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A little Canadiana: Great Western Garment Co.

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anonymous

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    Posted: 04 Feb 2017 at 8:05am
Somewhat obscure, I know, but I'm betting there might be some Canadians of a certain vintage who can remember when GWG "scrubbies" were the business on your butt. 

Swallowed up by Levi Strauss and long gone from its Edmonton, Alberta headquarters, the Great Western Garment Co. nevertheless made some important contributions to denim and labour history.

The Royal Alberta Museum provides a nice little history and collector's resource here: http://www.royalalbertamuseum.ca/exhibits/online/gwg/en/history/edmonton.html




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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Joseph Hill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2017 at 9:29am
At Inspiration a couple of years ago, there was a large display of GWG pieces.  I hadn't heard of them previously. 
My coat has nine buttons, but I always fascinate.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HP Sauce Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Feb 2017 at 9:44am
Neat.  They really were a uniform for a generation of kids, apparently including The Great One (Gretsky), because Levis were just not as freely available to the average Canadian.  I also think GWGs satisfied the "cool" factor that kids looked for back then. 
 
Funny how a single pair would retain its cachet from one school term to the next.  Being "fashion" in the sixties and seventies was still a competitive sport but much less of a budget-breaker. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mr Black Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 Feb 2017 at 2:22am
I have an old 60's (?) gwg jacket in the attic somewhere that I picked up in the early 90's. Very much like a lee rider in fit.

For some reason I decided to unpick the front label. Must dig it out.
www.sidewinderapparel.co.uk
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote aho Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 Feb 2017 at 5:07pm
^on my desk at work sitting in a plastic Target bag, is a pair of 1930's women's GWG's with exposed back pocket rivets, covered in mud, and probably a fair amount of 70 year old manure. I'm in between housing so i haven't had a chance to give them a hardcore washing treatment, but once I do I'll post them here lol
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HP Sauce Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 14 Feb 2017 at 3:05pm
Hurray! 

Aho and Mr. Black, you are both now my idols...  I am particularly excited by your find, Aho.  I'll bet those jeans have an amazing backstory.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote SethATW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr 2019 at 5:58pm
A friend of mines grandmother was a floor manager at the GWG factory and few years ago gave me a really great book about the whole history and post Levis buy out of the brand/operation.

https://www.amazon.com/GWG-Piece-Catherine-C-Cole/dp/0864926413
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