Description
Goodall Worsted Company was founded in Sanford, Maine, in 1847. In 1908 they purchased a patent for a washable lightweight mohair-cotton blend fabric developed by William S. Nutter; three years later they began marketing it as Palm Beach cloth. By the mid 1920s, “Palm Beach suit” had become a common way to refer to any light colored suit, although 140 colors and patterns, including darker shades, were available. Until 1931, the fabric was sold to tailors and clothing manufacturers. That year, Goodall Worsted Company opened a second plant in Cincinnati, relocated its company headquarters there, and took over exclusive manufacturer of Palm Beach suits, opening its own stores to sell directly to the public. The company continued operation under Goodall-Sanford in the 1940s, and eventually was purchased by Burlington Mills. Palm Beach cloth was produced and advertised until 1956. The Palm Beach brand name, however, continued to be licensed to a succession of companies, most recently in 2011 by the HMX Group.
Condition: Generally very good with usual and expected overall light wear and toning.
References:
Dinerman. “The Fedora Lounge Guide to Palm Beach Cloth.” Fedora Lounge. 11 May 2013. https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/the-fedora-lounge-guide-to-palm-beach-cloth.72054/ (13 February 2019).
“Suit, 1935-40.” Metropolitan Museum of Art. https://metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/159547 (14 February 2019).