Shirt Maker, Double Two – Was Set Up In 1940 By Isaak Donner

With support from the UK Government, Double Two was set up in 1940 by Isaak Donner, a Jewish entrepreneur – who fled his home, to escape the horrors of the war.

Double Two is a renowned men’s shirt-making brand, with a remarkable history that spans over 80 years.

The business makes and sells shirts, casual-wear, trousers, and knitwear. Isaak was originally from a Jewish farming family in the early 1900’s, in what is now Ukraine.

Isaak’s entrepreneurial spirit started early on, when he repurposed cotton spools – to make a profit during his school years.

Later on, in Austria, he noticed that the soft collars of shirts wore out quickly, which prompted him to invent the replaceable double collar. With his invention, he set up a successful shirt business with his brother, but it was short-lived, due to the Nazi annexation of Austria.

Upon fleeing to Switzerland, Isaak was able to secure employment in the UK, but the onset of the Second World War stopped this from happening. But after negotiating with the UK Government, Isaak chose Wakefield as the location to set up his new shirts business, Double Two, which is still around today – and doing well.

The brand achieved success after the creation of its world-first, man-made fibre shirt – made from polyester, during the cotton shortage of the 1950s.

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Double Two continued to grow and expand, and by the 1980’s, they were selling more than three million shirts per year in more than forty different countries.

Today, Double Two is still a leading shirt brand, with a wide range of styles and sizes to suit every customer. The company prides itself on its heritage, its story, its quality, and the entrepreneurial spirit that founded it. Isaak’s belief that hard work and quality produces success – remains a core principle at Double Two today.

The shirts come in a range of styles, from casual, to formal, to dress shirts – with sizes from 14.5” to 23.”. There’s something for everyone, including an expansion into leisurewear such as polo shirts, t-shirts and shorts.

The Double Two story is a story of determination in the face of adversity. It serves as a reminder that success can be achieved with hard work, perseverance, and innovation. Before passing away, Isaak was asked by a journalist what the key to his success was. He said: “If you work hard and produce quality, you are bound to succeed.”

With over 80 years of history, we’re still pioneering the way our founders did, and we’re continuing to provide high quality, good value shirts to our customers. It all comes down to a saying we have here at Double TWO: while styles change, the shirt remains,” said Nigel Moult, the current CEO of Double TWO.

Find out more here: https://www.doubletwo.co.uk