Every Carhartt Duck Explained

If you’re confused by all the different types of Carhartt duck, don’t worry- we’ve got you covered!

What is Duck Canvas?

Duck fabric is a heavy, plain-woven fabric known for its durability, resilience, and versatility. Its construction is a heavy-weight canvas that’s tightly woven. All these properties make duck ideal for workwear, which is why it is ubiquitous on job sites worldwide.

Carhartt Duck Currently in Production

Right now there are seven different types of Carhartt duck currently available. Rigid Duck, Washed Duck, and Rugged Flex Duck are the traditional brown cotton fabric we are all used to. Along with those are the variants: nylon duck, Cordura®, FR Quick Duck, and Super Dux.

Firm Duck

This is the stuff you probably imagine when it comes to Carhartt duck: 12oz, 100% Ringspun cotton material with a water-resistant surface treatment. This is the Carhartt material which seems like it can literally stand up on its own!

Washed Duck

Washed Duck begins its life as Firm Duck but is pre-washed for comfort. If you don’t want to go through the break-in process with Firm Duck, Washed Duck will accelerate the process significantly.

Rugged Flex Duck

Rugged Flex is for those who appreciate Carhartt duck canvas but want a little bit of stretch. Rugged Flex is a great option for those who are constantly moving through the day and want their clothes to move with them.

Super Dux

The Super Dux duck puts priority on flex and mobility while still offering the benefits of traditional duck material with a DWR finish. Perfect for outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, or hunting.

Nylon Duck

Nylon Duck uses nylon yarns instead of cotton. This material is tightly woven for water resistance, which is why you’ll find this material in the Carhartt Storm Defender series.

FR Quick Duck

Quick Duck was used in several products in the past but exists now in Flame Resistant only. This is a lighter-weight duck fabric at 8.5oz to the traditional 12oz and wears much easier if you work in a warmer climate or just want something a little lighter.

Cordura Duck

Cordura Duck is found in Carhartt’s Yukon Extremes collection. This 500-denier material is extremely water and abrasion-resistant. This is the material you want if you work in extreme and wet conditions.

Discontinued Duck

Carhartt has a 135-year history of making workwear and with the introduction of new technology, some duck fabrics were discontinued. These still may exist on the secondhand market, so I’ve included tag information where available.

Stonewashed Duck

Stonewashed Duck was available on Carhartt’s Pants, Shorts, Active Jac, and Chore Coat.

Acid-Washed Duck

The acid-wash trend of the 1980’s resulted in some very interesting products from Carhartt including the shirt below.

Weathered Duck

Weathered Duck was previously known as “Naturally Worn Duck” and is most famous for being the line used for the famous Interstellar Detroit Jacket.

WorkCamo™ Duck

Carhartt offered some products with Mossy Oak® and Mossy Oak® prints in the early 2000’s through 2016.

Sandstone Duck

Sandstone was washed duck which was also micro-sanded for softness. This was a very accessible fabric for those intimidated by Carhartt Firm Duck.

Stretch Sandstone Duck

Quick Duck

Quick Duck changed throughout its lifespan, with slightly different fabric blends and exists now only in Flame Resistant models.

INDURA® Ultra Soft Duck

An early version of FR Carhartt gear. This duck was only around for four years.

Thanks to Dave Moore at Carhartt Archives and Anthony Delillo on Reddit for their help assembling this information.

Brands Mentioned: Carhartt