Hardwick Clothes facts for kids
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| Privately Held Company | |
| Industry | Clothing Manufacturer |
| Founded | 1880 |
| Headquarters | Cleveland, Tennessee |
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Area served
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United States |
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Key people
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Allan Jones (Owner/Chairman) Bruce Bellusci (CEO/President) |
Hardwick Clothes is an American company that makes clothes. It is located in Cleveland, Tennessee. They are known for making custom-fit suits for both men and women. The company started on July 28, 1880. This makes Hardwick Clothes the oldest company in America that still makes tailored clothing. It is also the second-oldest company in Bradley County, Tennessee.
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The Story of Hardwick Clothes
Hardwick Clothes is the oldest company in the United States that makes custom-fit clothing. It began as Cleveland Woolen Mills in 1880. The company was founded in Cleveland, Tennessee. C. L. Hardwick, John Craigmiles, John Parker, P.B. Mayfield, and Creed Bates started it.
C. L. Hardwick put his son George in charge of the clothing company. His other son, Joseph, ran the family's different business, Hardwick Stove. The company became successful early on. They wove a special fabric called "jean cloth." This fabric was a mix of wool and cotton. They used it to make popular "Dollar Pants."
Growing and Changing Over Time
Over the years, the company added new machines. Cleveland Woolen Mills became a factory that made clothes, not just a mill. In 1925, the company changed its name to Hardwick Woolen Mills.
By the 1920s, Hardwick Woolen Mills had grown a lot. They wove wool yarn and made finished clothes in the same factory. Their motto was "From the sheep's back to the clothing rack." This meant they did everything from start to finish. They made many clothes, including men's suits, overcoats, and clothes for boys.
Surviving Tough Times
Hardwick Mills survived the Great Depression. This was a time when many people lost their jobs and money. The company kept going by having workers sew clothes at home. Even with the tough economy, Hardwick Mills continued to grow in the 1930s.
Later, new laws were made about working hours. Because of these laws, production moved back into the factory. For the first half of the 1900s, Hardwick Mills was one of the biggest makers of wool fabric and men's clothing in the world.
During World War II, Hardwick Mills made uniforms for the military. After the war, people wanted less wool. New man-made fabrics became popular instead.
Becoming Hardwick Clothes
In the 1950s, Hardwick Mills stopped making wool fabric. They decided to focus only on men's tailored clothing. At this time, the company changed its name again to Hardwick Clothes, Inc.
The company also started to advertise its own brand for the first time. Before, they made clothes for other companies to sell. Hardwick quickly became a leader in making blazers. They had one of the largest collections of blazers ready to buy.
In 1974, Hardwick Clothes moved to a new, modern factory. This new building was much larger. It helped the company use modern machines. This allowed them to compete with companies making clothes overseas.
In the 2000s, Hardwick started selling to more stores. They also got contracts with different groups. For example, they made uniforms for the U.S. military. They also made uniforms for Major League Baseball umpires.
In 2001, the old Hardwick Woolen Mills factory was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical building.
Recent Company Updates
In 2013, Hardwick Clothes faced financial challenges. This was due to a difficult economy. The company had problems with its lenders and a retirement plan for its workers. They had to file for bankruptcy protection. This means they asked the court for help with their debts.
In March 2014, a businessman from Cleveland named W. Allan Jones offered to buy the company. On June 19, 2014, the sale was completed. Mr. Jones owns several financial companies.
After buying the company, Mr. Jones spoke to the media. He said that Hardwick Clothes had survived many challenges. These included fires, two World Wars, and the Great Depression. He also launched a new website for the company.
In July 2014, Bruce Bellusci became the new CEO and President. He was the ninth person to hold this role at Hardwick Clothes. Mr. Bellusci had worked at another clothing company for many years. He hired new people, including Jeffery Diduch. Mr. Diduch is now the Chief Creative Officer. He is in charge of design and new ideas for the brand. The company also announced they would fly an original 38-star American flag from 1880 at their factory. This was the year the company started.
In 2015, Mr. Jones shared his plans to help the company grow. He said he would buy new, advanced machines from Germany and Italy. He believed this technology would make Hardwick the most modern sewing factory in the United States.
On December 15, 2019, a company called Puerto Rican Industries for the Blind bought Hardwick Clothes.
See also
- Hartmarx
- Oxxford Clothes
- Paul Stuart
- Hickey Freeman
- Brooks Brothers
- J. Press
