With the Calgary Stampede in full swing, we have denim on the brain! Today, we’re taking a closer look at the Great Western Garment Company (GWG), a workwear company founded right here in Alberta in 1911. We were joined in Glenbow’s collections by Tom Heuver, a local vintage seller with a special interest in GWG denim.
GWG was founded in 1911 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford (the first Premier of Alberta) and Charles A. Graham in Edmonton, AB. Active for nearly 100 years, the company manufactured hard-wearing workwear designed for labourers of all sorts, including farmers and tradespersons. It shaped and was shaped by the social, economic, and political conditions in Alberta over time.
Through its reputation as a well-made workwear brand, GWG sought to market to cowboys and ranch workers. In 1929, it launched its Cowboy Kings brand, which was a core product for decades. GWG was a strong supporter of rodeos in Alberta, especially the Calgary Stampede. The company sponsored prizes at rodeos, advertised with rodeo champions, and gave out free clothing samples.
GWG won contracts to supply military uniforms and prisoner of war uniforms during the Second World War, producing up to 25,000 garments per week. Glenbow’s collections include a rare surviving prisoner of war uniform that we believe was likely manufactured by GWG, though it doesn’t include a manufacturer’s mark.
In 1961, GWG was acquired by Levi’s, who closed GWG’s last manufacturing plant in Canada in 2004. GWG garments continue to be prized by vintage denim enthusiasts, like local vintage seller Tom Heuver.
Welcome, Tom! Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.
I own and operate two local vintage stores. We specialize in buying and selling secondhand and vintage clothing, which to us means 20+ years old, but we’ve had items in the store that date as far back as the 1950s! Personally, I’ve been selling vintage for over six years, and one of my favourite finds ever was a 1960s GWG chore jacket. It’s one of the items I really regret selling. We do have vintage GWG come into the store from time to time, but nothing quite as old or as cool as that jacket.
What do you love about vintage denim?
Denim has a cool way of fading with wear, so each piece is unique. Maybe the wearer wore keys on their belt loop so there’s a faded spot on the side, or they worked on their tractor, so the pants have spots of grease and dirt. All these things give personality to the denim and tell you something about the previous owner.
How do you date denim garments? What are some of the things you look for?
Denim has a few components. The first thing I look at is the GWG tag, which can tell me the relative era. The next is what kind of zipper they used, or the buttons or rivets. Finally, I’d check the inside of the leg opening to see if they are selvedge [a type of finished fabric edge that prevents unravelling].
What interests you about GWG denim specifically?
I’m a proud Canadian and I always geek out about Canadian-specific items, like items worn in the ’88 Olympics or old Harley-Davidson tees from Kane’s Motor Cycle Shop. GWG was essentially the Levi’s of Canada, and it’s cool to have a piece of history from somewhere in your backyard.
What are your observations about the GWG garments in Glenbow’s collection?
The pieces I saw were definitely something special. The pants were military issue, and before visiting I had no idea GWG produced pants for the war. The jacket was incredible — something worn by a POW and produced by a Canadian workwear company is extremely historically significant. The large red circle on the back was to signify that the wearer was Japanese, and it felt slightly eerie to hold. I thought the original repairs on the jacket were really neat and added to the character of the garment.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us, Tom!
Super thankful to be a part of this! As an avid vintage clothing enthusiast, I always imagined that the best vintage could be found in museum collections and Glenbow has proven that to be true. Thanks for the tour!
