Aertex

Aertex is a British clothing company based in Manchester, established in 1888, and also the name of the original textile manufactured by the company.

The company owns the trademark for Aertex fabric, a lightweight and loosely woven cotton material that is used to make shirts and underwear. Aertex sells a range of menswear.

History

In the late 19th century Lewis Haslam, a Lancashire mill owner and politician, began to link the partnering of holes and warmth and with two medical colleagues, began experimenting with aeration; trapping air within the warp and weft of fabric. The result was a fabric that provided a barrier between the warmth of the skin and the chill of the atmosphere and in 1888 they formed the Aertex Company. By 1891 Aertex was firmly established in the wardrobes of the English middle classes. During WWII the British Women's Land Army wore 'Aertex' as part of their uniform and the whole British and Commonwealth land forces in the Far East and Middle East (including the British 7th Armoured Division, one of the most famous regiments of the British Army), wore Aertex bush shirts and jackets. These uniforms were designated as Jungle Green for the Far East and Khaki Drill for the Middle East.