Perhaps the most durable pair of dungarees a body can slip into is Carhartt jeans. While these jeans might not be for walking down 42nd street with a pair of stiletto heels, although why you couldn't do just that is beyond me, they are made for hours spent in the saddle, or a week of hiking the Rockies, or even years on the job. Carhartt jeans are built to last using a special technique formulated by their founder Hamilton Carhartt.

The Man Behind the Jean

Hamilton Carhartt grew up in Michigan during the late 1800s. He was born in Macedon Lock, New York in 1855. He began in the furniture business where he added an extra “t” to his last name to stand out amongst the other salesmen. Such an unusual name was bound to attract attention and hence, customers. His success as a furniture salesman inspired him to begin developing his own products. He just needed to find the right product.

The Product

While conversing with a train engineer, and discovering these folk did not have a durable wearable product he decided to forge one of his own that all railroad employees could wear. Carhartt realized he had to make an outstanding garment with qualities no other product of his day possessed. Therefore, Carhartt started his company in 1899 with the goal of making excellent work clothes unlike any other company of his time. He came up with a denim overall. Traveling from railroad station to railroad station throughout the company he was able to convince these folk to adopt his garment. It soon gained a reputation of comfort and durability. The Carhartt denim overall became famous in railroad yards around the country. Carhartt jeans were born!

The Rise of the Company

Like all other entrepreneurs of his day, Carhartt suffered during the depression of the 1920s. Many of his factories were forced to close. At the end of the depression he survived with only 3 manufacturing plants that still made Carhartt jeans. With the help of his son, and a large promotional campaign, Hamilton Carhartt opened his operations headquarter in Irvine Kentucky. This is still the administrative headquarters for Carhartt jeans today.

The Growth of Carhartt Industries

Carhartt grew immensely in the 1900s with over 16 plants and 3 mills in Europe, Canada and the United Sates. Their motto was “from the mill to millions” and was proven as the company grew. Now along with their Carhartt jeans they have designed sports and work wear for all ages and all professions. From shirts, to pants, to shorts and jackets there is a complete line of clothing for men, women, and children to enjoy. With simple beginnings, as a simple overall for train engineers, Carhartt has developed into an industry known worldwide for its strong, durable, and wearable products. Carhartt clothes are the primary choice for hard working and hard playing men and women. It is their ability to outlast all other jeans on the market, yet still maintain their comfort and classic looks that makes them so popular.