to evoke feelings of pride, protection, and reliability for people who spend long hours in demanding jobs.
The seats, for example, were inspired by Carhartt’s iconic duck canvas fabric. Engineers created commercial-grade materials that replicate the rugged feel and appearance of the classic textile while also delivering modern durability and comfort.
The seat surfaces feature strong abrasion resistance along with protection against spills, dirt, and stains — important considerations for workers who may enter the truck wearing muddy boots, dusty clothing, or carrying tools and equipment.
The interior also incorporates triple-stitch detailing inspired directly by Carhartt jackets and workwear. Beyond aesthetics, the stitching reinforces seams and highlights the truck’s emphasis on durability.
Throughout the cabin, designers intentionally avoided overly polished or luxurious styling. Instead, they embraced earthy colors, darker tones, textured finishes, and practical materials that feel familiar to both truck owners and Carhartt customers.
Subtle Branding Instead of Flashy Marketing
One of the key decisions made during development was to keep the branding understated.
Gilmore described the Carhartt design language in the truck as “a whisper rather than a shout.” Instead of oversized logos or aggressive graphics, the collaboration relies on subtle visual cues that loyal customers will immediately recognize.
The truck uses a neutral color palette featuring blacks, grays, earthy browns, and muted tones. Exterior graphics include restrained halftone fades that complement the truck’s body lines without overpowering them.
The finishes were designed to appear durable and slightly weathered rather than pristine. Designers intentionally emphasized texture and depth to give the truck a lived-in, authentic character.
According to Ben Ewy, Carhartt’s vice president of global product design, practicality guided every design choice. Darker colors were selected specifically because they better conceal dirt, wear, and grime — realities of daily work environments.
This practical approach helped ensure the truck remained true to the identity of both brands.
A Year-Long Design Effort
Unlike short-term promotional collaborations often seen in the automotive industry, the Ford-Carhartt partnership involved extensive cooperation between both design teams.
Gilmore said the project evolved over the better part of a year, with continuous back-and-forth collaboration between engineers, designers, and brand leaders.
The teams carefully evaluated materials, textures, finishes, and design elements to ensure the truck would genuinely resonate with tradespeople rather than appearing like a marketing exercise.
That long development process helped create a vehicle package that feels integrated and authentic instead of superficial.
The Meaning Behind the Logo Placement
One of the most thoughtful aspects of the truck involves the placement of the Carhartt logo itself.
On Carhartt jackets and workwear, the logo traditionally appears over the chest — close to the wearer’s heart. Designers wanted to recreate that symbolism on the Super Duty.
Instead of placing the logo randomly on the body, they positioned it on the truck’s fender vents directly above the engine, often considered the “heart” of the vehicle.
The logo was also placed on the truck’s left side to reinforce the emotional symbolism associated with the heart.
According to Ewy, this design decision was intended to communicate respect and appreciation for the hardworking people who use these products every day.
The placement reflects the emotional connection both brands hope to build with workers across North America — not just as customers, but as individuals whose labor keeps industries moving.
Supporting the Essential Economy
The Ford Super Duty Carhartt package arrives at a time when skilled trades and essential workers are receiving renewed attention across North America.
Construction crews, electricians, welders, mechanics, linemen, agricultural workers, and countless others form the backbone of the essential economy. Both Ford and Carhartt see these workers as central to their identities.
The partnership aims to celebrate those professions while also supporting workforce development initiatives and skilled trade education programs in the future.
For Ford, the Super Duty lineup already plays a critical role in industries ranging from construction and agriculture to emergency response and utility work. Pairing the truck with Carhartt’s rugged workwear identity strengthens that connection even further.
For Carhartt, the collaboration allows the company to expand its brand into a vehicle platform that naturally fits the lifestyles of its core customers.
A Partnership Built on Authenticity
Perhaps the biggest reason the collaboration feels genuine is because both companies come from similar cultural roots.
Ford and Carhartt were both shaped by Detroit and the industrial Midwest. Both brands were built around workers rather than luxury consumers or lifestyle trends.
That shared identity became a major source of inspiration throughout the project.
Ewy noted that the partnership succeeds because it is grounded in authenticity. Both companies understand the demands placed on workers and the importance of creating products that can endure tough conditions over time.
Instead of chasing trends, the Super Duty Carhartt package focuses on reliability, utility, and honest craftsmanship.
The 2027 Ford Super Duty Carhartt package is expected to launch later this year, giving tradespeople and truck enthusiasts a new option that blends heavy-duty capability with workwear-inspired design.
For Steve Gilmore, the project carries personal meaning. The same values represented by the old Carhartt jacket passed down from his father are now reflected in a vehicle designed for workers across America.
What began as a simple hand-me-down has evolved into inspiration for one of Ford’s most distinctive Super Duty collaborations yet.
And for both Ford and Carhartt, the truck represents more than just a product launch. It symbolizes respect for the workers, builders, and tradespeople whose dedication continues to power industries, communities, and everyday life across North America.
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