Having spent over a decade in Hong Kong, James and Diana were always well aware of the vibrant F&B scene that keeps a city like that alive. At the same time, they couldn't ignore the waste piling up behind it. Cavalry started when Diana noticed the mountain of laundry from James's chef jackets and t-shirts, worn out after months of long shifts and hot kitchens. They started asking questions: why is chefwear made this way? Are there better materials?

In a city of over 15,000 restaurants, nobody was addressing it. So in 2021, they did.

Where we are now

James and Diana have since moved home to Sydney and Cavalry has come with them. Australia's hospitality scene is world-class and chronically underserved when it comes to quality workwear made from materials that actually perform. We're here to change that.

The mission is the same as it was in Hong Kong: give the people who run our kitchens and dining rooms apparel that is genuinely better to wear and better for the planet. Not as a trend or a marketing angle, but the baseline.

Cavalry means family

Our Cavalry is our service crew, a chef's platoon. The people who make the hospitality industry the best and most exciting in the world. To shift the habits and mindset of an entire industry, you need more than a few soldiers. You need the cavalry.

We are not here to start another apparel brand that overpromises and does more harm than good. We aim to shift what normal looks like, one kitchen at a time.

Cavalry means family. Our Cavalry is our service crew, a chef’s platoon – the people that make the hospitality industry the best and most exciting in the world. And to change the habits and mindset of an entire industry, we need more than just a few soldiers. We need the Cavalry.

The last thing we want to do is start another apparel brand that overpromises and does more harm than good. Rather, we aim to shift mindsets by introducing better products for the hospitality industry.

Respecting what mother nature has to offer, our products favour natural materials, including hemp, organic cotton and linen that are easier and safer on the skin and has less impact on our planet. We partner with businesses that care about their people and materials. Each of our suppliers are vetted to ensure every product is made safely, lovingly and responsibly.

Hemp is our superhero fabric. It is derived from the Cannabis Sativa plant (yep, that very one!) and requires less water for growing compared to others and also favours soil health. As a fabric, hemp is incredibly breathable, UV resistant, has antimicrobial properties and gets softer after every wash. Our jackets, aprons and t-shirts are made mostly from hemp with a blend of organic cotton.

Organic cotton produces fewer carbon emissions from less fuel and energy consumption during the harvesting and production process. Because it also goes through a chemical-free production, the health of workers are not compromised.

Linen is made from the fibres of a flax plant. Super strong and absorbent, it dries faster than other materials. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot environments and is valued highly for garments. Our limited supply work shorts are made from 100% French linen.

Cavalry chef jackets, aprons and t-shirts are made in an iconic mountain city in Northeast China. Our factory partner employs 164 employees and specialises in the production of hemp and organic fabric clothing, with a spacious campus of over 4,800 square meters. Their team works eight hours a day with an hour lunch break and are paid above the minimum wage as well as given a daily lunch allowance. Early on, our partner has been incredibly supportive and shown a strong desire to help small businesses. As this was their first time manufacturing chef jackets, we have built a close and collaborative working relationship with the team.

The factory prides itself on its GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) Certified and OCS (Organic Content Standard) Certified fabrics. Their products also meet the Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX, one of the world's best-known labels for textiles tested for harmful substances, promising customer confidence and high product safety. 

Cavalry's French Linen Shorts are made in a small city just outside of Shanghai, China. Our factory partner specialises in linen and hemp production, using only European Flax® certified materials from France and Belgium. This means the flax plant is grown using no irrigation and no GMOs, has minimal use of pesticides and produces zero waste as the entire plant is used in production. The flax plant itself naturally sequesters carbon dioxide from the environment - allowing 250,000 tonnes of CO2 to be captured every year from the growing of European Flax.

During the pandemic, many big brands weren't able to fulfil payments for orders and we discovered that over 200 pairs of shorts were left shelved waiting to be landfilled. Made from 100% linen, the shorts are perfect workwear in hot kitchens and warmer weather and are surprisingly easy to wash. Together, we salvaged and rebranded them for resale at a lower cost.