This column all began once I ran throughout an article from Jan. 10, 1919 that defined that Binghamton firefighters had knit 1,019 pair of socks for United States troopers.
Knitting machines had been placed at a number of fireplace stations and the boys used the machines to knit these socks. Volunteers on the Red Cross underneath the route of Mrs. Rena Spaulding in Binghamton completed hand stitching, closed the toes of these socks.
This was an effort that had begun in 1918 throughout World War I. While on the lookout for extra articles about this knitting effort, I ran throughout a March 22, 1919 article the place the native Red Cross was asking for helpful clothes, together with knit items, for items of clothes being gathered nationally to help the refugees of World War I getting into the nation.
I assumed, maybe, there have been extra articles just like this, or pictures that may very well be used to reinforce the column. The results of this analysis was one thing altogether completely different, however associated.
My analysis pulled up an article concerning the Binghamton Knitting Company. It was not simply an commercial, however a May 1950 article concerning the agency being the primary firm within the nation to make mass produced sweaters for dogs.
Yes, I stated dogs. Of course, the corporate produced sweaters and different knitwear for all family members. Dogs, as most homeowners will let you know, are additionally members of that household.
The homeowners of the Binghamton Company felt that they need to additionally produced sweaters for our furry mates. The agency had opened in 1927 when F. W. Hardler took over a knitting plant on Wall Street in Binghamton.
The agency operated on the third ground of that building, and commenced the manufacture of canine sweaters about that very same time. These small wool sweaters to maintain the canine set heat in colder months had been solely part of the agency’s merchandise.
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By 1950, the Binghamton Knitting Company was producing 120,000 sweaters annually. The agency was simply then starting the transfer into artificial fibers, as nylon and different kinds of non-wool materials.
The firm had made sweaters with zippers till the necessity for that materials throughout World War II lessened demand. Rather, then, buttons had been the objects on all of their sweaters presently. Specialty sweaters used to offer out for college sport occasions, was one other in style merchandise from the agency.
A number of years later, the corporate moved from Wall Street to 11 Alice St. on the east aspect of the town. It took over the previous Cream Dove Manufacturing plant.
There the corporate continued to make its huge assortment of sweaters. The firm additionally operated an outlet retailer on the positioning of the manufacturing facility. In truth, I used to be the receiver of a few of these sweaters from that outlet retailer due to the generosity of my mother and father.
An commercial within the newspaper from 1995 reveals that they proceed to fabricate and promote their well-known canine sweaters. I may also recall that the journey to the outlet retailer not solely included the canine sweaters — made for winter climate, however included what may solely be described as somewhat garish Christmas sweaters.
Perhaps, they had been competing for a type of seasonal sweater awards. No matter what, although, these had been well-made sweaters — primarily of wool. My sweaters lasted for a lot of, many years, and solely left my possession when my physique form not allowed it to suit comfortably.
If you suppose I’m going to let you know that is a type of bygone companies, as I typically do, you’d be flawed. A fast test of Facebook, webpages and different objects, reveals that the Binghamton Knitting Company, additionally going by Commercial Knitting Company, continues to make specialty knitwear, and was nonetheless operated by members of the unique household.
You can order your crew sweater or different comparable objects, and have it made domestically in Binghamton. They are nonetheless on the 11 Alice St. manufacturing facility, though the outlet retailer has closed. My concern is that the final updates to their websites had been all made in 2021, and I hope it has not grow to be one other casualty of the pandemic.
Who, then, will make these neat sweaters for our doggy mates?
