The Hog Ring

Auto Upholstery Community

Auto Upholstery in the Early 1900s

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Trimmers have a long and storied past – one that we should all be proud of. Those who came before us upholstered everything from horse carriages to bicycles until cars came along. And when the airplane was invented, guess who they called upon to design their seats?

While researching a little bit of our history online, I came across three beautiful pictures that depict what it was like working as an auto trimmer in the early to mid 1900s. They’re featured below.

Vehicle trim and upholstery factory owned by Fisher Body Corporation / General Motors, 1934

A woman sewing motor covers at the Ford Motor Company Willow Run Bomber Plant, 1943.

Men sewing vehicle seat covers at Britain’s Austin Motor Company, circa 1950.

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  10. Retired…Reminds Me Of Some Of The Furniture Shops I Worked In In The Late 60’s And Early 70’s. I Also Worked In A Shop Called Trapuntos Which If You Look Up the word Traputo It Means, A Puffy, Decorative Feature. They Made The Sample Cards Like In “The Detroit Book”. And They All Looked Like Sweat Shops But Some Who Worked There Are Probably Millionairs Today.

  11. I’m researching sewing methods for the banding trim on old sun visors. No one seems to have any info on how this precision stitching was done. A 5/8″ very thin band of vinyl or plastic vinyl was stitched around the outside of the sun visor maintaining a accurate distance from the edge for the entire length.
    Was this set up in a jig? From taking apart a lot of these units no glue was used.
    Thanks,