EST. CAPE BRETON · 2026
Skilled trades are the work.
Skilled tradies are the people who do it.
The carpenters, electricians, welders, machinists, millwrights and technicians. The apprentices learning beside them. The people who turn knowledge into something you can live in, rely on or put back to work.
“Tradie” is our everyday word for a tradesperson. Behind every skilled trade is a skilled person, and behind that person is a community that depends on their work.
TRADIES UNITED is for those people, and for everyone who backs them.
REAL-WORLD SKILL. EVERYDAY CONSEQUENCES.
Technology changes the tools and the jobs. Skilled people continue to install, inspect, maintain and repair the systems our communities depend on.
These are everyday examples, not individual crew testimonials. AI and automation will change some tasks and jobs; our message is respect for skilled people and the work that still needs doing.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE AIRCRAFT
A fighter jet catches your eye. The people who build, inspect, maintain and repair aircraft deserve that attention too.
Aircraft rely on the work of machinists, assemblers, aircraft structures technicians, avionics technicians and aviation systems technicians. Precision in a workshop matters. So does patient fault-finding in a hangar.
Canada’s CF-18 Hornet fleet was manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. Military and civilian specialists carry that precision forward through the inspections, repairs and maintenance that keep the fleet flying.
We are inspired by the women and men who do those jobs. Their skill, care and teamwork are part of the thinking behind our own roundel: a shared mark for skilled tradies and the people who support them.
THE INSPIRATION. OUR OWN IDENTITY.
The Royal Canadian Air Force roundel inspired our circular format. Our red lion draws from the Nova Scotia flag and gives the Tradies mark its own identity.
Behind every flight are skilled people who build, maintain and repair. Our lion roundel carries that respect into a shared mark for skilled tradies and their supporters. From Cape Breton to the other side of the world, it says: you’re one of the crew.
Illustrative collage · PVC hoodie design concept.
Full-colour form using the stylized maple leaf introduced in 1965. The original CF-18 photograph in the aviation section carries a low-visibility version. Shown here only to explain the design inspiration.
Roundel source and rights information ↗
A distinct lion roundel for the people who build, make and fix, and everyone who stands with them. A red lion with a blue tongue, a white field and a navy circle. Shared pride, with Cape Breton roots.
Explore the Tradies marks ↗TRADIES UNITED is an independent brand. It is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Canadian Armed Forces or the Government of Canada. The Canadian roundel and aircraft photograph are presented as contextual references, not as Tradies product branding.
SUPPORT THAT FITS YOUR BUDGET
We can’t all afford a new hoodie. Belonging here should never depend on buying one.
We’re planning smaller ways to show your support: a sticker, or a patch on your favourite hoodie. If your budget allows, share a few with friends. One small roundel can say, “I back skilled tradies.”
Sew-on and iron-on patch options are being explored. Car-sticker suitability, garment compatibility and application instructions will be confirmed before those products are offered for those uses. Prices and orders are not available yet.
Wear the roundel, pass on a skill, back a friend. Everyone is welcome, whether or not they buy anything.
Explore the sticker & patch previews ↗DIFFERENT TRADES. ONE CREW.
Union pride has a place in this story: standing together for safe work, fair pay, dignity and the next apprentice. So does the non-union tradie who shares that respect.
Apprentice, experienced hand, retired worker or supporter. Whatever your background, gender or route into the work, there is a place for you in the circle.
You don’t have to buy anything to belong.
Bring your story ↗BORN IN CAPE BRETON
Kevin’s Cape Breton background and experience teaching carpentry and skilled trades are part of the story behind TRADIES UNITED. Learning a skill, doing a job well and passing knowledge on are at the heart of this community.
Cape Breton’s mines, steelworks and shipyards are part of a long history of skilled work. Workshops and jobsites carry that knowledge forward, one lesson and one well-made thing at a time.
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