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Engineering Leather Jackets
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Engineering leather jackets are one of the most visible engineering traditions in Canada. From the purple-stained garments worn by Queen's Engineering students to the red jackets donned by Carleton's own Engineering and Design students, you'd be hard-pressed to find a snow-covered Canadian university campus without a jacket proudly displaying "Engineering".
Carleton's leather jackets have had various colours and shapes over the years, from red to black to brown, and finally back to the classic red. While other faculties used to also make leather jackets, only Engineering and Design students have perpetuated the tradition into the present day, and proudly don their crimson garb when the air gets chilly.
A leather jacket includes the "CARLETON ENGINEERING" text on the back of the jacket, 4 chenille letters indicating the wearer's program on the right arm, 2 chenille numbers on the left arm for the wearer's graduation date, the Carleton University crest on the front left of the chest, and the Carleton Engineering "Warbird" logo above the back text. A chenille bar with the wearer's last name (or any other text) can be added for a small fee. The name bar looks best with eight or less characters, but will comfortably fit up to 12. We inspect all name bars before they are sent for assembly for any potential defects.
CSES does one leather jacket order per year in the early Fall term. An in-person sizing and ordering day takes place in the first full week of October, with online orders opening shortly after for around two weeks. It is heavily recommended to purchase your jacket on the in-person sizing day, as it greatly simplifies the process and allows for more extensive customization.
During the in-person sizing, a representative from Export Leather, our leather jacket supplier, will assist you in finding the perfect fit for your leather jacket. Jackets come in Men's and Women's cut and can be extended or shortened as needed - each is fit to size. While the sizing jackets for the in-person sizing may come in various colours, the only colour available for purchase is red.
The 2026 in-person fitting and ordering date was October 6th.
If you missed the in-person date, you can order your jacket online via this form. The form will guide you through all sizing and measurement requirements and will attempt to replicate the in-person experience. While the sizing guide aims to provide the best fit possible, attending the in-person sizing is the best way to get your perfect jacket size.
The online order form will close on October 20th.
The base prices for the leather jackets are set by Export Leather and may vary year-to-year.
The 2026 leather jackets start at $525 + tax.
Alterations are $10 per inch of material.
The optional name bar is $10 extra.
Q: Why is the price for a leather jacket so high?
A: Each jacket is cut and sown by hand by the Export Leather team using genuine leather, here in Canada. Their expert handiwork ensures that the resulting jacket will last a lifetime or more.
Q: When will my leather jacket arrive?
For orders placed in October, we typically expect to receive the jackets in February.
Q: I'm not sure when I'll graduate, what should I put on my arm as my graduation year?
A: If you're uncertain of your graduation date due to a potential co-op term, part-time classes, or for any other reason, you can elect to not add your graduation year patches at time of purchase and instead wait until the following year to have them added to your jacket, once you have a better idea of your graduation date.
Q: I missed the in-person sizing and purchase day and want a leather jacket, what should I do?
A: Use the online order form, which will remain open for around two weeks after the in-person date.
Q: What do I put on my name bar?
A: It's your name bar - anything (within reason) goes. Students typically elect to have their last name in all caps embroidered on, but some will choose a nickname or other word of significance.
Q: My last name is very long and won't fit on the name bar. What do I do?
A: If your name is under 12 characters, we recommend that you still input it, as we are confident that it is likely that your patch will still turn out as expected. For last names longer than 12 characters, you may submit your name as-is, but we cannot guarantee that the manufacturer will be able to embroider your name. We inspect each name bar for quality and will alert you by email should there be a defect with your name bar.
Q: I've graduated and want a jacket. Can I get one?
A: Yes! There is no restriction on who can get a jacket.
Q: I no longer reside in Ottawa and want to order a jacket. Can I?
A: Yes, you will likely need to fill out the online form if you can't make it to the in-person sizing. We can arrange for shipping to anywhere Canada Post ships to at your expense.