thumb|HBC blanket advertisement from the September 1952 issue of [[Canada's History|The Beaver (HBC magazine).]]

Hudson's Bay point blankets are woollen blankets originally made for the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) in British North America, now Canada and the United States. Manufactured in England since 1779, they served as a form of currency during the North American fur trade exchanged with First Nations for beaver pelts. Historically available through HBC trading posts, they were often hand made into winter clothing (specifically capotes and mackinaws) worn extensively by voyageurs (European fur traders) and Indigenous peoples. HBC point blankets have become part of the Canadian identity representing a nationally shared cultural symbol.

The points system, marked by thin lines woven into the side of each blanket, indicates the overall size of a blanket. These lines originally allowed traders to identify blanket size at a glance.

The colour schemes of the blankets, including the multi-stripe version, historically known as "Queen Anne colours", have expanded into fashion, and lifestyle products.

The Blanket Fund (Oshki Wupoowane), which receives 100% of the net proceeds from Hudson's Bay Point Blankets, is an Indigenous charity created to acknowledge HBC's settler colonial history and advance truth and reconciliation. The fund provides grants to "grassroots Indigenous organizations for cultural, artistic, and educational initiatives".

History

[[Poundmaker, a Plains Cree chief, wearing a Hudson's Bay "chief's blanket" ca.1885|thumb|upright=0.8|left]]

During the North American fur trade, beginning in the 1670s, Hudson's Bay Company trading posts and rival trading posts, such as those operated by the North West Company, served as the primary sources for woollen blankets and accessories required to make clothing from them. By the early 1700s random wool blankets accounted for a large percentage of traded goods, In 1779, the first "definite record" of an order of 500 point blankets was produced for HBC. The colours chosen for the stripes are believed to have been popularized during the Queen Anne's era of style. Within some Indigenous nations, the early broad multi-striped version was referred to as "chief's blankets" due to their rarity. First Nations had long integrated textiles into their spiritual and ceremonial societies.

By the early 1940s about 20 to 25 different colours were available, until the 1960s when only 5 colours and the multi-stripe version were marketed. They would also come to be associated with Canada's colonial history, a tangible centuries-old symbol of an era of cultural assimilation and diseases transmission. Point blankets, being made of sheep wool, were easier to sew together than traditional material such as hides, and were waterproof and warm.

thumb|[[Team Canada at the opening ceremonies of the 1968 Winter Olympics. This was the first Winter Olympics in which the new Maple Leaf Flag was used to represent the country.]]

The origin of the mackinaw jacket is credited to the British Army Captain Charles Roberts. In 1811, at Fort St. Joseph there was a shortage of greatcoats for the King's soldiers. Roberts requisitioned HBC 3.5-point blankets from the British Indian Department to manufacture greatcoats for his troops. Beginning in 1936, and through the 20th century Canadian athletes donned HBC style point jackets during the opening ceremonies of multiple Winter Olympics. "Hudson's Bay Stripes" are considered one of Canada's iconic official Olympic styles, that was part of a long tradition of HBC dressing Canadian athletes. HBC last dressed Canadian athletes for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, which took place in 2021.

Modern branding

upright|thumb|Point blankets at [[Hudson's Bay (department store)|the Bay in Winnipeg, Manitoba, ca 1949. Winnipeg was the location of HBC's first department style store opened in 1881.]]

Beginning in the early 20th century, HBC point blankets were made available at Hudson's Bay department stores (the Bay) constructed throughout Canada over the course of a century.

In 2025, Canadian Tire, a national retail corporation, acquired HBC brand(s) rights and its intellectual property for $30 million CAD, announcing the continuation of "Hudson's Bay Point Blankets" and related "Hudson's Bay Stripes" products online and at its over 500 national outlets and a limited collection available through its a affiliate Mark's with over 350 locations. Wools from Britain and New Zealand are used in the manufacture of blankets.

