Get to Know: Pennbilt

Bill Thomas and I have been friends for a long time.  Every time we sit down for lunch, the time flies by.  The conversations we have about the industry are some of my favorites.  He’s a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Bill is putting that knowledge to use:  He recently released Pennbilt, HIS company, offering well-made, updated chinos to a market flooded with 5-pockets and high-stretch pants.  His catalog is focused but checks the boxes.  We recently got together to talk about his new endeavor, as well as a review of the pants options:

Congratulations on Pennbilt – what got you here and what’s in the name? Thank you. I describe PennBilt as a “new authentic” – a faithful evolution of the original. The origin point for my first brand was a WWII authentic. So, if Bills Khakis was a Willy’s Jeep, PennBilt is a new Ford Bronco. The name PennBilt is just a compilation of my home state of Pennsylvania and my name Bill T. Words like Peterbilt and Biltmore give me literally permission to drop the “u” in built. When I checked trademarks, I discovered that PennBilt was a dormant brand of footballs from the 1960’s. I’m pretty sure I kicked one of those a few times on the football field across the street as a kid.

Given your history in the chinos landscape, what is your assessment of where we are? The khaki/chino category has been turned upside down over the past 10 years. Three things have happened: 1) Men embracing stretch allowing trimmer fits, 2) The shift from the traditional chino style to 5-Pockets, and 3) The casualization of the financial services industry. Not long ago, you wouldn’t go to the office dressed like you were planning to go to the golf course. That’s all out the window in today’s remote world. Interestingly, the shift to 5-Pocket is starting to swing back to more true chino styling. When your 18-year-old son says he won’t wear 5 pocket chinos because they make him look like every other 55-year-old dad, you know it’s time.

What makes Pennbilt different? The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Each design element has been reconsidered including the construction, size, and positioning of pockets, labeling, and belt loops. We’ve selected or developed great fabrications and nailed the fit for most other than the outliers. Prior to launching PennBilt, retailers were expressing frustration over the lack of good traditional chinos they could get excited about. That’s where my thought process started. This is what a brand like Bills Khakis would look like if I started it today.

What kind of guy is a Pennbilt customer? For someone who is a fan of premium goods, I’d like to believe I have a product for them. The USA Made “Authentic” is most true to the definition of authentic. The fabric is 100% cotton military twill. The fit is a boot cut, slightly fuller but not baggy. My philosophy is that non-stretch cotton fabrics should hang from the body not hug the leg. Our other USA Made style is the “American”. The fabric is a dynamic, compact cotton twill with only a slight amount of stretch. The fit is about 1” trimmer through the leg and the cloth form fits with wear. We also make two styles in Peru. Each is a more “evolved” expression of a traditional khaki. For the guy who hasn’t bought a pair of new chinos recently, this product gives him the fit and feel of a performance 5 pocket with updated classic chino styling. The story with our “Club Short” is natural performance. The fiber strength of Pima Cotton allows us to make the fabric only 6.2 ounces. Pima is naturally absorbent, so it soaks up moisture and gets it out to dry. Both Pima styles feature 4% stretch that recovers. For those who want to wear cotton that feels and performs to modern expectations, the Plainsman and Club Short check that box.

What’s the best part of doing it your way? Unlike the aerospace industry, this is a largely subjective business. After 30 years, I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. This doesn’t make me always right, but the experience informs my opinions. Good ideas don’t die by committee in small companies. I love bouncing things off friends who don’t preoccupy themselves with my preoccupations.

What do you like to do outside of running the company? PennBilt consumes most of my energy right now. Other than my family, my typical distractions are golf, hockey, and my 1995 Cannonade F700 mountain bike. Riding that bike is like listening to vinyl.

What’s on your Spotify playlist? Streaming Goose right now.

Now to the pants.  I got my hands on three pieces from Pennbilt: (L-R): Club Shorts, the Plainsman, and the Authentic.

Details and my take on each:

The Club Shorts are cut like a standard pair of chino shorts.  They are constructed with 6.2 oz fine cotton twill, with 4% stretch.  They come with a 9″ inseam, which I had tailored to a 5″ inseam.  They wear like a luxury pair of chino shorts but aren’t that fussy.  I wash them in cold, dry them for ~5 minutes, and then hang to dry.  They are ready to go the next morning.  I’ll go stretches where I’ll wear these three or four days in a row, and they do not stretch out.  I highly recommend.

The Plainsman pants are a souped-up version of the classic chino pants that a bunch of us grew up with.  They feature a forward-thinking fit, but are cut about 1″ trimmer (think ‘slim-straight’).  They also feature 4% stretch, which makes these a good choice for the golf course or chasing kids.  The leg opening in my pants (size 33″ waist) is 8″, so it is good for almost all footwear – loafers, oxfords, boots, or New Balances.  I had these hemmed to a 39″ outseam, as I prefer to wear dressier chinos with little to no break.

The Standard chinos are just that: Bill’s response to providing the market with a 100% Cotton pair of well-made chinos.  These are the heavier 8.5oz military twill, and they are extremely well constructed.  From a fit perspective, they aren’t the massive, baggy pants of way back, but a somewhat trimmer, updated fit.  They aren’t slim (by any means), but more of an Ivy feel.  I had mine hemmed to a 40″ outseam, as I plan on wearing these with boots/etc.

Overall, it’s important to remember that Pennbilt pants are not skinny pants.  That isn’t Bill’s vision, and I commend him for it.  He is answering the market ask for good cotton chinos.

Listening to him talk about his pants and his operation is truly inspiring.  As a veteran of the chino industry, it’s like listening to Chipper Jones talk about hitting.  Bill, and the pants, are that good.