British Desert 'Green Zone' DPM Field Shirt
After the success of our Green Zone dyed DPM UBACs and 'Nightshade' Field Shirts, We simply asked, "Why Not Both?" and combined the ideas and dye formulas to make this — the 'Green Zone' field shirt.
What's DPM?
DPM, or Disruptive Pattern Material has seen use across countries in many theatres since the 1940s (mainly in those associated with the British Commonwealth). It was also infamously used by the Irish Republican Army during The Troubles.
Desert DPM, which is what we started out with, was extensively used in the Gulf War, operations in Afghanistan, and is still used today in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. Optimized for the completely arid landscapes of the Arabian gulf, it's sandy tones blended in well to sand, but not much else...
The field shirt's mechanical design also has a long history with only minor changes being applied over it's service. The phrase "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" certainly comes to mind. It's become a long time staple of surplus inventories worldwide.
Dye or Die
As several conflicts raged in the middle east during the 90s and 2000s, the shortcomings of the iconic pattern shone, with many troops resorting to DIY dying their issued garments in the field to make them more versatile in a pinch.
British Troops worked with what they had, and hastily dyed their Desert DPM to better match the environment of the 'Green Zone' of Afghanistan. Some examples turned out worse than others, becoming overdyed in the process. Results were mixed and commonly ended up in wild shades of turquoise and emerald green.
The MoD eventually saw the shortcomings of DPM. With the Helmand province's characteristically un-Afghani greenery, it posed a death sentence to troops marching in with their bright tan fatigues. They got to work on several experimental camos based off of their existing DPM to replace the tried and true DPM but ultimately, these camo trials were a long process that the troops couldn't afford to wait for completion.
The result was very similar to OCP/Multicam, with many of the brush stroke like elements of DPM remaining present, and the MoD dubbed it "multi-terrain pattern" (MTP). It was miles better than what was currently fielded, but ultimately seemed like too little too late for some of the troops on the ground.
As MTP slowly started to replace DPM, a very small amount of field-overdyed surplus came and went on the market, and astute collectors slowly pieced together the odd story of the MoD's experimental era.
'Green Zone'
As said, there are genuine field-modified articles ranging from turquoise, navy blue, and other colors floating around on the used market - but they're incredibly scarce, and we think the idea is cool enough that we wanted to pay proper tribute.
We wanted to take the original goal of the forces in the Green Zone and do it how they would have wanted it — A new pattern, better suited for a wider range of environments.
The 'Green Zone' colorway takes desert DPM into the tropics with a fresh coat of green, while keeping the disruptive pattern intact.
Our shirts generally ended up in three spectra of color:
The two on the left are most common, with the leftmost closely resembling the shade of green on USGI classic Olive Drab gear, and the middle showing off it's browns more. All three go great with Coyote Brown, Nutria, Olive Drab, and many other browns and greens. the one on the right is the most Arid-colored of the three, but is significantly rarer.
By ordering, please understand you will get any of the three at random, however if you leave a note, our staff will try and get you the color you want.
Unlike our UBACs, these are a little more form than function. Woodland DPM is a busy pattern and Desert DPM can be a little ugly on the street, but these colorways tone desert DPM down significantly. When the genuine dyed ones originally hit the market, they even got some reputation as streetwear in the UK much like M81 Woodland did stateside. Now, you might even catch some sportswear brands ripping the DPM pattern and changing the colors a bit for fashion.
Specs
- 30/70% poly/cotton mix.
- Two front 7.5" x 8" pockets.
- Button fastened (Some may Include Zipper in addition to buttons)
- Collar button to pop collar for various practical and egotistical uses.
- Cuff tightening buttons.
- Strap on the front for attaching rank tab.
- May feature Union Jack on shoulder or other unit patches.
Sizing
These field shirts are measured in cm using height and chest circumference. The sizing intervals are decently far apart, so you may want to round up or down depending on how you want the shirt to fit (tight like a shirt, or looser like a jacket).
Dyeing Process
The unique coloration results from a special dyeing process applied to each DPM desert donor shirt. Unlike standard "over-dyeing," we use a reactive dye which only binds to cotton fibers. This leaves all nylon fibers in the body of the shirt itself undyed, seen easily in the striped pattern of the ripstop fabric.
As a result, the color will not leach or fade. Post-dyeing, your shirt is clear of residual chemicals and clean enough to put in a baby's mouth.
Condition
Shirts are in great condition with no blemishes, stains, rips, or tears. Dye color is unique to each shirt, and may slightly vary. Inspect product photos carefully.
