Military Influence Shapes Civilian Apparel Design, Market, and Innovation - Episode Hero Image

Military Influence Shapes Civilian Apparel Design, Market, and Innovation

Planet Money · · Listen to Original Episode →
Original Title: Strange threadfellows: How the U.S. military shaped what we all wear

TL;DR

  • The U.S. military's extensive World War II R&D, particularly the M43 jacket system, established layering as a performance standard, influencing modern outdoor apparel design and functionality.
  • Post-WWII military surplus sales created an accessible, low-cost clothing market, enabling the growth of early outdoor brands like REI and democratizing access to durable gear.
  • Military surplus adoption by counterculture and later mainstream fashion, exemplified by brands like Banana Republic, transformed utilitarian designs into iconic style statements.
  • Modern outdoor brands like Outdoor Research maintain direct military contracts, leveraging government orders to subsidize domestic manufacturing and drive innovation through a symbiotic business model.
  • The interconnectedness of the economy with the military is pervasive, with familiar civilian brands often acting as contractors, revealing a deeper, often overlooked, industrial relationship.

Deep Dive

The U.S. military's influence extends far beyond technological innovation, deeply shaping the everyday clothing worn by civilians through design, material development, and surplus economics. This pervasive, often unnoticed, influence has transformed fashion from a personal expression to an intricate ecosystem intertwined with national defense and industrial production. Understanding this connection reveals how military needs and innovations have consistently trickled down, becoming integral to both the outdoor gear industry and mainstream fashion trends, ultimately blurring the lines between civilian and military sartorial identity.

The modern era of military influence on clothing began in earnest during World War II, when the U.S. military, facing diverse global climates, initiated a scientific approach to soldier outfitting. This led to the development of sophisticated layering systems, epitomized by the M-43 field jacket. This modular design, adaptable to various environments, became a blueprint for countless civilian jackets. Simultaneously, the war effort dramatically expanded the textile industry's production for military use. The war's abrupt end in 1945 created a massive surplus of this gear, which the government offloaded cheaply. This surplus flooded the market, making army surplus stores ubiquitous and providing affordable basics like socks, underwear, and durable outerwear. This influx not only clothed a generation but also significantly boosted the nascent outdoor industry, with companies like REI incorporating surplus into their offerings. The M-65 jacket, an evolution of the M-43, further solidified military designs in the public consciousness. Its adoption by counterculture figures and later by mainstream fashion icons like Woody Allen and Dustin Hoffman in the post-Vietnam era, particularly through brands like Banana Republic (which started by remixing surplus), demonstrated the civilian market's embrace of military aesthetics. This transition from necessity to trend marked a significant shift, transforming military surplus from functional attire to a fashionable statement.

In the contemporary landscape, the direct relationship between the military and the fashion and gear industries persists, albeit in a more integrated form than historical surplus sales. Many prominent outdoor brands, such as Arc'teryx, Patagonia, Gore-Tex, Vibram, and Danner, are now active military contractors, producing specialized gear for U.S. and NATO forces. Companies like Outdoor Research openly acknowledge their dual role, designing and manufacturing tactical gear alongside their civilian outdoor lines. This symbiotic relationship is driven by several factors: the substantial, consistent demand from military orders, the legal requirement for U.S. military clothing to be manufactured domestically, and the introduction of innovative materials and designs developed for extreme conditions that can then be commercialized. The military's need for domestically produced goods also preserves a critical segment of the U.S. apparel manufacturing industry. This interconnectedness means that innovations pioneered for soldiers often find their way into the jackets, gloves, and footwear available to civilian consumers. Furthermore, military contracts can provide a crucial revenue stream that stabilizes companies, particularly during downturns in the civilian market, as seen during the pandemic. This deep integration, visible even at industry trade shows like AUSA, signifies that the military continues to be a primary, if often understated, driver of innovation and production within the broader clothing and outdoor gear economy, making the link between civilian consumers and military industrial activity more profound than commonly perceived.

Action Items

  • Audit outdoor apparel brands: Identify 3-5 companies with direct military contracts and analyze their supply chain transparency (ref: AUSA trade show insights).
  • Create a matrix: Map 5-10 common civilian clothing items to their historical military origins or technological advancements (ref: M43 jacket, synthetic down).
  • Evaluate brand partnerships: For 2-3 outdoor brands, assess the stated benefits and risks of military contracting on their civilian product development and market perception.
  • Track surplus economics: Analyze the historical impact of post-WWII military surplus sales on 3-5 emerging apparel markets or retail models (ref: Army surplus stores, REI).

