Bonds (company)
Encyclopedia
Bonds Industries Pty Ltd is an Australia
n manufacturer and importer of men's, women's and children's underwear and clothing, and a subsidiary of Pacific Brands Holdings Pty Ltd
. It is a popular mid-range brand within Australia and the United Kingdom. Its trademark Chesty Bond
is recognised by many Australians as a popular national icon.
by Mr George Allan Bond, an American who came to Australia in the early twentieth century. He started importing women's hosiery and gloves. In 1917
he began manufacturing hosiery in Redfern, Sydney
. From 1918
he moved to Camperdown
and began also making underwear. In 1932
, Bond built Australia’s first cotton spinning mill
at Wentworthville in western Sydney
. This particular section of Wentworthville was soon re-named Pendle Hill in honour of Mr. Bond's Scottish family origins. For this purpose and facilitating easy access to Bond's Spinning Mills for employees, a railway station was created. In fact a whole new suburb was created.
The company went into liquidation in 1929
and a public company, Bonds Industries Limited, was established. In 1970 the company merged with Coats Paton Pty Ltd. In 1987 the company was taken over by Pacific Dunlop
. In 2001 the company was sold to form a separate entity, ‘Pacific Brands Holdings Pty Ltd’. At that time also the spinning mill was closed. In 2004 Pacific Brands
Limited was listed as a public company on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) and New Zealand Stock Market (NZX).
In 2006, Bonds manufactures 40% of its goods in Australia at three sites in New South Wales: Cessnock
, Unanderra
and Wentworthville
. The factories produce nearly 17 million garments a year and employ 295 full time staff. The company also has relationships with a number of independent manufacturers in China.
Pacific Brands will cut 1850 jobs and cease manufacturing in Australia by September 2010 in order to reduce manufacturing costs.
singlet, marketed alongside the iconic character of the same name. Apart from singlets, Bonds also markets a variety of underwear and sleepwear garments including boxers, briefs and trunk styles of underwear for men, along with light tees and polo shirts. The product line for women is more extensive, offering sports and maternity wear alongside casual clothing, and a variety of undergarments including bras and hipsters. There is also a range of apparel for children and infants, including singlets, underwear and sleepwear. Pat Rafter appears in numerous Bonds television ads, and represents some products.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n manufacturer and importer of men's, women's and children's underwear and clothing, and a subsidiary of Pacific Brands Holdings Pty Ltd
Pacific Brands
Pacific Brands is a major Australian company marketing Berlei, Bonds, Clarks , Dunlop, Everlast, Grosby, Holeproof, Hush Puppies, King Gee, Malvern Star, Sheridan, Slazenger, Sleepmaker and Tontine . It once held the Asian Pacific licence for British Knights footwear. It was formed as a division of...
. It is a popular mid-range brand within Australia and the United Kingdom. Its trademark Chesty Bond
Chesty Bond
Chesty Bond is a long-lived fictional cartoon character and trademark for the Australian clothing company Bonds. Originally created in 1938 as part of a merchandising campaign to sell men's underwear , Chesty Bond is recognised by many Australians as a popular national icon.By 1940, a Chesty Bond...
is recognised by many Australians as a popular national icon.
History
Bonds was established in 19151915 in Australia
See also:1914 in Australia,other events of 1915,1916 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.-Incumbents:*Monarch – King George V*Governor-General – The Right Hon...
by Mr George Allan Bond, an American who came to Australia in the early twentieth century. He started importing women's hosiery and gloves. In 1917
1917 in Australia
See also:1916 in Australia,other events of 1917,1918 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history."As of 1917 Australia's population was still only 5 million, with most people living in scattered rural areas. The sea voyage to Britain took two months, and land transport within Australia...
he began manufacturing hosiery in Redfern, Sydney
Redfern, New South Wales
Redfern is an inner-city suburb of Sydney. Redfern is 3 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney...
