Hard Hats for Detroit 2025: An Art Auction Building the Future of Skilled Trades
Hard Hats for Detroit, presented by Sachse Construction, brings together builders, makers, and artists to celebrate creativity in the trades. Local artists will partner with industry sponsors to transform construction hard hats into one-of-a-kind works of art, which will then be auctioned to support youth-focused workforce development across the city.
“Hard Hats for Detroit connects the people who build our city, artists, makers and tradespeople with the next generation learning to do the same,” said Todd Sachse, CEO of Sachse Construction. “This year, we invited industry sponsors to join the effort and expand our impact. Together, we’re using creativity and craftsmanship to strengthen Detroit’s future.”
Participating Hard Hats for Detroit Partners
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Milwaukee Tool × Bo Shepherd (Woodward Throwbacks) → Proceeds to benefit the Construction Apprenticeship Workforce Development Program at Focus: HOPE
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LuxWall × April Wagner (epiphany glass) → Proceeds to benefit EcoWorks, supporting Detroit sustainable-job training
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Carhartt × Josh Welton (Brown Dog Welding) → Proceeds to benefit the Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation’s Welding Department at Randolph Career & Technical Center
Bidding opens on Giving Tuesday, December 2, 2025, and closes on Wednesday, December 10, at hardhatsfordetroit.com.
2025 Cocktail Party: Meet the Artists and Sponsors
The community is invited to join Sachse Construction and its partners to celebrate the spirit of creativity, collaboration, and community impact at a special Hard Hats for Detroit cocktail reception on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, from 5–7 PM at Robyn Detroit (441 W. Canfield St.). Guests will have the opportunity to meet the artists, view the whole collection in person, and bid on the final pieces before the auction closes.
Milwaukee Tool × Bo Shepherd → Benefiting Focus: HOPE
Milwaukee Tool and Bo Shepherd of Woodward Throwbacks pair toolmaker heritage with a design rooted in reuse: a vintage hard hat transformed into a working lamp. The result blends utility, history, and creative reinvention. Funds benefit Focus: HOPE, expanding training and employment opportunities that drive lasting economic mobility for Detroit residents.
“Milwaukee Tool is committed to supporting the skilled trades,” said Justin Ross, Senior National Account Manager at Milwaukee Tool. “Partnering with Bo and Focus: HOPE helps us deliver on that commitment with real, visible impact.”
“As builders and designers, we get to imagine new lives for old materials every day,” said Bo Shepherd. “This piece reminds me that craftsmanship and community impact come from the same source, putting your hands to good use.”
Tiffany Graydon, Director of Workforce Development and Education at Focus: HOPE, shared: “We’re proud to be part of a project that celebrates Detroit’s makers while helping our neighbors gain the skills and confidence to build lasting careers.”
Follow the collaborators on Instagram: @milwaukeetool, @bo_thebuilder, @woodwardthrowbacks, and @focushope
LuxWall × April Wagner → Benefiting EcoWorks
Michigan-based LuxWall, the pioneer of Transparent Insulation, joins April Wagner of Epiphany Studios to create a hard hat sculpted entirely from molten glass, reflecting both light and craftsmanship. The design merges energy performance and artistry while supporting EcoWorks, whose programs advance community job training and projects that strengthen Detroit’s built environment.
“This piece mirrors what LuxWall stands for,” said Scott Thomsen, CEO of LuxWall. “Precision, creativity, and a shared responsibility to bettering the built environment.”
“As a glass artist, I’m fascinated by how something fragile can become strong through fire,” said April Wagner. “That transformation felt like the perfect metaphor for what this initiative represents; creating opportunity, resilience, and beauty from hard work.”
“EcoWorks trains Detroiters for careers that make our city more sustainable,” said Briana DuBose, Executive Director of EcoWorks. “This collaboration with LuxWall and April shows how art and innovation can work together to inspire a sustainable, more equitable future.”
Follow the collaborators on Instagram: @luxwall_inc, @april_wagner_artist, @epiphanyglass, @ecoworksdetroit
Carhartt × Josh Welton → Benefiting Randolph Career & Technical Center
Carhartt and Detroit metal artist Josh Welton of Brown Dog Welding collaborate on a fully welded metal hard hat that honors the city’s industrial backbone. The sculptural piece mirrors the grit and precision of skilled labor, a tribute to those who build Detroit every day. Proceeds support the Welding Department at Randolph Career & Technical Center, helping students gain hands-on training and pathways to high-demand careers.
“We’re thrilled to partner with our friends at Randolph Career and Technical Center to invest in the next generation of welders in our hometown of Detroit,” said Todd Corley, Chief People & Impact Officer at Carhartt. “At Carhartt, we’re proud to support students’ education and growth as they pursue rewarding career opportunities available in the skilled trades.”
“For me, welding has always been a mix of art and trade,” said Josh Welton. “This project feels like home because it’s about showing young people that being creative and building a career can come from the same place.”
Kerrie Mitchell, President and CEO of the Detroit Public Schools Foundation, which accepts funds on behalf of Randolph, added: “Detroit’s future is being built by the hands of DPSCD students. Support from partners like Carhartt and Sachse Construction turns classrooms into launchpads for lifelong careers and reinforces the DPSCD Foundation’s mission to connect students with workforce-ready opportunities.”
Follow the collaborators on Instagram: @carhartt, @welderassassin, @browndogwelding, @dpscdfoundation and @randolphctc
Past Highlights: Building on Momentum
Each year, Hard Hats for Detroit expands its creative community and philanthropic reach.
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2024: Detroit artists Olivia Guterson, Nicole Jarecz, and India Solomon each partnered with nonprofits supporting women and girls—Empowerment Plan, Alternatives for Girls, and BasBlue—to create hard hats celebrating resilience, mentorship, and economic independence.
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2023: Artists Eric “El Cappy” Lowry, Mike Han, and Phillip Simpson collaborated with Downtown Boxing Gym, Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan, and The Konnection to uplift youth empowerment and education.
Together, these annual collaborations have turned hard hats—symbols of work and protection—into catalysts for opportunity, reminding Detroit that building the future begins with investing in people.
Key Dates
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Bidding Opens: Tuesday, December 2, 2025 (Giving Tuesday)
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Cocktail Reception: Tuesday, December 9, 2025, 5–7 PM at Robyn Detroit, 441 W. Canfield St., Detroit, MI 48201
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Bidding Closes: Wednesday, December 10, 2025
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Website: www.hardhatsfordetroit.com
About Sachse Construction
Sachse Construction is a Detroit-based commercial construction firm with a 30-year legacy of building with purpose. Through Hard Hats for Detroit, the company unites art, industry, and community to inspire the next generation of builders and creators.