{"id":2810,"date":"2022-10-26T12:35:15","date_gmt":"2022-10-26T18:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/?p=2810"},"modified":"2024-12-20T01:40:59","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T07:40:59","slug":"the-history-of-the-great-western-garment-company-sewing-factory-in-winnipeg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/eternal\/the-history-of-the-great-western-garment-company-sewing-factory-in-winnipeg-2810","title":{"rendered":"The History of the Great Western Garment Company Sewing Factory in Winnipeg"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The first garment production in Winnipeg during the late 19th century served only the local market, with no exports to neighboring countries. This changed after 1900.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When Winnipeg became a major economic hub in Western Canada, its garment industry flourished. By then, the city employed over 160 workers in this sector. Many factories during that period were family-run businesses with small teams producing a variety of garments. More on <a href=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/\">edmonton1.one<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a7cc47976620\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a7cc47976620\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/eternal\/the-history-of-the-great-western-garment-company-sewing-factory-in-winnipeg-2810\/#The_Beginnings_of_Garment_Production_in_Winnipeg\" >The Beginnings of Garment Production in Winnipeg<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/eternal\/the-history-of-the-great-western-garment-company-sewing-factory-in-winnipeg-2810\/#The_Arrival_of_Edmontons_Great_Western_Garment_GWG_Factory_in_Winnipeg\" >The Arrival of Edmonton\u2019s Great Western Garment (GWG) Factory in Winnipeg<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/eternal\/the-history-of-the-great-western-garment-company-sewing-factory-in-winnipeg-2810\/#Workforce_and_Expansion\" >Workforce and Expansion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/eternal\/the-history-of-the-great-western-garment-company-sewing-factory-in-winnipeg-2810\/#Closure_of_the_Factory\" >Closure of the Factory<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Beginnings_of_Garment_Production_in_Winnipeg\"><\/span>The Beginnings of Garment Production in Winnipeg<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"443\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/12\/1-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2814\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/12\/1-6.jpg 800w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/12\/1-6-300x166.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/12\/1-6-768x425.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.edmonton1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/41\/2024\/12\/1-6-696x385.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Garment manufacturers saw significant growth in sales despite global economic instability. Reflecting the conditions of the time, businesses were small-scale and often operated by newly arrived Jewish families. These families set up their operations in downtown Winnipeg, renting inexpensive spaces in vacant warehouses in the Exchange District.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>World War II further increased demand for ready-made clothing and textiles, such as uniforms, tents, and other essential items.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the war, Winnipeg\u2019s garment industry gained global recognition. By the early 1960s, 15 new factories were established in the city. Modernization and expansion positioned Winnipeg as Canada\u2019s leading producer of men\u2019s apparel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite competition from cheap imports, the garment industry continued to thrive. In 1960, Winnipeg\u2019s garment factories employed approximately 6,500 people, making it the city\u2019s second-largest employer of women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Arrival_of_Edmontons_Great_Western_Garment_GWG_Factory_in_Winnipeg\"><\/span>The Arrival of Edmonton\u2019s Great Western Garment (GWG) Factory in Winnipeg<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In response to the thriving garment industry, Edmonton-based company GWG opened a sales office in Winnipeg in the early 1960s, managed by Neil Beaton. By 1964, the office was located on the fifth floor of a downtown shopping center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1965, GWG signed a contract with the Winnipeg Pants Manufacturing Company, a local firm. For years, this company operated in a building on Jarvis Street in Winnipeg\u2019s North End, a neighborhood traditionally home to immigrant families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On March 2, 1967, Great Western Garment (Winnipeg) Limited was officially registered. That same year, GWG acquired Winnipeg Pants from Abraham Rich, who had been its vice-president and general manager. His son retained a portion of the business focused on producing jackets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Workforce_and_Expansion\"><\/span>Workforce and Expansion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1969, a local newspaper announced the arrival of 400 women from the Philippines, recruited by the government to work in Winnipeg\u2019s garment factories due to labor shortages. By 1974, GWG employed over 300 workers, making it the city\u2019s largest garment factory. The factory gained recognition for producing popular branded jeans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1977, the company purchased a large brick-and-concrete factory that previously housed a printing press. The facility was equipped with modern machinery and employed numerous seamstresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Closure_of_the_Factory\"><\/span>Closure of the Factory<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The factory continued operating at the new location until the early 1980s, when local manager Ken Jones declared the facility outdated and unsuitable for expansion. Despite efforts by the community and provincial government to keep the factory running, it was shut down in 1984, leaving 500 workers unemployed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The first garment production in Winnipeg during the late 19th century served only the local market, with no exports to neighboring countries. This changed after 1900. When Winnipeg became a major economic hub in Western Canada, its garment industry flourished. By then, the city employed over 160 workers in this sector. Many factories during that [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":462,"featured_media":2811,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1164],"tags":[2350,2355,2349,2361,2357,2358,2352,2348,2347,2359,2356,2360,2354,2351,2353],"moimportance":[78,81],"motype":[1158],"moformat":[83],"class_list":{"0":"post-2810","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-1960s-garment-factories","9":"tag-branded-jeans-winnipeg","10":"tag-canadian-garment-history","11":"tag-canadian-textile-history","12":"tag-edmonton-based-gwg","13":"tag-exchange-district-factories","14":"tag-garment-workers-winnipeg","15":"tag-great-western-garment-company","16":"tag-gwg-winnipeg-factory","17":"tag-winnipeg-fashion-production","18":"tag-winnipeg-garment-industry","19":"tag-winnipeg-immigrant-labor","20":"tag-winnipeg-pants-manufacturing","21":"tag-winnipeg-sewing-factories","22":"tag-wwii-garment-demand","23":"moimportance-golovna-novina","24":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatori","25":"motype-eternal","26":"moformat-vlasna"},"modified_by":"Viktorij Voitova","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/462"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2810"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2810\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2817,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2810\/revisions\/2817"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2810"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=2810"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=2810"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/edmonton1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=2810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}