Related Episodes

Key Quotes

"But what Avery found is that that same military industrial influence has shaped many things that are even more intimate in a way the very clothing we wear to express our sense of who we are or to protect ourselves from the elements and it's the kind of hidden influence you can actually see on the street today if you have the right kind of eye."

Avery Trufelman, the host of Articles of Interest, argues that the U.S. military's influence extends beyond large technologies to the intimate realm of personal clothing. Trufelman highlights that this influence is pervasive and observable in everyday fashion choices, suggesting that military designs have become deeply integrated into civilian wardrobes.

"The military was facing employing many of the testing techniques that had emerged in places like the physiology department at Harvard and so the Quartermaster Corps created a bunch of laboratories they brought in like the Harvard Mountaineering Club they brought in a bunch of outdoorsmen like famous outdoorsmen they brought in the services of the guy Eddie Bauer and the man L.L. Bean."

The text explains that during World War II, the U.S. Quartermaster Corps adopted scientific testing methods to address the challenges of outfitting soldiers for diverse climates. Trufelman notes that this effort involved collaboration with academic institutions and prominent figures from the outdoor industry, such as Eddie Bauer and L.L. Bean, to develop advanced gear.

"The Quartermaster Corps engineers realized there may not actually be just one jacket to rule them all and so they come up with this incredible thing called layering what what it blows everybody's mind now people have obviously been layering in some form or another since the Paleolithic era when somebody threw a woolly mammoth poncho over their saber-toothed tiger skin but Avery says this is the first time layering for field performance was turned into a whole system."

Trufelman points out that military engineers developed the concept of layering as a systematic approach to clothing for soldiers facing varied environments. While layering has ancient roots, Trufelman emphasizes that the military formalized it into a performance-based system, moving beyond single-purpose garments.

"The students who were wearing field jackets in the 1960s grew up they cut their hair they got jobs they became conventional bourgeoisie but they kept their Grateful Dead records and their penchant for surplus field jackets you have Woody Allen wearing military surplus to go to the arthouse theater in Annie Hall you have Dustin Hoffman in Kramer vs Kramer playing a father going through a divorce living on the upper West Side and he's wearing an M65 field jacket."

Charles McFarland, a costume historian, describes the "yuppification" of military clothing as a trend that emerged in the post-hippie era. McFarland explains that individuals who once wore military surplus as a countercultural statement continued to adopt these styles as they entered mainstream professional life, integrating them into conventional wardrobes.

"And as Avery explains in her podcast this moment marks a major turning point it was the end of an era both in how the military made its clothing and in how those styles made their way to the rest of us surplus comes from big massive militaries with lots of cheap excess sloshing around the end of the draft led to a smaller tighter army that can be accounted for there doesn't end up being that much left over."

Trufelman identifies the end of the military draft as a significant shift in the relationship between the military and fashion. Trufelman argues that this led to smaller, more controlled military production, consequently reducing the surplus clothing available to civilians and marking the decline of the army surplus market.

"We have things that get developed for the military that then get commercialized in our outdoor space and then we have vice versa crossover is inevitable Outdoor Research might literally produce the same jacket in two different colors one for special ops and one for the outdoor industry."

Cat Shea, Vice President of Design and Innovation at Outdoor Research, explains the symbiotic relationship between military contracting and civilian outdoor wear. Shea highlights that innovation often flows in both directions, with designs developed for military use being adapted for the consumer market and vice versa, making crossover inevitable.

Resources

External Resources

Books

  • "The Planet Money Book" by Planet Money - Mentioned as available for pre-order.

Articles & Papers

  • "Strange threadfellows: How the U.S. military shaped what we all wear" (Planet Money) - Discussed as the episode's topic, exploring the influence of the US military on everyday clothing.
  • "Articles of Interest" (Substack) - Mentioned as Avery Trufelman's fashion history podcast.
  • "Gear, Chapter 1" (Articles of Interest) - Mentioned as the specific chapter Avery Trufelman's podcast is discussing.
  • "Quartermaster Review" (1947 article) - Referenced for information on the War Assets Administration's inventory.
  • "Newsweek" (January 1946 article) - Referenced for statistics on war surplus clothing sales.

