More than an apparel brand
We set ourselves apart from the industry, by taking great pride in manufacturing our own clothes from start to finish. Through all these years, we’ve demonstrated that while our products matter, how we make them matters even more. From caring for our workers’ safety, wellness, and livelihood to supporting meaningful community initiatives, and championing innovative environmental initiatives within our operations and beyond, we make apparel with respect.
40 moments in Gildan history
From our modest beginnings as a Canadian textile company to becoming a global leader with operations across 12 countries, 30 facilities worldwide, five brands, and roughly 45,000 employees. Explore the 40 moments that have propelled our evolution and shaped our present day success.
Year Period
1984
Gildan Textiles Inc. is founded following the acquisition of a knitting mill. The name "Gildan" originates from the combination of two salesmen working for the company at the time.
1987
Gildan expands with a dyeing facility, effectively controlling all aspects of its manufacturing process except for yarn-spinning.
1992
Gildan begins making t-shirts under the Gildan® brand.
1993
Gildan enters Canadian and U.S. Printwear markers through its first large wholesalers.
1997
Gildan opens its first sewing plant in Honduras.
1998
Gildan goes public on the Toronto Stock Exchange and on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX).
Gildan opens its office in Barbados.
1999
Gildan transfers its U.S. listing from AMEX to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
2000
Gildan enters the European market.
2001
Gildan® becomes the number one brand of 100% cotton t-shirts in the U.S. printwear industry.
2002
Gildan opens its first large-scale distribution centre in North Carolina.
Gildan's first vertically integrated textile facility starts operations in Honduras.
Gildan launches its proprietary Biotop system, a natural wastewater treatment method.
2004
Gildan opens its first sewing facility in Nicaragua.
Gildan enters the Australian market.
Gildan opens a new fully integrated textile facility in the Dominican Republic.
2005
Gildan publishes its first-ever ESG report for the 2004 fiscal year.
2006
Gildan integrates FLA and WRAP labour best practices into its social program.
2007
Gildan continues expanding in Honduras across fleece and socks.
Gildan’s social compliance program is accredited by the Fair Labor Association.
Gildan launches its biomass steam generation facility in the Dominican Republic.
2008
Gildan places first in the annual Globe and Mail Corporate Governance rankings of all Canadian public companies.
2009
Gildan acquires a distribution centre and office building in South Carolina to support retail operations.
2010
Gildan acquires an integrated textile facility in Bangladesh, followed by a significant investment to bring the building up to structural and fire safety standards.
2011
Gildan acquires GOLDTOE®, one of the largest branded sock suppliers in the U.S. retail market.
2012
Gildan announces large investments in yarn-spinning in the United States.
2013
Gildan is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the first time, and since then, has been included for 11 consecutive years.
2015
Gildan acquires Comfort Colors®, a vintage garment dye brand.
2016
Gildan acquires Peds®, a leading sock brand.
2017
Gildan acquires American Apparel®, an iconic global brand of apparel.
Gildan purchases a distributor in Australia to support servicing and availability in international markets.
2018
Gildan signs the AAFA/FLA Apparel and Footwear industry commitment for responsible recruitment.
2019
Gildan purchases a yarn-spinning facility in North Carolina, and announces large modernization and investments efforts.
2020
Gildan announces land purchase in Bangladesh as part of a major expansion initiative to support international growth.
Gildan is named one of the world’s most sustainably managed companies by The Wall Street Journal.
Gildan navigates through the COVID-19 pandemic despite a global downturn, taking care of its people and pivoting to manufacture PPE.
2021
Gildan acquires Frontier Yarns and expands yarn-spinning footprint in the United States.
2022
Gildan unveils the Next Generation ESG strategy and 2030 targets to take its sustainability performance to the next step.
Gildan launches its new business strategy, Gildan Sustainable Growth, centered on three pillars: capacity expansion, innovation, and ESG.
2023
Gildan enters the Indian and Vietnamese markets.
2024
Gildan celebrates its 40th anniversary
A bright future ahead
While we stand here today as a global apparel company with an impressive legacy, Gildan’s vision has never been more relevant and filled with potential. The scale, success, and innate strengths of our organization mean that we have the opportunity to take on the mantle of leadership and set new standards, not just for us but for our industry as well.