The Wrangler® brand is an American icon that celebrates the spirit of people who work hard, have fun and recognize courageous individuality. With origins going back to 1904 in Greensboro, North Carolina, Wrangler was born in 1947 with products created for the rigorous demands of cowboys and ranch hands. When denim was adopted as the uniform of the growing youth movement in the 1950s, Wrangler became synonymous with teenage attitude. A denim brand with 75 years of pioneering spirit, Wrangler invented the game-changing broken twill denim. More recently Wrangler has developed multiple innovations under the WeCare umbrella, including Indigood®, sustainable fabrics made with at least 90 percent less water than conventional denim fabric.
HISTORY
1897
20-year old C.C. Hudson leaves Spring HIll Farm in Williamson County, Tennessee, seeking fortune in the emerging textile town of Greensboro, North Carolina. He finds work in an overall factory, sewing on buttons for 25 cents a day.
1904
Hudson's workplace closes. He and a few others buy several of the sewing machines. C.C. Hudson and his brother, Homer, form the Hudson Overall Company, operating from a loft above Coe Brothers Grocery on South Elm Street in Greensboro.
1919
Sales of Hudson overalls are booming. The company moves to larger headquarters and changes its name to Blue Bell Overall Company.
1926
Big Ben Manufacturing of Kentucky purchases Blue Bell. The name of the merged companies remains Blue Bell; headquarters remain in Greensboro.
1936
Blue Bell introduces Super Big Ben Overalls, featuring 100% Sanforized fabric that reduces shrinkage to less than 1%, setting a new standard for the industry.
1943
Blue Bell acquires Casey Jones Company, a manufacturer of work-clothing, and, with it, the rights to Casey Jones' rarely used brand name - Wrangler
1947
Wrangler authentic western jeans, designed by celebrity tailor Rodeo Ben, are introduced to the American consumer. Professional rodeo cowboys Jim Shoulders, Bill Linderman and Freckles Brown wear-test the 13MWZ and endorse the Wrangler name for durability, quality and authenticity.
1948
Jim Shoulders, World Champion Cowboy, signs on as an official endorsee of Wrangler. He goes on to win a total of 16 world championships, including five All-Around, seven Bull Riding and four Bareback Riding World Titles.
1962
Blue Bell opens a plant in Belgium and the Wrangler brand is successfully launched in Europe.
1963
Wrangler begins using sanforized, 14 oz. denim - "the heaviest denim ever made" - in their western jeans.
1974
Wrangler jeans and shirts become the first, and still only, westernwear brand to be officially endorsed by the Pro Rodeo Cowboy Association.
1981
The Wrangler brand became the primary sponsor of professional driver Dale Earnhardt and his legendary blue-and-yellow "Wrangler Jean Machine."
1986
Blue Bell merges with VF Corporation of Pennsylvania, making VF one of the two largest jeans makers in the world.
1992
Wrangler supplies clothing for the cast of "Pure Country" starring George Strait in Wrangler jeans as Dusty Chandler, a super star in the country music world.
1994
Wrangler moves into its new world headquarters on North Elm Street in downtown Greensboro. Twenty X western jeans are introduced.
1996
Wrangler becomes the #1 market share leader in the U.S.; one out of every four males in the U.S. is wearing a Wrangler jean.
1997
The 13MWZ, the official jean of the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association, celebrates its 50th birthday.
2003
Two new brands are added to the Wrangler family: RIGGS WORKWEAR® by Wrangler®, a line of premium work clothes, and Wrangler® ProGear™ hunting apparel for the serious sportsman. The George Strait Cowboy Cut collection is also introduced.
2004
Wrangler® Jeans Company becomes the official jean of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and the No. 8 race team. It’s a new generation of Wrangler. Several new collections are added including: Aura from the Women of Wrangler, Genuine Wrangler, and Wrangler Jeans Co.
2005
Wrangler® partners with the American Quarter Horse Association to develop the Ultimate Riding Jean for women with features tailored to meet the needs of female riders.
2007
Wrangler endorsee James A. "Jim" Shoulders, known as the Babe Ruth of Rodeo, passes away. His passing ends a 58-year partnership with the brand, the longest sports licensing endorsement in the history of professional sports.
2009
Country Music super star Jason Aldean becomes the face of Wrangler Retro®, a fashion Western line for those who rock their style with an attitude.
2013
December 2013, WranglerNetwork.com is born. The website features live rodeo streaming video footage, rodeo scores and stats, and country music videos, including the songwriter series each month. Advanced Comfort jeans debut for men featuring a unique cotton blend designed to move with you.
2015
Wrangler Premium Performance Cool Vantage™ hits store shelves in time for summer. The jean incorporates exclusive technology innovations for performance, comfort, and durability.