Stanfield's

About Us The Beginning of Stanfield's Charles E. Stanfield had no idea when he immigrated to Canada in 1855 that he would found the firm that would become recognized as Canada's leading manufacturer of men's underwear.

In the beginning, Charles, along with his brother-in-law, Samuel E. Dawson, founded the Tryon Woolen Mills in Tryon, P. E. I. in 1856. Ten years later he sold his interests to Samuel and moved to Nova Scotia.

In 1870 he founded the Truro Woolen Mills, which at that time was located on Brunswick Street. It was believed to be the first factory of its kind in Canada. Tryon Woolen Mills, Tryon, Prince Edward Island - 1856 During this period, Charles was constantly looking to expand the operation.

He purchased other mills around eastern Canada, including the Carding Mill in St. Croix, NS (1872) which he renamed the Ste. Croix Wool Factory. After a few years, Charles and family sold the Ste. Croix mill to Alxander Dunbar and returned to Truro to focus there.

This marked the official renaming to the Stanfield Mill. As the company grew, the factory was relocated from Brunswick Street to its current location on the south bank of the Salmon River (Logan Street) in 1882.

These important events would be crucial to setting the company up for success in the coming decades and century. Stanfield’s annual stag picnic. August 17, 1935 Building A Brand Charles was a creative genius.

He maintained a workshop in a barn behind his house where he spent the majority of his time creating new equipment and products. He developed and manufactured the first cardigan jackets and stockinettes in Canada.

He introduced Canadians to heavy rib underwear and the famous “Drop Seat. ” He also manufactured sweater cloth and knitting yarn. In 1896, Charles sold his business to his two sons, John and Frank Stanfield who had their own vision for the company’s future.

They believed the way to build a reputation was to build a stable product line in one specific field, despite their father’s adv...