Why Habeas started
Habeas didn't start in a boardroom. It started in a living room, when one of us, late for a dinner, said out loud what we had all been thinking: why is it this hard to find one good shirt in this country? On one side, the formal shirt, starched and suffocating. On the other, the cheap casual, soft for a week and shapeless by the month.
The name comes from the Latin habeas, meaning "you have". Our belief is that presence can make a difference, and that everyday elegance should not cost you comfort.
What makes the shirts different
We spent months rejecting swatches until a sample of pique honeycomb knit landed on the table. Texture without trying, structure without stiffness. It is the reason a Habeas shirt looks like a shirt and feels like your favourite tee.
- An open-cell honeycomb knit instead of a tight flat weave, so the fabric breathes and stretches naturally with you.
- A flexible raglan sleeve with no stiff shoulder seam, so nothing pulls when you drive, type or travel.
- It holds its shape after washing: wash, hang, wear.
- A smart collar for meetings, jersey comfort for evenings.
How they are made
We manufacture everything in-house, so we know the hands behind every shirt. We take our time selecting materials and rely on skilled hands at every stage, so that every stitch and every detail meets the standard we set for ourselves. The stitching is checked before a shirt leaves us.
A note from the founders
Making everything ourselves was one more decision that cost us a lot of sleep. It is slower and harder, but it is the only way we know to stand behind every shirt. Thank you for wearing Habeas.
— The Habeas founders