Union Labels

[thunderw21]

I just saw a suit today that was dated May 15, 1967 and it had a tag with red numbering, much like the ones Feraud posted above.

 

[Feraud]

A fix for all you Union Label junkies.
NRA label from a tuxedo.

 

[Lucky Strike]

From vintagefashionguild.com :

The NRA (National Recovery Act) Blue Eagle label was used in the USA only from 1933-35. This label, noting compliance with the Manufacturing Codes, was used inside garments and dates them specifically to those years.The NRA was delcared unconstitutional in 1935.

The US National Labor Relations Act was passed in 1935. So these labels will be seen after that date.

The ILGWU (International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union) was formed in 1900. It joined the CIO (Congress of Industrial Organizations) in briefly in 1937. Rejoined the AFL ( American Federation of Labor) in 1940. AFL-CIO merged in 1955. In 1995 ILGWU reformed as UNITE. Union labels will reflect these name and date changes.

Does this sum it up correctly?

 

[Vintage Betty]

Visual Resource: New York State Union Label Guide

New York State Archives

and this article too:

University of California librarian calls for union labels to increase worker visibility

Vintage Betty

 

[Dagwood]

Thanks for posting this Vintage Betty!! It is a valuable resource.

You may want to cross-post this in the Suit section under the sticky called "Union Label."

Thanks again!!

 

[Vintage Betty]

Visual Resource: New York State Union Label Guide

New York State Archives

and this article too:

University of California librarian calls for union labels to increase worker visibility

Shoot , if I had known you guys were posting labels I would have been scanning them in for you. Let me see what I can do. Are you only interested in suit labels or ANY Union Labels?

Vintage Betty

 

[Vintage Betty]

Done and thanks. Posted with a question in the suit thread.

Vintage Betty

 

[cherrypicker]

This thread is awesome.Yet another area of detail for me to start obsessing over.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Shoot , if I had known you guys were posting labels I would have been scanning them in for you. Let me see what I can do. Are you only interested in suit labels or ANY Union Labels?

Vintage Betty

Hi Betty,

Though the thread was initially started and the thoughts that have gone into it are about men's suit labels, I would love to see whatever you've got. I know some of the Baronesses jackets, suits etc. have very interesting union labels. It would be a great help to the ladies in dating some of their finds if you could post what you know, with examples. (I understand, however, that ladies union label dating is even murkier than the men's.)

bk

 

[Vintage Betty]

Hi Betty,

Though the thread was initially started and the thoughts that have gone into it are about men's suit labels, I would love to see whatever you've got. I know some of the Baronesses jackets, suits etc. have very interesting union labels. It would be a great help to the ladies in dating some of their finds if you could post what you know, with examples. (I understand, however, that ladies union label dating is even murkier than the men's.)

bk

Thank you Mr. Kurtz. This is a good time for you to have posted that reply, because I am furtively trying to clean my closet of items. Let me put a post together as I'm going through items and can snap pics and cross reference the labels by era. Expect a detailed post in a month or two with extensive pictures.

Vintage Betty

 

[Justdog]

http://www.steelzipper.com/ACWA.html

Pretty informative on Union Labels

 

[Dinerman]

NRA tag. Interestingly, it's very different then Feraud's, with the text "Member" and "we do our part"

 

[herringbonekid]

it seems the UGWA Duck Goods label is pretty hard to date, but here is one from a pair of work trousers of the 30s, probably early to mid....

if anyone knows any accurate ways of dating these UGWA labels, please share !

thanks to ikwewe for info gleaned so far (see previous page).

 

[Baron Kurtz]

http://www.steelzipper.com/ACWA.html

Pretty informative on Union Labels

If the writer knows his stuff, that's great. (I think he does!)

bk

 

[Baron Kurtz]

it seems the UGWA Duck Goods label is pretty hard to date, but here is one from a pair of work trousers of the 30s, probably early to mid....

if anyone knows any accurate ways of dating these UGWA labels, please share !

thanks to ikwewe for info gleaned so far (see previous page).

Hi hbk,

I've got a pair of early 50s trousers with this label. but i've also seen the exact same label used in 1970s women's jeans. [huh]

bk

 

[Dagwood]

Here are 2 union label ads from 1912:

 

[tonyb]

I may have gotten lucky this afternoon.

At my favorite charity thrift shop I bought a jacket carrying in its left inside breast pocket the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America label y'all identify as the one used from '49-'68. This one has the red numbers.

According to another tag, the jacket is 100 percent cashmere. I have no reason to doubt that. ("Cashmere" is written in that "oriental" style of font that once graced the menus at Chinese restaurants from Duluth to Duck Waddle Flats.) The store label on the right inside breast pocket identifies the retailer as Eagleson's California. They were around since 1867, according to the label.

I'd post pics but Photobucket and I ain't getting along today. (I tried, without success, to post some hat photos.) But I'm quite pleased with my purchase. The sport jacket is a three-button job with narrowish (two and three-eighths of an inch at their widest point) lapels. The garment is in splendid condition (I've yet to find even the slightest sign of wear) and, with the exception of sleeves just slightly on the long side, it fits me quite well.

Set me back five bucks. It was marked at 10, but all men's attire is half price today. Lord, but I love that little shop.

Anyone ever heard of Eagleson's?

EDIT: Now that I read that steelzipper info, I'm now believing that the tag is the one used from '49-'62 (no circled "R"). Cool. Woo hoo. Et cetera.

 

[Vintage Betty]

1960's Woman's Suit - Union Label

1960's Woman's Suit - Union Label

 

[mike]

Would there be a union label(s) dating from before the National Recovery Act era?

Please correct me if I'm wrong (and pardon me if this is d.u.m.b.) but a union tag would be present on an off the rack suit reflecting the specific workers that constructed the mass produced suit, correct?

Or is the union tag connected not to creation of the fabric rather than the creation of the finished item?

And a made to measure suit would (usually) have a hand written tag stating whom the item was made for along with the date it was finished and the tailor.

So if a suit with both the tailor's tag and a union tag would therefore mean that the union tag relates to the creation of the bolt of fabric?

What if a suit has neither tag? Is there a reasonable chance the suit was created at home by a non-professional!?

I might have a few more first grade level questions, but I'll hold off for the moment.

 

[J. Baxter]

it seems the UGWA Duck Goods label is pretty hard to date, but here is one from a pair of work trousers of the 30s, probably early to mid....

I've seen items from the late 20s early 30s with this kind of label. I think your dating is near accurate.