FRUIT OF THE LOOM :

FRUIT OF THE LOOM WAS BORN IN 1851 WHEN BROTHERS BENJAMIN AND ROBERT KNIGHT BOUGHT THEIR FIRST FACTORY AND BEGAN PRODUCING COTTON FABRICS AND TEXTILES IN WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND. FRUIT OF THE LOOM WAS REGISTERED AS AN OFFICIAL TRADEMARK IN 1871, MAKING IT ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST HISTORIC BRANDS !

TODAY, FRUIT OF THE LOOM IS A GLOBAL BRAND THAT PROVIDES COLORFUL T-SHIRTS, FLEECES, UNDERWEAR, AND APPAREL TO CONSUMERS OF ALL AGES. TRUE TO ITS ROOTS AND HERITAGE, FRUIT OF THE LOOM OFFERS QUALITY CLOTHING WITH AUTHENTIC VALUES AND STYLE.

FRUIT OF THE LOOM IS PART OF THE BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY GROUP LED BY AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN WARREN BUFFET. LISTED ON THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY IS AN INVESTMENT COMPANY AND CONGLOMERATE OF COMPANIES WITH VERY DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES: INSURANCE AND FINANCE, AGRI-FOOD, TEXTILES, MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION, MEDIA, LOGISTICS, LUXURY, ETC.

GILDAN :

GLENN AND GREG CHAMANDY FOUNDED GILDAN IN 1984 BY ACQUIRING A KNITTING MILL IN MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, TO MANUFACTURE FABRICS FOR HARLEY INC., THE CHILDREN'S CLOTHING COMPANY ALREADY OWNED BY THE FAMILY. THE COMPANY THEN EXPANDED TO SELL 100% COTTON T-SHIRTS TO WHOLESALERS, WHO RESOLD THEM TO AMERICAN AND CANADIAN SCREEN PRINTERS, WHERE THEY WERE DECORATED WITH DESIGNS AND LOGOS.

IN 1997, GILDAN OPENED ITS FIRST FOREIGN MANUFACTURING PLANT IN HONDURAS. THE VERTICALLY INTEGRATED PLANT EMPLOYED 1,200 PEOPLE. A YEAR LATER, THE COMPANY COMPLETED ITS INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING AND WAS LISTED ON THE TORONTO AND NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGES.

SINCE 2001, GILDAN HAS BEEN THE LEADING DISTRIBUTOR OF 100% COTTON T-SHIRTS IN THE UNITED STATES.