Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), established in 1670, stands as North America's oldest company and played a pivotal role in shaping Canadian history. Founded by royal charter from King Charles II of England, the company began as a fur trading enterprise in the vast territory of Rupert's Land, encompassing the Hudson Bay drainage basin. Initially operating trading posts along the bay's shores, HBC established a complex network of trade relationships with Indigenous peoples, who were crucial partners in the fur trade.
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, HBC expanded its operations across what would become Canada, establishing trading posts that evolved into many of today's major cities. The company's influence extended beyond commerce, as it effectively governed much of British North America, maintaining law and order and conducting diplomacy with Indigenous nations. In 1870, HBC transferred Rupert's Land to the newly formed Dominion of Canada, marking a significant milestone in Canadian confederation.
The company gradually transformed from a fur trading enterprise into a retail powerhouse. By the early 20th century, HBC operated department stores across Canada, becoming an iconic presence in Canadian retail. The distinctive Hudson's Bay point blankets, featuring colored stripes on a white background, became a symbol of Canadian identity and remain popular to this day.
HBC's historic role in Canadian exploration, commerce, and nation-building has earned it recognition as a vital part of Canada's heritage, despite changes in ownership over the centuries.
Today, while HBC continues as a major retailer, it serves as a reminder of Canada's colonial history, the fur trade era, and the complex relationships between European settlers and Indigenous peoples that shaped the nation.
Founded: Canada
Owner: Private ownership group based in the United States
Manufacturing: Global; outsourced to third party companies. Its blankets are made in the United Kingdom.
"Hudson's Bay blankets, specifically the iconic Hudson's Bay point blankets, are manufactured in England. They have been made there since 1779, initially by various mills in Witney, Oxfordshire, and later by other firms in Yorkshire and London. Today, these blankets are produced by John Atkinson & Sons, a division of A.W. Hainsworth & Sons Ltd., using wool from Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. Hudson's Bay Company has never been a manufacturer itself but has always contracted with English textile mills to produce these blankets."
