Bonds (clothing)

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Bonds Industries Pty Ltd
Type	Public
Founded	1915 by George Alan Bond
Headquarters	Wentworthville, New South Wales, Australia
Key people	Kate Hann (General Manager)
Industry	Clothing
Products	Underwear Sleepwear Light casual apparel
Website	www.bonds.com.au

Bonds Industries Pty Ltd is an Australian 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.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] History

Bonds was established in 1915 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.^[1]

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).^[1]

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.^[2] The company also has relationships with a number of independent manufacturers in China.

[edit] Products

The most well known of Bonds brands is the 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.