If you know anything about Carhartt Canvas, you know there is no fabric more cut out to handle the wear and tear it often withstands in upholstery, work gear, outerwear and footing applications. Born from a mill whose name stamp has become synonymous with durability and soft handed flexibility, this gorgeous, high-quality material is the stuff that strong reputations are built off of.
With the rights to boast over 128 years of consistent manufacturing in the USA, Carhartt proudly has no intentions of producing their products anywhere else . Why? Because for them and their over 2,000 employees, crafting American-made products is an important part of Carhartt’s DNA and important to the hardworking American towns where they built their business.
Hamilton Carhartt
Carhartt Beginnings:
The year was 1889 when Hamilton Carhartt & Company began producing overalls with two sewing machines and a half-horsepower electric motor in a small Detroit loft. Early failures led Hamilton to focus heavily on market research, and after talking directly with railroad workers, he designed a product that truly fit their needs. Under the motto, “Honest value for an honest dollar,” the Carhartt bib overall was created and rapidly evolved into the standard for quality workwear.
Carhartt Bib Overalls
By 1910, Carhartt had grown to include mills in South Carolina and Georgia, as well as sewing facilities in Atlanta, Detroit, Dallas, and San Francisco. The company expanded internationally to Walkerville (Ontario), Toronto, Vancouver, and Liverpool. A Paris facility and a New York office and warehouse later followed.
In times of international conflict, Carhartt committed to “backing the attack.” The company offered seven Carhartt facilities to the government for the purpose of creating uniforms for the U.S. military in World War I. During World War II, the company produced coveralls for soldiers and support personnel, jungle suits for Marines in the Pacific, and workwear for women entering the factories on the home front.
In 1929, the stock market collapse was as brutal to Carhartt as it was to the rest of the country. The company came close to shutting its doors for good. Keeping the business alive is a testament to the tenacity, passion, and ingenuity displayed by Hamilton and his sons during that time.
Upon Hamilton’s death in 1937, his son Wylie became president of the company. Wylie played a crucial role in the “Back to the Land” program, which led to the opening of new operations in rural Kentucky. Four sewing and cutting facilities are still operating in Kentucky and Tennessee to this day, and the original Kentucky factory – completed in 1932 – now houses the operations center for Carhartt’s supply chain.
In 1972, Robert Valade, Vice President of Sales Gust Feles, and Executive Vice President of Manufacturing Don Rasinen formed a nucleus that changed the face of Carhartt forever. They purchased Carhartt’s first “modern” production facility and were able to do a significant private-label business for several stores including Sears, J.C. Penney, and Montgomery Ward. This provided Carhartt with the necessary revenue to continue to expand its production. During the 1970s, massive orders for the construction of the Alaska Pipeline helped grow the brand, and Carhartt undeniably showed that its products could survive and thrive in the most rugged conditions on Earth.
The Carhartt brand became popular with consumers outside blue-collar trades during the 1970s and 1980s. More people began to learn about the brand as big names in the hip-hop music industry started to wear Carhartt and designers sought out their canvas for upholstery jobs and the like.
Til this day, the Carhartt label, whether affixed to their finished products or their raw goods, is just as popular and in-demand as it was over 100 years ago. A TRUE testament to the quality of their goods and belief in their motto ‘ An honest value for an honest dollar ‘.
In support of the integrity of their canvas fabrics and the lasting end products they produce, J&O fabrics is a proud distributor.
With over 100 yards in stock, we look forward to providing you the canvas you need and more!
Check out our Carhartt Black Canvas here.
Check out our Carhartt Brown Canvas here.
