A Stitch in Time: Sweet-Orr Since 1871

Sweet-Orr enjoys a rich, 144-year history of bringing quality protective clothing to the world. Take a journey with us as we highlight our company’s milestones from the sweet years to today…

The Sweet Days

1871 – Founded in Wappingers Falls, New York by Irish immigrant James A. Orr and his nephews, Clayton E. and Clinton W. Sweet.

1880 – The birth of Sweet-Orr’s tug-of-war logo. There are two accounts regarding where the idea behind its imagery comes from. The first, reported in the Newburgh’s history volume, was that a Philadelphia worker had fallen from a roof and was saved when his overalls got caught by a spike, suspending him in mid-aid until rescued. Secondly, according to several first-hand accounts, was that real-life tug o’ war contests were held where Sweet-Orr pants were used in place of a rope. Subsequently, the logo becomes recognised worldwide.

1887 – Head offices move to Newburgh, New York where a larger factory is set up on Mill Street. Burns down in the 1990s. Sweet-Orr quickly becomes a manufacturer of denim overalls and jeans sold countrywide.

A New Start in South Africa

1931 – Sweet-Orr comes to South Africa, servicing the mining industry. After that, It becomes the country’s first clothing manufacturer to triple-stitch lapped seams and to incorporate hemmed pockets and bar-tacked stress points.

Bridging the Workwear Gap: Boys to Men

1932 – Sweet-Orr became the official uniform manufacturer for the Boy Scouts of America. It would hold the contract until 1937.

1959 – Sweet-Orr’s Wappingers Falls plant closes down.

1968 – Newburgh factory closes down and becomes an historical landmark.

The 1980s – Sweet-Orr becomes more of a regional denim fashion brand for upstate New York teens with coloured jeans, worker-stripe chinos, and painter’s pants becoming trendy items.

Restoring the Sweet Glory

2006 – Sweet-Orr celebrates 75th anniversary in South Africa.

Sweet-Orr – A Stitch in Time 1871 75th Anniversary – newspaper clipping

2009 – Sweet-Orr buys out its equity partner African Merchant Bank’s 44,5% share in the company, giving it the biggest market share in South Africa.

2016 – Sweet-Orr is one of South Africa’s oldest and biggest protective workwear manufacturers in the country, servicing the petrochemical, mining, engineering, hospitality, aviation, combat, automotive, and medical industries.