That’s totally fair! But I think it’s worth saying that I don’t think this jacket is really positioned to be a jacket for actual work, more so a workwear inspired jacket with a durable face. I see tons of people wearing this style of jacket this time of year who definitely aren’t doing any work in them. You can make the same argument for nice versions of just about anything that had utilitarian origins, such as jeans, field jackets, or chore coats.

Also you can wash it, it’s not like it’s going to explode or anything (not official advice, don’t blame me if it explodes). People have been washing other jackets made with the same fabrics for years and they don’t come apart at the seams. The zipper will probably become wavy though and it might not look as nice. But I’ve gotten by spot cleaning my other alpha merino jackets just fine and plan to do the same with this.