Report: Brooks Brothers Closing Its US Factories This Summer

Frustrating news from the menswear company

Brooks Brothers
Worrying news from a menswear giant.
Billie Grace Ward/Creative Commons

What happens when an iconic American clothing designer ends its days of manufacturing in the US? We’ll learn that later this year, as it turns out. Earlier this week, Ivy Style reported that Brooks Brothers is set to shutter its three factories based in the US by summer’s end.

Christian Chensvold, writing at Ivy Style, has the details:

… an anonymous source has revealed that the company will close its other two American factories, the Southwick tailored clothing factory in Haverhill, MA, and the New York City necktie factory located in Long Island City in the borough of Queens.

Earlier this month, Brooks Brothers announced the closing of their factory in Garland, North Carolina — a decision which will leave 146 people unemployed and serve as a blow to the local economy.

Even more stand to lose their jobs with the closure of the Southwick factory. Boston Business Journal first reported on the news, which will affect over 400 people currently working there. According to Ivy Style’s source, negotiations are ongoing with unions representing workers in Massachusetts and New York.”The plan is to close them all at this point unless something drastic happens,” the source said.

The clothing line’s American facilities were in the news earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic, as all three were repurposed towards making much-needed medical gear for first responders. At the time, Brooks Brothers touted that decision as being in keeping with the company’s history of making military uniforms and striving to meet the needs of a nation at a time of crisis.

Whatever good will they accumulated from that is likely to be canceled out by the loss of these jobs — a harsh day for the people currently working at these facilities, and a discouraging turn from a popular clothing company.

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