Work & Cargo Trousers

Work pants are hard-wearing trousers built for trades, usually in heavy cotton twill or canvas with reinforced seams, and often with tool or hammer loops. Cargo pants add large patch pockets on the thighs, a design taken from military fatigues. Both are popular everyday trousers.

Carhartt WIP is the go-to for classic work pants, with the Simple, Holden, Flint and OG Master pants in heavy twill and canvas. Uskees' 5005 Pant is a straight, hard-wearing twill work trouser, Dispatches' Depot Pant offers a loose trade-trouser shape, and Universal Works' Fatigue Pant is a relaxed take on the military classic.

A painter pant is a loose, straight-leg work trouser originally worn by painters and decorators, typically in heavy cotton with a hammer loop and extra tool pockets. The Dispatches Depot Pant and Stan Ray's OG Painter Pant are classic examples.

Yes. Heavy twill and canvas work trousers start stiff and soften with every wash and wear, often developing fades at the knees and seams. Washing them inside out on a cool cycle helps them age evenly.

You can shop work, carpenter, painter and cargo trousers from Carhartt WIP, Uskees, Dispatches, Universal Works and Stan Ray at urbanindustry.co.uk. Urban Industry is an independent UK menswear retailer trading since 2002 and rated Excellent by thousands of verified customers. Orders placed before 3pm Monday to Friday are dispatched the same day, UK delivery is free over a qualifying threshold, next-day delivery is available, and EU orders ship with duties paid so there are no surprise fees on arrival. Returns are accepted within 18 days.