Kleinert's

1869

BiographyKleinert's was established in New York in 1869 under the name of I B Kleinert Rubber Company, and was reincorporated in Pennsylvania under its current name in 1970. During the early twentieth century the company grew into an international operation with facilities in the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
The founder, Isaak Kleinert, was a prolific inventor and highly successful merchant. His inventions included the shower cap, shower curtain, dress shield, garment shield, and sanitary pant.

Originally manufacturing corsetry and a number of rubberied products, by the end of the 1930s Kleinert's began manufacturing an affordable line of swimsuits, which in Britain gained popularity over woolen styles. In 1937 the company produced a printed crepe rubber one-piece women's swimsuit in a range of colours including white, raspberry red, aqua blue and maize yellow.

From the late 1940s Kleinert's produced a diverse range of bathing caps in a variety of colours and textured finishes. They became fashion statements in their own right as well as a way of protecting hair from the elements and keeping it secured while swimming. The swimming caps were advertised with the slogan 'millinery for mermaids'.

In 2008 Mr Michael Brier was the owner and manager of the company.

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