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  • The firat half of the nineteenth century witnessed the graduaI integration of Montreal garment production into the developing exchange economy, which resulted in the dismantling of the traditional artisanal organization of production and ushered in production for both retail and wholesale distribution,so that by 1860 a fledgling ready-made garment industry existed in the city. Between 1871 and 1901, the garment industry was the largest employer in the city, and one of the most important industries in terms of the of the value of' its production. Furthermore, Montreal held the position of Canadian garment capital throughout our period. Focussed primarily on the manufacture of men's wear, the garment industry in Montreal was heavily dominated by the largest wholesale manufacturers, who specialized in the production of low-priced, cheap quality garments which were aimed essentially at the rural labouring population and at shantymen of every province. The success of the city's ready-made garment producers can be explained both by tremendous expansion of the market for their goods, which occured in the second half of the nineteenth century, and by their ability to exploit a vast reserve of of essentially rural, semi-skilled labour. This situation of labour abundance made possible the organization of labour known as contracting or putting out, which remained the dominant mode of organization well into the twentieth century, and created dismal working conditions of long hours at extremely low wages for which the industry will always be remembered.

Last update from database: 9/10/25, 4:10 AM (UTC)

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