Universal Overall began in Chicago in 1924 with a simple purpose: make clothing that could hold up to real work.
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About Universal Overall
Over the years, Universal Overall found its way onto factory floors, farms, construction yards, workshops, and job sites across the country. We earned our reputation the old-fashioned way: by making pants, shirts, and overalls that people could count on.
By the late 1970s, we had moved away from traditional workwear and became focused primarily on uniforms for factories, facilities, service industries, and more. The work continued, but the visibility changed. For decades, Universal Overall was something you were more likely to find in a uniform catalog than on a store shelf.
About fifteen years ago, a Japanese collector of vintage American workwear
came across old Universal Overall garments and was fascinated by them. He appreciated the clean, utilitarian designs and how well the original pieces had held up over time.
After tracking down the family behind Universal Overall and earning their support, he gained access to the archives and began recreating many of the classic pieces that first caught his attention.
What began as a small project continued to grow, and Universal Overall became larger in Japan than it ever was in the United States. And now, we've brought Universal Overall home.
Today, we spend time with ranchers, farmers, builders, horsemen, winemakers, artists, makers, and others who depend on their clothing every day. People who know what works, what lasts, and what gets in the way.
We make durable, useful clothing and leave out anything that doesn't need to be there.
A hundred years later, we're still showing up to do the work.
