Ford Carhartt Super Duty: How Two Detroit Icons Built the Ultimate Work Truck

The Ford Super Duty has long earned its reputation as one of the most capable work trucks on the road. Now a collaboration with Carhartt adds authentic workwear toughness through purposeful details and subtle design touches that prioritize real durability over flashy graphics. The result is a truck built from the jobsite up for the people who rely on their trucks every single day.

Both companies share deep Detroit roots as family-owned businesses that have served hardworking customers for generations. We spoke to Ben Ewy, vice president of global product design at Carhartt, and Steve Gilmore, chief designer for Ford Customization Department, about how this partnership came together and what makes the Ford Carhartt Super Duty special.

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Detroit Roots Create Natural Alignment Between Brands

“Ford and Carhartt are both founded in Detroit. They’re both still family-owned companies. And even though they make trucks and we make apparel, we both serve hardworking people by giving them the gear that they need to get their job done,” said Ewy. The more the teams worked together the more they realized just how closely they were aligned.

At Ford, Gilmore and his design team took time to visit a Carhartt store in Detroit and spent hours with the products. “We have the same images. They have Ford trucks in their stuff,” said Gilmore. The shared customer focus and proximity of their offices just two miles apart made the collaboration feel natural from the start. They invited each other into their facilities, reviewed vehicles and materials, and built genuine respect for one another’s approach.

“We came up with something we think was better than either one of us could have done alone.” – Ben Ewy

This close collaboration started with real research rather than assumptions. The Ford team wanted to fully understand Carhartt’s philosophy before sketching anything. That deliberate approach turned early questions of why they should partner into a clear vision of what they could achieve together.

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Whisper Not Shout Approach to Branding

Many branded trucks feature oversized logos and bold graphics, but this one takes a different path. “We wanted to whisper and not shout,” said Ewy. “We wanted people to lean into the truck and not lean back.” The focus stayed squarely on functionality and authentic small details.

Carhartt applies the same thinking to its apparel. “It’s how we prefer to make our apparel. We underbrand when we can,” said Ewy. The team used what they call the thumb test to keep branding subtle. “Can I put my thumb over the logo and still know that it’s Carhartt product?” said Ewy. This DNA of quiet strength carried directly into the truck.

“If it doesn’t serve a purpose on the truck, it doesn’t belong there.” – Steve Gilmore

Gilmore noted that early ideas were bolder because Ford tends to be more forward with branding. The teams quickly aligned on removing anything unnecessary. The graphics that remain offer actual protection with higher durability, a textured finish, and a special tint that hides minor chips while still letting the body color show through.

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Purpose Built Details Deliver Enduring Value

Every element on the Ford Carhartt Super Duty serves a practical purpose for daily work. Ewy immediately pointed to one favorite feature. “It’s the all-weather floor mats,” said Ewy. “What I like about the all-weather floor mats is that they keep the truck clean and safe and it’s a protective element.” The front mats include the Carhartt logo and Super Duty logo together.

The team drew real world inspiration from unlikely places including a manhole cover spotted outside the Carhartt store. That became the inspiration for the wheel design on the finished truck. Interior details reflect traditional Carhartt materials and details with the signature triple stitch construction.

“We want it to be functional. We want it to be durable. We want it to be authentic. We want it to be versatile. And then we have this really important concept that we call enduring value.” – Ben Ewy

Carhartt defines enduring value as more than just upfront cost. “Carhartt product might not be the cheapest upfront from the dollars and cents, but when you think about the lifetime value of the product, how much you should get out of it, how functional it is, how safe it keeps you, we think there’s no better value than Carhartt,” said Ewy. The team applied that same long-term thinking to the truck. “We think that same value extends into this truck that we’re building with Ford.”

Both designers see the truck as more than a vehicle for today. “We see this as being a generational product the same way that we do with our apparel and the clothes that we make,” said Ewy. Gilmore agreed, calling the entire experience deeply rewarding. “It was wonderful all the way through,” said Gilmore. The finished Ford Carhartt Super Duty stands as a true collaboration that honors the hardworking legacy of both Detroit icons while delivering a truck built to last for years on the job.