A few weeks ago I had the massive pleasure of visiting a factory making clothing just a few miles from my house. The purpose of the visit was two-fold, firstly to catch up with Nicholas Clinch, the creator of Tom Clinch, whose men's boxer shorts I've tried and liked, and secondly, to meet the maker of Clinch's products, Peter Barnett of the Factory in Twickenham, situated in the shadow of the huge England rugby ground.
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| Peter Barnett (L) and Nicholas Clinch discuss the finer pints of boxer shorts |
Nicholas has contacted me some time before to tell me how his search for decent boxer shorts which provided support, rather than allowing the manly assets to flap around uncomfortably.
He felt that boxers are far more flattering for a middle aged man than other types of underwear, but wanted a twist on the inside that he hadn’t found in any shop. Nicholas searched the internet at length, rang every manufacturer he could find and visited as many shops as he could but drew a blank, until he stumbled upon Peter Barnett. Peter loved the idea. He then sketched out some pairs, made a sample, in fact many samples! Eventually he and Nicholas agreed on a design that he could make and fitted with Nicholas’s original idea.
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| Tom Clinch boxer shorts |
Nicholas was adamant that the only colours would be white (everyone's favourite) light blue and pink; no patterns or silly designs here! Understated and top quality fabric was purchased, mother of pearl buttons and the softest lining fabric Peter could find all arrived within a few weeks. Initially the plan was Nicholas should have forty or fifty to sell to friends and recoup the cost of manufacture, but the reaction from everybody was so good that all were sold within a month and so an order was placed for some hundreds. Once that was decided, the task became one of selling to the wider public and the company was born. 'Hung like a hero' is their catchphrase.
Tom Clinch boxer shorts are beautifully-made and their unique design, using a tactically-placed pouch, makes them more comfortable and supportive than any other boxer short I've tried. See Tom Clinch website for more information and to try. A laundry bag will join the collection soon
To contact Nicholas Clinch, telephone +44 (0)1243 773223
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| Flying the flag at Peter Barnett, Twickenham |
Peter Barnett's factory is a fascinating place. He has been manufacturing in Twickenham since 1992. When I was there he and his staff were working on an order for Victoria Beckham, so this little place is a destination for brands large and small looking for a quality manufacturing service. As a centre of British manufacture, this is an example for many.
The Factory
61 Haliburton Road
St Margarets
TW1 1PD
Telephone: 020 8892 9748
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| Making Tom Clinch boxer shorts at Peter Barnett's factory in Twickenham |