<span class="anchor" id="Hudson's Bay stripes"></span> Hudson's Bay Stripes

upright|thumb|HBC striped ceramic mug featuring "Queen Anne's colours" and "Point" markings

HBC branded products are marketed as Canadiana cultural items, that have expanded from wool blankets and coats styled from them into a wide range of fashion apparel, accessories, home decor, and specialty seasonal items, including; clothing (sweaters, mittens, socks, shoes and tote bags), home accessories (sheets, towels, cushions, curtains, cookware and umbrellas), and nostalgic items (teddy bears, rowing paddles, bats, candy canes, stockings, nutcrackers and ornaments). with replica multi-striped products, particularly the "Glacier National Park Blanket" by Pendleton Woolen Mills, a part of the consumer environment. 21st century home decor featuring "HBC stripes" themed elements have become a part of Canadiana style.

<span class="anchor" id="The Blanket Fund"></span><span class="anchor" id="Oshki Wupoowane"></span> Blanket fund

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The history of HBC point blankets is not without controversy due to their connection with Canada's colonial history. In light of its settler colonialism ties, reconciliation efforts began in 2022 with the formation of the "Oshki Wupoowane", also known as The Blanket Fund, with an initial investment of $1&nbsp;million from the Hudson’s Bay Foundation. The fund receives 100% of net proceeds from Hudson’s Bay Point Blanket sales. After Canadian Tire acquired HBC’s intellectual property rights, they pledged to continue supporting the fund ensuring at least $1M annually regardless of sales. Historic competitors include; C.C. Filson, Pendleton Woolen Mills, Faribault Woolen Mill Company, MacAuslands Woollen Mills, and Early's of Witney, which historically manufactured point blankets for HBC for over a century,

Many HBC branded products have become collectibles, The main determinants of value include age, size, colour, pattern rarity, and condition. Modern collectibles include the 2006 single pink strip on a white background in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, and the blue and green multi-striped version for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Collections

HBC point blankets are held in many museums, most notably at the Manitoba Museum in Winnipeg, which houses over 27,000 HBC items. The Canadian Museum of History has many HBC artifacts, including blanket coats used in the 1964 Olympic games. The Glenbow Museum collection includes items such as Siksika (Blackfoot) capotes and photographic records. Tamástslikt Cultural Institute displays a larger collection of HBC point blankets.

Point system (sizes)

Points are short lines woven into the selvage of the blanket along the edge just above the bottom set of stripes. About in length (except in the case of half points, which are ), they indicate the finished overall size (area) of a blanket and allow easy determination of the size of a blanket even when folded. French weavers invented the point system in the mid-1700s since then, as now, blankets were shrunk as part of the manufacturing process. The word point derives from the French , meaning "to make threaded stitches on cloth".

The misconception persists that originally the points were an indication of a blanket's price in beaver pelts or even its weight. The number of pelts required to buy a blanket ranged widely by time and location, regardless of its size. Thickness and quality are the same blanket to blanket, and a larger blanket will naturally weigh more.

  • , Kutenai language

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HBCExtraCanada150.jpg|upright|Label for Canada's 150th Anniversary, applied to the special-edition blankets

Merry Christmas to All My Friends.jpg|Annual Christmas window display at HBC flagship downtown Toronto store, 2010

Hudson's Bay point blankets on display at the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute on the Umatilla Indian Reservation near Pendleton, OR.jpg|HBC point blankets on display at the Tamástslikt Cultural Institute on the Umatilla Indian Reservation near Pendleton, Oregon, US

Capote for scout on raiding party, Siksika, early 1900s, wool from Hudson's Bay Company blanket, glass beads - Glenbow Museum - DSC01002.jpg|Siksika Blackfoot capote made from an HBC point blanket with glass beads, Glenbow Museum, Alberta, Canada, early 1900s

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See also

References

Further reading

  • Hudson's Bay Stripes - Canadian Tire Corporation
  • Oshki Wupoowane - The Blanket Fund - The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund