Get to Know a Vendor: Carhartt

By: Levi Opsatnic

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Image courtesy of blogs.zappos.com

Maybe I can only speak for myself here, but whenever I think of a company that’s synonymous with durable, hard-working clothing made in the United States, my mind immediately gravitates towards Carhartt. Dating back to the year 1899, Hamilton Carhartt, with only two sewing machines and a whopping five employees, launched his first line of products under the name “Hamilton Carhartt & Company” and started what became over a century of quality apparel.

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Image courtesy of Carhartt.com

First stitched at a time when the railroad industry was really booming, Hamilton had a drive to create a product that provided workers with an “Honest value for an honest dollar.” And after a few minor hiccups in the beginning, the union-made bib overalls were created, and it wasn’t long before it seemed like every person working on a railroad was seen in a pair. These bibs were such a hit as they were perfect for storing the essential tools, provided the wearer with a line of defense against their vigorous jobs, and could take a beating like no other. As the demand for Hamilton’s products increased, he began to expand his factory locations; and by the year 1910, there were Carhartt factories all across the United States and into Canada as well as Paris.

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Image courtesy of aziomedia.wordpress.com

Seeing how he was able to really hit the nail on the head of the labor industry, Hamilton decided to test his luck in the automotive side of things. In the year 1911, Carhartt Automobile Industry was born. Unfortunately, this project lasted only two short years before Hamilton decided to go back to focusing full-time on apparel.

Following his attempt at the vehicle market, Hamilton designed one of Carhartt’s most iconic and long-standing pieces, the Chore Coat, and was struck with a decade or so of rewarding business. This was until the year 1929 whenever the Great Depression came around and America was plagued by one of the largest economic disasters in history. During this time of poverty, Carhartt certainly suffered and nearly shutdown at least once, however, Hamilton’s resilience and persistence was enough to keep the company afloat. Not only was Hamilton able to keep his company thriving in a time of despair, but he was also able to provide his workers (both male and female) with full 8-hour shifts. If this isn’t a testament to Carhartt’s dedication to the working class, then I’m not too sure what is.

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Image courtesy of Carhartt.com

If the decade of destitution wasn’t enough, Carhartt suffered a real loss in the year 1937 whenever Hamilton Carhartt passed away. This lead the business into the hands of his son-in-law, Wylie, who picked up right where his father left off and carried the company through years of prosperity.

After Wylie took control of Carhartt, the company was passed onto his son-in-law, Robert Valade, and then into the hands of present-day President, Mark Valade. Mark was able to make several groundbreaking changes to the company ranging from a complete series of women’s clothing to a line of flame-resistant garments.

It all began with Hamilton Carharrt and is now carried on in the same family through Mark Valade, and still to this day, Carhartt is identified by a dedication to all things quality and hard work. Whether it’s a classic pair of their overalls or just one of their cool and comfy flannels, you’ll be sure to find an American-made strength that few other companies can come close to. And for that, reason we are so proud to have Carhartt stocked on our shelves. So come on into Appalachian Outdoors and check out all of the cool Carhartt products that we have to offer, surely you won’t be disappointed.

One comment
  1. Pingback: /Explore | Five on Friday: Five Classic Carhartt Products

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