People

  • Avery Trufelman - Host of the podcast "Articles of Interest," featured guest discussing the military's influence on fashion.
  • George Dorrio - Harvard business professor who worked with the U.S. Quartermaster Corps to solve gear problems during World War II.
  • Leon Leonwood Bean - Mentioned for his involvement in testing expeditions for the Quartermaster Corps.
  • Eddie Bauer - Mentioned for his involvement in testing expeditions for the Quartermaster Corps.
  • Charles McFarland - Costume historian and journalist, author of a master's thesis on the development of the field jacket.
  • G. Bruce Boyer - Men's wear icon, fashion journalist, and author.
  • Patricia Zigler - Co-founder of Banana Republic, discussed for her role in styling and selling military surplus.
  • Mel Zigler - Co-founder of Banana Republic, discussed for his role in styling and selling military surplus.
  • Woody Allen - Mentioned for wearing military surplus in "Annie Hall."
  • Dustin Hoffman - Mentioned for wearing an M65 field jacket in "Kramer vs. Kramer."
  • Alex Ferraro - Head of Tactical at Outdoor Research, discussed for his role in developing glove systems.
  • Cat Shea - Vice President of Design and Innovation at Outdoor Research, discussed for her company's military contracting work.

Organizations & Institutions

  • Planet Money - The podcast producing this episode.
  • NPR - The broadcasting organization for Planet Money.
  • International Rescue Committee (IRC) - Mentioned as co-founded with help from Albert Einstein, providing emergency aid.
  • U.S. Military - The primary subject of discussion regarding its influence on clothing and technology.
  • United States Quartermaster Corps - The department responsible for military logistics, including clothing.
  • Harvard Mountaineering Club - Brought in for their expertise by the Quartermaster Corps.
  • REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) - Mentioned as a financial supporter of NPR and a company that sold surplus gear.
  • Banana Republic - A brand that evolved from styling military surplus.
  • The Gap - Acquired Banana Republic, helping to popularize its styles.
  • Association of the United States Army (AUSA) - A trade show convention for military suppliers.
  • Outdoor Research - An outdoor brand that also manufactures gear for the U.S. Army.
  • Lost Arrow Project - A company that manufactured special ops clothes for Patagonia.
  • Forgeline Solutions - A rebranded independent company that manufactures special ops clothes for Patagonia.
  • Vibram - A company that makes shoe soles, including for military boots.
  • Gore-Tex - A company whose products are used in military clothing.
  • Danner - A company mentioned in relation to military contracting.
  • Patagonia - A financial supporter of NPR, mentioned for its past and present military contracting.
  • NATO - Mentioned in relation to Outdoor Research's tactical production for allied troops.

Tools & Software

  • M43 Field Jacket - A game-changing modular jacket system developed by the military in 1943.
  • M65 Field Jacket - An updated military jacket system with new features like velcro straps.
  • Primoloft - A company that manufactured artificial down pioneered by the military for civilian markets.
  • Velcro straps - A feature on military clothing, now common in civilian wear.
  • Plastic cord lock - A component used to cinch hoods, a vestige of military influence.
  • Synthetic down parka - A type of jacket whose artificial down was pioneered by the military.
  • Seven Glove System - A high-tech glove system developed by Outdoor Research for the special operations community.

Websites & Online Resources

  • rescue.org - Website for the International Rescue Committee.
  • planetmoneybook.com - Website for pre-ordering the Planet Money book.
  • npr.org/plus - Subscription service for Planet Money.
  • npr.org/PM-digital - Link to listen to Planet Money episodes.
  • podcastchoices.com/adchoices - Website for information on ad choices.
  • npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy - NPR Privacy Policy.
  • vanguard.com/audio - Website for Vanguard's bond funds.
  • capitalone.com - Website for Capital One credit card information.
  • capitalone.com/commercial - Website for Capital One Commercial Bank.
  • capitalone.com/savercard - Website for the Capital One Saver Card.
  • capitalone.com/venturex - Website for the Capital One Venture X card.
  • adt.com/support - Website for ADT home security systems.
  • edwardjones.com - Website for Edward Jones financial advisors.
  • schwab.com - Website for Schwab investment services.
  • babson.edu/gradschool - Website for Babson College graduate programs.
  • rei.com - Mentioned as a retailer of outdoor gear and financial supporter of NPR.

Other Resources

  • Army Surplus Economics - The concept explored in the episode regarding military designs influencing everyday clothing.
  • Layering (clothing system) - A military-developed system for adapting clothing to different environments.
  • Military Industrial Complex - The interconnectedness of the military and the broader economy.
  • Domestic Manufacturing - The practice of producing goods within a country, subsidized by military contracts.
  • Yuppification of Military Clothing - The trend of military styles becoming mainstream and adopted by a more affluent demographic.
  • Tactical (tab on Outdoor Research website) - A section on the Outdoor Research website dedicated to their military contracting work.

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