In 1922 Mr D. K. Laidlaw began making industrial work wear at the back of his family home in Melbourne, Australia. The name Yakka was chosen to reflect the hard days work which his clothing was built for. The basic values have endured and today the Hard Yakka commitment to quality work wear is legendary.

The Hard Yakka work wear range has been manufactured in New Zealand for two decades, our experience covers the toughest work environments such as fire fighting, forestry, military, metals smelting, food processing and emergency services. Yakka are proud of their quality garments and are ISO 9001 : 2001 accredited. Each garment is meticulously made by highly skilled workers and individually checked for quality of materials and workmanship before it gets to wear the Yakka label.

Over the years Yakka has diversified into other apparel markets and are now Australasia's premium work wear supplier with representation and distribution throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Since the year 2000 Hard Yakka has continued to grow and innovate in the workwear category. Yakka has introduced several lines including Hard Yakka Koolgear and Hard Yakka Legends. More recently, Yakka has also introduced two more innovative lines. The first, Hard Yakka Xtreme, is designed to provide maximum safety and comfort for those who work in extreme conditions and features many technological advancements. The second, Hard Yakka for Women, is a unique range of clothes with a feminine style and flattering fit that has been designed to multitask. So what will Hard Yakka come out with next? One thing is for sure, you won’t have to wait long to find out.

From its humble beginnings in the back of a house in Lygon Street Melbourne, to the most recognised workwear brand in the country and one of the largest clothing suppliers in the Southern Hemisphere, the Hard Yakka story continues.

Hard Yakka. Nothing’s tougher!