With no financial backing other than an initial Kickstarter crowd funding campaign we made it work. No investors, no trust fund, no shady past in advertising or the illegal drugs trade. Financial risk was taken on in the hope of profit.

We used to work in a decaying 19th century mill. There was one light bulb, no heating and some of the windows had cardboard instead of glass. Despite all that it was great, most of the time, because we were keen to make our business work. Most importantly we had the support of customers who believed in what we were trying to do. They wanted to see some success for British manufacturing and entrepreneurship and they wanted to wear good clothes, with provenance, that were made to last.

There are many people to thank. Those that gambled their own money on our Kickstarter will always have a place in our hearts, without that lot there would be nothing. Thanks to all the machinists, makers, cutters and managers who have used their time served skills in getting our products made. Thanks to the suppliers, photographers, accountants, designers, techies, printers, artists, postal workers, friends, loved ones and collaborators who have joined us for the ride. Thanks to the occasional journalist and bank employee (there must be an appropriate emoji to insert here).

And so to these uncertain times that we live in now. Where are we all going? HebTroCo has been through feast and famine, supplier changes, minor disasters and modest success. Some places and faces have changed but the main thing remains the same. There are just two of us in HebTroCo, brant and Ed, and apart from making all the stuff, we still do everything else ourselves. We do the packing, shipping, marketing, budgeting, plan the range, clean the toilet, answer the comments on Facebook, take the calls, take the risks, man the pop ups, ride the bikes, drive the van, choose the cloth and pay the bills.

Thanks if you’ve been part of the journey so far and we hope you will come with us into the future. We’ve shaken hands with many of you and we always love to see your photos and hear the stories of what you’ve been up to in your trousers and jackets, belts, boots and paraphernalia.

Some things have changed but the main things stay the same.