. From 1918
1918 in Australia
See also:1917 in Australia,other events of 1918,1919 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.1918 in Australia was dominated by national participation in World War I...
he moved to Camperdown
Camperdown, New South Wales
Camperdown is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Camperdown is located 4 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Inner West region...
and began also making underwear. In 1932
1932 in Australia
See also:1931 in Australia,other events of 1932,1933 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.-Incumbents:*Monarch – King George V*Governor-General – Sir Isaac Isaacs*Prime Minister – James Scullin , then Joseph Lyons...
, Bond built Australia’s first cotton spinning mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
at Wentworthville in western Sydney
Wentworthville, New South Wales
Wentworthville is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wentworthville is located 27 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region. Wentworthville is split between the local government areas of the City of...
. This particular section of Wentworthville was soon re-named Pendle Hill in honour of Mr. Bond's Scottish family origins. For this purpose and facilitating easy access to Bond's Spinning Mills for employees, a railway station was created. In fact a whole new suburb was created.
The company went into liquidation in 1929
1929 in Australia
See also:1928 in Australia,other events of 1929,1930 in Australia and theTimeline of Australian history.-Incumbents:*Monarch – King George V*Governor-General – John Baird, Baronet of Stonehaven...
and a public company, Bonds Industries Limited, was established. In 1970 the company merged with Coats Paton Pty Ltd. In 1987 the company was taken over by Pacific Dunlop
Ansell
-Other:*Ansell's Shrew*Ansell's Mole Rat - rodent*Ansell's Epauletted Fruit Bat - megabat*Ansell Limited - medical gloves and condom manufacturer...
. In 2001 the company was sold to form a separate entity, ‘Pacific Brands Holdings Pty Ltd’. At that time also the spinning mill was closed. In 2004 Pacific Brands
Pacific Brands
Pacific Brands is a major Australian company marketing Berlei, Bonds, Clarks , Dunlop, Everlast, Grosby, Holeproof, Hush Puppies, King Gee, Malvern Star, Sheridan, Slazenger, Sleepmaker and Tontine . It once held the Asian Pacific licence for British Knights footwear. It was formed as a division of...
Limited was listed as a public company on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) and New Zealand Stock Market (NZX).
In 2006, Bonds manufactures 40% of its goods in Australia at three sites in New South Wales: Cessnock
Cessnock, New South Wales
Cessnock is a city in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about by road west of Newcastle. It is the administrative centre of the Cessnock City Council LGA and was named after an 1826 grant of land called Cessnock Estate, which was owned by John Campbell...
, Unanderra
Unanderra, New South Wales
Unanderra is a suburb of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 10 km south-west of the Wollongong CBD. It is bordered to the west by Farmborough, Cordeaux Heights and Farmborough Heights in the Mount Kembla foothills, the north by Figtree, the east by Berkeley...
and Wentworthville
Wentworthville, New South Wales
Wentworthville is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Wentworthville is located 27 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Greater Western Sydney region. Wentworthville is split between the local government areas of the City of...
. The factories produce nearly 17 million garments a year and employ 295 full time staff. The company also has relationships with a number of independent manufacturers in China.
Pacific Brands will cut 1850 jobs and cease manufacturing in Australia by September 2010 in order to reduce manufacturing costs.
Products
The most well known of Bonds brands is the Chesty BondChesty Bond
Chesty Bond is a long-lived fictional cartoon character and trademark for the Australian clothing company Bonds. Originally created in 1938 as part of a merchandising campaign to sell men's underwear , Chesty Bond is recognised by many Australians as a popular national icon.By 1940, a Chesty Bond...
singlet, marketed alongside the iconic character of the same name. Apart from singlets, Bonds also markets a variety of underwear and sleepwear garments including boxers, briefs and trunk styles of underwear for men, along with light tees and polo shirts. The product line for women is more extensive, offering sports and maternity wear alongside casual clothing, and a variety of undergarments including bras and hipsters. There is also a range of apparel for children and infants, including singlets, underwear and sleepwear. Pat Rafter appears in numerous Bonds television ads, and represents some products.