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The Original Workwear Brand

by Judy Gonyeau, managing editor

n 1889, the Industrial Revolution was up and running Carhartt Clothing for the

thanks to the practice of mechanical engineering and Industrial Age
Imanufacturing. Just picture metal, grease, gears, and Hamilton Brakeman Carhartt began
his namesake company with just two
various forms of automation used to create iron horses sewing machines and five workers,
and satisfy the expanding needs of the transportation, and established a clothing company
built on the slogan “Honest value for an
agricultural, and energy industries around the world.
honest dollar.”
Hamilton Carhartt was born on
Those who worked
on the front lines of August 27, 1855, in Macedon Lock,
New York before moving to Michigan
industrial work needed
clothing that could and then Wisconsin. The Carhartt
survive a variety of family tended to keep to highly-ranked
professional positions—his father,
extreme and dangerous Dr. George Carhartt, was a physician
working conditions. and surgeon—but “Ham” was more Hamilton Carhartt, who said
Regular working attire interested in breaking that trend by of his line of clothing:
could not quite handle getting involved in manufacturing. “Carhartt goods are not cheap from
the caustic elements Carhartt quit the academic life and the dollars and cents point of view,
and equipment facing but when wear, service, and
the industrial worker went to work in the furniture-making satisfaction are taken into
in this age. Hamilton business. He transitioned into making consideration, they are indeed
Carhartt saw this as his furnishings but was not very successful the best value in the world.”
opportunity to make when he struck out on his own. It was
a difference as the because of conversations he had with a few railroad workers that
Industrial Revolution changed his direction and secured his success.
took off. Finding the right kind of clothing to work on the railroad was
Carhartt work- difficult and often would not hold up to the rigors of the long working
wear was designed day. Thanks to his experience working with tough fabrics when making
and built for the furnishings, Carhartt invested in 100% cotton duck and created the
American worker heavy-duty Carhartt Bib Overall – establishing the new standard for
and, it turns out, quality workwear. In 1899, the Hamilton Carhartt & Co. was
for the American established: the first workwear manufacturer in the U.S.
“Fashionista” decades
later. As reporter Expanding, and Fast
Tonya Riley put it, Carhartt quickly established multiple manufacturing locations and
the secret to the added cotton mills and other essential companies to his portfolio, l
company’s success eading to the company being incorporated as Hamilton Carhartt
is “about 128 years Cotton Mills in 1910. Just 11 years in, Carhartt had built plants in
of hard work and Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, and San Francisco here in the U.S.; British
good luck.” Columbia, Ontario, Vancouver, and Walkerville, Ontario, Canada;
Here is how and Liverpool, England. At this point they expanded their product line
this story unfolds. to include jackets and coats with hoods.

Carhartt 1920s catalog image with this description: pocket, two back hip pockets, a rule pocket and a
combination watch and pencil pocket on the apron –
Medium Blue Heavy Overall Cloth elastic detachable interlaced suspenders.
The staunchest cloth our cotton mills manufacture
Sack Coats – Engineer (now called the Chore Coat)
Waist “Overall Uniforms” With detachable buttons, Large and roomy, making
Apron “Overall Uniforms” a strong and durable article. These styles are stitched
Our Apron Overalls have two front pockets, a watch with white thread only.

34 Journal of Antiques and Collectibles