Iron Heart Update - 2026

[hotshoefury]

@Go-For-Chill Yeah I'd like to second this as well - Champ, Heath and the entire Guilty Party team run a top-notch operation. I've purchased many IH products I would not have normally purchased directly from IHUK.
I feel quite lucky GP is right down the street from me. Keeping my fingers crossed they stay in yall's good graces. Will always be an IH fan regardless though..

[Giles]

Most of our retailers are stand-up people. If we had used that as the criteria, we would not have achieved what we need to.

[Denimhead 0]

IH UK is always my first go to, however, Iron Shop Provisions is top notch in all my interactions with them. I think in all things IH UK does well, selecting retailers is another, so they all seem pretty solid.

[FlavourFade]

I can totally understand your decision @Alex , from your perspective it makes perfect sense and in the long run all of us die hard IH fans will benefit from it.

Tbh I have always thought how it works out having alone 5 or 6 retailers only in Germany. They all do amazing work but since IH is the only japanese denim maker I know of who has a european HQ I see it's important to protect their roots and focus on staying in business

[Go For Chill]

@Giles “most”

[DrPat]

Is production still suffering from foreigner workers leaving during COVID or is there something else currently going on in Japan?

Good luck with everything!

[goosehd]

@DrPat from my understanding it’s more demand than capacity (equipment, materials, and personnel) to produce.

[jordanscollected]

I’m going to stick my neck out here we zero knowledge on the subject, and assume that the retailers that bust their ass to promote the brand will have the best chance of being kept on. There’s many that simply put the product up on their website and have no promotion online. In fact the retailer closest to me does nothing to promote IH or any of their other brands outside of putting up new arrivals.

I know not every retailer has the ability to make videos showing fit and fabric, but I’m hoping the ones who bust ass and have great customer service don’t get dropped

[sabergirl]

I think there are so many factors that go into decision-making it’s impossible to predict. Geographical distribution, longevity as a vendor, purchase history—all of this is surely more important than marketing, especially when the problem is popularity has spread the supply thin.

I don’t envy @Alex making any of these decisions.

To echo what many have already said, I love this brand and the community around those of us obsessed with it. I hope that the steps that IH takes now will help to ease the pressure so that there will be many more prosperous years to come.

[goosehd]

@jordanscollected As mentioned a few times before, discussions concerning vendors will/may happen in due time. Speculation does nothing but cause rumours that may lead to negative feelings.

Iron Heart re: Alex and IHUK have spent a lot of time in discussion regarding this and I trust their decision for the future of not only IHUK but Iron Heart in general.

[John Galt]

Thanks for being transparent @Alex - totally appreciate all IHUK does, the product design, and quality - wouldn’t want that to be jeapordized.

[hajduk]

@Alex your transparency and respect towards us are incredible.
@Giles & @Madame-Buttonfly pride in the decision you made can only be admired.
As a huge fan and lover of IH and its unique adventure, this can only be understood and supported.

[weftyarn]

@Go-For-Chill I feel like a IH retailer sometimes. Just without a shop and no revenue except having more peers haha
I love it!

[weftyarn]

And +1 on what the others said. Thanks for keeping it real, authentic, open and honest @Alex

Showing others how to do it! Keep up

[Ability 520]

I absolutely adore Iron Heart for the over built quality, the detail, the customer service, the culture, the rarity, and the fabrics. You know a brand has made an impact when an Infantry Marine is sitting around talking about fabric weights and weaves.

I would hate to see the quality ever drop just to chase broader consumer demand. Reeling it in and continuing to produce the legendary pieces the way you always have is exactly the right move. Or you would lose the magic that made you what you are today.

I am methodical, disciplined, and OCD... I'll make sure I get those drops.

Last time I counted, I had 21 Iron Heart shirts and 5 pair of jeans. Not saying that to brag, only to show how invested I am and how much I genuinely love, love, love, this brand.

Learning about fabrics, overdyeing, denim weights, hems, inseams, chain stitching, work shirts versus westerns, wabash, hickory, warps and wefts, CPOs, and selvedge anything for that matter, was not on my bingo card until I found Iron Heart.

Keep doing what you are doing. I truly appreciate you, especially for staying true to your core and to your die hard fanbase.

Thank you.

P.S. Alex, you f****** rock, My Dude!

[seawolf]

@Ability-520 Well said. Also, you're allowed to swear on the internet

[Matt]

That’s the least of the internet’s problems.

[AdamC]

@Ability-520 Love this, thank you