HISTORY

In 1919, the Reliance Manufacturing Company, founded in 1897, launched the workwear brand BIG YANK. Under founder Milton F. Goodman, the brand introduced practical cotton shirts with chin straps. Fabric was sourced from trusted suppliers of the day, reflecting a discerning eye and firm standards for materials. Flat-felled seams, triple-needle stitching, ventilation holes: the prototype of a "tool you wear," combining function and quality, took shape in this era.

In 1929, Reliance filed a patent for an asymmetric pocket construction. The Gacha-Poke, with a bag-shaped cigarette pocket on the left chest and a tall pen-slot pocket on the right, drew attention as a practical detail that rationally organized storage for different uses. It was also featured on the commemorative shirt for the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, cementing the impression that BIG YANK work shirts combined high functionality with strong design. Fusing visual character with a clear purpose, this design became one of the signature features that speak to the brand's innovative spirit.

The Yama-Poke (mountain-shaped pocket) that symbolizes BIG YANK is defined by its distinctive five-sided form and a pointed flap designed for one-handed use. Filed in 1942 and registered as a trademark in 1944, this pocket arrived at a complete structure that balanced originality of design with comfort in use. Visible, easy to operate, and durable, the Yama-Poke has a presence found on no other work shirt, and it continues to be faithfully reproduced to this day.

During World War II, BIG YANK supplied the U.S. Navy, and on the strength of that reliability and track record, spread among blue-collar workers across the country. Models such as the chambray shirt and utility jacket were built to withstand use on the job, and were embraced by many as everyday clothing. Recognized for maintaining consistent quality even in wartime, BIG YANK firmly established itself in this era as one of America's defining workwear brands.

With changing times and shifts in production, BIG YANK gradually disappeared from the market in the 1980s. Although the brand ceased operations, its garments came to be highly prized on the vintage market, with Gacha-Poke and Yama-Poke models in particular treated as rare finds. Its design philosophy and craftsmanship were quietly passed on to the next generation.

In 2012, archivist Kinji Teramoto rebuilt BIG YANK under its original name. Drawing on his vast archive, he faithfully reproduced everything from period sewing techniques and materials to name tags and details. More than a simple reissue, the brand was reconstructed from a contemporary perspective and grew into one embraced by fans and workwear enthusiasts alike. A new chapter had begun.

BIG YANK continues to put "real functional beauty" at its core, questioning what workwear truly is while offering new proposals. Carrying forward designs like the Yama-Poke and Gacha-Poke, it rebuilds them with materials and construction suited to modern life. Guided by the idea of "a garment you'll want to wear for 100 years," BIG YANK pursues tough, honest clothing loved across generations, and is moving toward its next century.