Vintage Identification: Tultex

History of Tultex

Tultex, a textile and apparel company, has a storied history that dates back several decades. Founded in the early 20th century, Tultex has evolved from its humble beginnings into a significant player in the apparel industry. The company's history is marked by innovation, growth, and adapting to changing market trends.

Tultex was founded in 1935 in Martinsville, Virginia, USA. The company's name is derived from its location, as Martinsville is situated in a region known for its textile industry. In its initial years, Tultex focused on producing basic textile products such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, and other knitwear items. These foundational products laid the groundwork for the company's future endeavors. 

As the textile industry evolved over the decades, so did Tultex. The company expanded its product range to include a wider variety of apparel, catering to different market segments. This diversification helped Tultex establish itself as a versatile and adaptable brand, capable of meeting changing consumer demands.

Over time, Tultex expanded its operations beyond its initial location. The company established manufacturing facilities in different parts of the world, taking advantage of global sourcing and distribution networks. This expansion helped Tultex reach a wider audience and cater to the needs of customers on a global scale.

As of today, Tultex remains a well-known name in the textile and apparel industry, but are certainly not as known as they used to be, when compared to other 'blank' brands.

How to identify vintage Tultex

Tultex has one of the most identifiable tags in the vintage market, most prevalent in their vintage sweatshirts. The good news is, most of them can be tracked down to a specific year range starting from the mid 1980s. Each of the grouped years have their own unique tag, that separates them from one another. Today, we will look into what year these tags belong in and the key differences between them. Another edition of vintage identification: Tultex.

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The Mid to Late 80s Tags

The 1989 to Early 90s Tags

Era: 1989 to Early 90s

Info:

- Late 80s, tags became thick, cotton material with boxed in blue 'Tultex'

- Still made in U.S.A

- Variations to the tags including 'superweight, cotton, maxium sweats'

- Later years listed care information on separate tag behind main tag

- First 3 tags are dated about 1989 to 1992, last 2 are dated from about 1990 to 1992

The 1992 to 1994 Tags

Era: 1992 to 1994

Info:

- More squared tag, introduction of new Tultex logo

- Mostly still made in U.S.A

- Still variations to the tags including 'cotton, superweight, maxium sweats'

- Featured black block with lettering inside

The 1994 to 2000s Tags

Era: 1994 to 2000s

Info:

- More so the same tag as previous years, slightly changed

- Mostly still made in U.S.A (until 00s begins)

- Still variations to the tags including 'cotton, superweight, maxium sweats'

- Black block no longer takes up most of tag (smaller with variation inside)

- Tags began to include more information (manufacture, made of, sizing, care instructions)

Overview