Figure 1.--Here we see the famous “Jockey” brand name. Most boys’ cotton briefs were referred to as “Jockey” style underwear, even if the manufacturer was not Cooper’s. Jockey is one of the best known moderm manufactuers of underwear in the United States.. |
One of the best known brands of underwear in the United States is Jockey. Jockey International continues to be a privately held company, headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The company employs over 5,000 people around the world. Jockey International, Inc. was founded in 1876 by Samuel T. Cooper, a retired minister who wanted to help lumberjacks suffering from blisters and infections caused by their shoddy wool socks. Consumers learned they could trust him, and his tiny hosiery business grew and then expanded into underwear. Brief underpants are called jockey shorts. Even though the company was created in 1876, we do not note Jockey ads in the early 20th century. Jockey had a major impact on boys and mens underwear. The company began making its innovative briefs in 1930. They inroduced their trademark Y-vent briefs in 1934. This was a great improivement on earlier styles. For the first time a convenient diagonal vent was introduced for boxers and briefs. Jocket continues to be a major U.S. manufacturer of underwear.
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