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Endpoint: Pendleton (Clothing)



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created on: 29/07/2025
by: bob (10153)
 
 

Brand properties

General info :
Pendleton is a brand name used by Pendleton Woolen Mills, Inc., an American textile manufacturing company based in Portland, Oregon, United States, known for its blankets and woolen clothing.

The company began in 1863 when Thomas Lister Kay made a transcontinental trek to the west coast and began working in Oregon's woolen mills. He went on to open his own woolen mill, the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill in Salem, Oregon. Kay was an immigrant from England and a weaver by trade. He had worked in various textile mills on the east coast of the United States. Before opening his own mill in Salem, he helped to set up only the second mill in Oregon at Brownsville.

Kay brought his oldest daughter, Martha Ann "Fannie" Kay, into the business and after learning the operation and management of the mill, she became her father's assistant. In 1876 Fannie married retail merchant C.P. (Charles Pleasant) Bishop. This proved to be a great benefit to Kay's company and to the Bishop enterprises in the combination of manufacturing and retail sales. The Bishops passed their expertise and knowledge to their three sons: Clarence, Roy, and (Robert) Chauncey.

In 1909 the family reopened the defunct Pendleton Woolen Mills. The town of Pendleton, Oregon backed the family in their new business venture and the Bishops’ company also took over the name Pendleton Woolen Mills. The move to eastern Oregon made sense for the business because eastern Oregon was sheep country and having wool producers near the mills allowed the mills to significantly cut production costs. The town of Pendleton is a major railhead for the Columbia River Plateau and allowed convenient shipping for the growing business. Pendleton photographer Walter S. Bowman captured early-twentieth century images of the mill's interior, exterior and its workers.

During World War II, 1941–45, Pendleton Woolen Mills devoted most of its production to blankets and fabric for uniforms and clothing for the US military services.
In 1972 the company again expanded its product line with the introduction of non-wool garments for men and women.
Throughout the company's history its products had been sold in specialty stores and selected department stores, including, C. P. Bishop's original clothing store in Salem. In the 1980s Pendleton entered the retail business with a chain of company-owned and affiliated stores that sold the full line of Pendleton products. The company also began a direct to consumer catalog business and expanded into an ecommerce platform in the 1990s.

As of 2019, the company is privately held and under the management by the fifth generation heirs of Thomas Kay. John Bishop, great-great-grandson of Thomas Kay, is president and CEO. Great-great-grandson Peter Bishop is the Executive VP of Merchandising and Design. The company operates seven facilities and 41 retail stores. Pendleton products are sold in the United States, Canada, Australia, Europe, Japan, and Korea.

The company headquarters are in Portland, Oregon. The original mills in Pendleton, Oregon, and Washougal, Washington, are among the few woolen mills in operation in the United States today, and Pendleton woolen fabrics and blankets are still woven in these Pacific Northwest mills.
Relations :
Brand name used by : Pendleton Woolen Mills, Inc.
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Item number : 70257

Submitted by : bob (10153)
on : 29/07/2025