A Brief History of Carhartt

There aren’t many brands with the long-standing history that Carhartt has. Carhartt is a brand with a rich history that spans more than hundred years. From providing clothing to the workers who shaped America to wearing the clothes of some of the biggest Hip Hop figures of the 1990’s. From its beginnings of producing overalls made of duck canvas and denim, Carhartt has been dedicated to offering clothing that is made to meet the most exacting standards of durability, quality and the ultimate in comfort.

Carhartt’s story starts with 1882 the year that Hamilton Carhartt left school to establish a furniture wholesale business. In 1898, the business was transformed into a dedicated maker of workwear for men. Even though the company initially failed Carhartt was not willing to quit and decided to inquire from railroad workers what they wanted at in the clothes. By using this as a basis of his design, Carhartt was able to create workwear that checked all the boxes and the company didn’t look back. In 1925 Carhartt has factories across the world, ranging across Liverpool, Vancouver, Paris and New York to name but some. In the same year, Carhartt establish its first company, Hamilton Carhartt Junior – Manufacturer that would specialise in working clothes for young men such as shirts, overalls, pants , and shoes. This was an obvious sign of Carhartt’s intention to broaden the range of their products, and an early sign of their vision for the brand.

The decade to follow would prove to be a difficult time for the business. Because of the Cotton Depression of the 1920’s and the Great Depression of the 1930’s several of the brands important locations were lost and sales territories were also lost in South America. Despite the challenges the company faced, Carhartt continued to solidify its standing as a quality clothing company and this is the reason why they endured. Its distinctive construction methods such as its strong and sturdy cotton duck to its three chain stitching on the main seams, which was felled and made the garments stronger and durability, meant that Carhartt Clothing was the most sought-after brand for all of your workwear requirements. The durable clothing was able to stand up to the rigorous demands of work and possibly unintentionally, looked great also.

In the 70’s and Carhartt launched their first modern Subsidiary that was Carhartt South Inc that specialized in making Jeans. The subsidiaries continued popping around throughout the seventies, until the company determined to streamline its structure by combining all of its subsidiaries into the main company at the 1980’s. The same decade also saw the launch of the first nationwide marketing program. It continued to expand in the 90’s when it acquired of several sewing facilities at new locations that brought the brand to a wider audience.

Workwear was becoming a part of the fashion scene in the latter half of the 80’s and early 90’s, and Carhartt was aware of it. They were selling their clothes for sale to Japanese fashion market from 1987 and decided to show their outdoor jackets during New York fashion shows for the first time in the year 1991. It was the catalyst for the start of things with the trend of ‘Workwear’ and in 1993, thanks in part to sprayers and clockers, Carhartt was hitting the streets, drawing the attention of hip-hop stars who began taking the brand seriously. The brand soon began appearing on TV shows as well as printed magazines like Vogue as well as Harpers Bazaar. Carhartt was well and definitely made it onto the runway.

The year 1994 was the time that Carhartt created Carhartt WIP. Work In Progress or WIP for short is the distribution channel to Carhartt across the Atlantic by introducing a variety of their most recognizable classic designs from their original collection of work wear to this brand new European market. In response to the demand of fashion-conscious Europeans and achieving success immediately. The timeless shapes were a favorite among people in no time, thanks to the massive demand for US clothing of the past in addition to the desire of re-creating their favorite rappers ‘ look. Carhartt WIP was widely acclaimed throughout the world.

It was 1997 when Carhartt WIP under the permission and agreement of the brand’s Michigan HQ in the US, introduced its own range of products that was re-designed and modified to meet the demands of an active lifestyle and urban environments, yet remaining true to Carhartts basic values of durability, quality and ease of use. Since the initial range was released, the brand has continued to innovate products that are designed with its European markets in its mind and has since grown into one of the most popular streetwear brands, not just in Europe but also around the world.

Their ability to honor their past while updating their designs to appeal to contemporary consumer means that Carhartt has found a comfortable middle between street and work wear in their many ventures. They are a major player within various communities, providing their support to musicians, artists and even riders. A large portion of their work is connected to that of the BMX as well as the Skateboarding scene. From sponsoring an event to helping create skate parks. The brand has gained a huge amount of appreciation from the lifestyles they advocate, as well as their top-quality, easy to wear clothes.

The latest collection of Carhartt items is now available for the Summer of 2022, and it is similar to what we’ve been accustomed to from the company. With a strong emphasis on construction and materials The new collection is an assortment of staples for your wardrobe, like the plaid shirting of sweaters bottoms, tees and lightweight outerwear.