Two Family Businesses, One Day on Site
This summer, the TuffStuff team spent a day on site with Adam and John from ALC Carpentry & Construction. Two blokes who clearly love what they do, do it very well, and (according to local rumour) are apparently a little too good-looking to be builders! Word has it the wives of Framlingham have been convincing their husbands the house needs an extension just so Adam and John can pop round….
While we can neither confirm nor deny this rumour (we just brought the workwear!) What we can say is that when two family businesses share the same values, and a reputation built over years rather than overnight, a day on site together makes a lot of sense.
So, jump in the van with us, and join us behind the scenes on our sunny shoot with ALC Carpentry & Construction.
Who Are ALC Carpentry & Construction?
Adam and John, in the East of England, are as popular a pairing as bacon and eggs. Running one of East Suffolk's most respected high-end construction and bespoke carpentry firms, they’re the kind of outfit where clients wait for their availability rather than go elsewhere - which we think says everything you need to know about the standard of work they produce.
Family-run, locally rooted, and certainly proud of it, if you're in East Suffolk and you want a job done properly, ALC are the people you call. You can find them at alccarpentry.co.uk and follow their work, or there's plenty of it worth seeing over on their Instagram page too (with maybe a cheeky TuffStuff feature thrown in!)
The Shoot: A Real Day on a Real Site
It’s safe to say that, even though the two lads may be considered model-worthy, there was no swanky studio, no paid posing and no carefully arranged tools that have never actually been tocuhed on our watch, oh no.
True to the TuffStuff name, we headed to Framlingham on a sunny Suffolk morning, armed with some kit, a camera and half of Costco’s trusty deli Isle, to spend the day with Adam and John on a live construction site- Takeuchi digger and all. The brief was simple: capture two tradespeople, decked out in TuffStuff kit, doing what they do best. No crazy creative direction needed (which was probably best seen as though we’re more familiar with spirit levels than camera lenses).
That's the thing about photographing people who are good at their job: you don't have to ask them to look the part, they already do. And that’s exactly what TuffStuff workwear is made for.
The Kit: What Was on Site
Between them, the shoot featured a solid lineup of TuffStuff kit, and not all of it was chosen just for the camera; half of it was already in the wardrobe!
The new TuffStuff Embossed Hoodie made its appearance, bringing its 320gsm brushed fleece for the morning chill, and bold 3D logo front and centre. The newest addition to the TuffStuff range, and a very good-looking one at that (no, we don't just mean John!) If you missed it, no stress, you can catch the full lowdown our 'Meet The TuffStuff Embossed Hoodie' blog post.
Once it got above the national UK hoodie-bearability temperature, the TuffStuff Logo T-Shirt took over for some sunny groundwork shots. Lightweight, reliable, and according to Adam, absolutely essential for the hot shots. His words, not ours...
Available in four colours, it might explain why, between the two of them, they managed to cover most of them in a single day.
On the shorts front, both the TuffStuff Proflex Work Short and the TuffStuff Hyperflex Shorts featured across the shoot. Both built for movement, both the right call on a sunny Suffolk site in summer. The Proflex is the more structured option; the Hyperflex brings the 4-way stretch for maximum mobility. Either way, anyone still in full-length trousers that afternoon was having a significantly worse time; we can guarantee it!
Speaking of full-length trousers, the TuffStuff Apex Flex Trousers did make an appearance early doors. Flex fabric, articulated knees, and another newer addition to the range, they were a solid shout for the windy start.
On the boots front, the Fort Blyth Safety Boot in wheat. Yes, turns out boots can work well in a heatwave, and we can leave you with the close-up shots below to prove it!
And for all-day comfort on the move, the Fort Evo Safety Trainer in black. Lightweight, breathable, and frankly better dressed than most people manage on a night out.
And if you look closely at both footwear shots, you'll spot the detail that ties the whole look together from the ground up: a trusty pair of TuffStuff Crew Socks in white.
Some workwear wisdom: Never underestimate the socks. They're so important they got their own close-up, and honestly? They deserve it.
Rounding it all off, we couldn’t forget the classic TuffStuff Trucker Cap in black. Sun off the face, logo front and centre, doing two jobs at once. Very on brand for the duo that made multitasking look like a picnic.
Same Values. Different Trade.
TuffStuff has been making workwear for three generations. ALC Carpentry & Construction has been building things in East Suffolk to a standard that means clients don't go elsewhere. Two family businesses, both built on craft, reputation, and the kind of pride in your work that doesn't clock off at five.
We make the kit. They do the work. It's a simple story, and honestly, one of our favourite days out we've had in a while. Even if we were more useful holding the sandwiches than the camera…
So, if you're in East Suffolk, or maybe even further afield, and need a project done properly, Adam and John are your guys. You can find them at alccarpentry.co.uk and follow the build over on @alc_carpentry_ on Instagram.
And if you fancy some kit that looks as good on a live site as it does in a photo shoot (even one you didn't plan) you can shop the full TuffStuff range here.
