Wrangler is one of the world’s oldest and most iconic denim manufacturers, established in 1904 as the Hudson Overall Company in Greensboro, North Carolina. It evolved into the Blue Bell Overall Company in 1919 and, in 1943, acquired the Casey Jones brand name, leading to the creation of Wrangler. Renowned for its durable denim products, Wrangler’s rise to fame is deeply tied to cowboy culture. In 1947, Polish tailor Bernard “Rodeo Ben” Lichtenstein designed the 13MWZ jeans, which quickly became a staple for cowboys and remain popular today.

Wrangler expanded internationally in 1962, launching successfully in Europe. In 1974, it gained the official endorsement of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), further solidifying its reputation in the Western wear market. The 1980s marked a significant era for Wrangler, driven by its “One Tough Customer” campaign featuring Nascar driver Dale Earnhardt. This campaign’s success boosted Wrangler’s visibility and popularity, leading to sponsorships of other Nascar drivers like Ricky Rudd, Jody Riley, and Steve Park.

The brand continued to innovate with new lines such as 20X, Riggs, and Aura, targeting specific demographics and expanding its appeal. Wrangler also became a significant exporter to Europe and Australia. The 2000s saw impactful marketing campaigns like “Whatever You Ride” in 2000 and “There’s a bit of the West in all of us” in 2002, resonating with a broader audience.

Despite closing its last U.S. sewing plant in 2005, Wrangler thrived under the VF Corporation and later Kontoor Brands. In 2022, Wrangler filed a trademark for WRANGLERVERSE, indicating its expansion into the Metaverse and a commitment to blending its rich heritage with modern innovation.

From its early days in Greensboro to its current global presence, Wrangler’s journey is a testament to its enduring appeal and adaptability. The brand’s dedication to quality, authenticity, and innovation ensures that Wrangler denim continues to be a symbol of rugged American style for generations to come.

If you’re Wrangler denim is so vintage it’s starting to fade, you can learn how to restore is here.

Rare 1980s Wrangler Jeans Advert

How to tell if Wranglers are vintage from the logo

Wrangler jeans were first produced and made by the Blue Bell Company, and in the 1940s became infamous for working closely with cowboys to create a fit of jean that was perfect for their core base of customers. This became an iconic look for Wrangler and would skyrocket sales. After a successful brand launch in Europe, the Wrangler branding would go on to disassociate itself with the Blue Bell Company and eventually remove the Blue Bell from the logo. This happened in the 1960s, which is why the classic sign that you have a very old vintage Wrangler piece is the use of the Blue Bell on the logo or tags. Over the years, Wrangler’s updated logo can give us a clue on the era of the piece.

1940s to 1960s Wrangler logo

• The original logo took a lot of influence from the cowboy scene as can be seen from the rope like design
• The logo was usually displayed on a tilt as can be seen here
• The Blue Bell was often displayed above the logo, representing the parent company of the Wrangler brand

1960s to 2010s Wrangler logo

• A blockier font was used in the updated logo and was a big departure from the previous design
• This logo was not used universally on tags and designs, and has been more frequently used in the last 20 years

2010 to now Wrangler logo

• The modern logo returned to its original roots and was heavily inspired by the original logo
• This logo does not use the lasso effect and is not slanted like the original

How to tell if Wranglers are vintage from the neck tags

As fashion brands go, Wrangler has had incredibly consistent branding when it comes to tags. Very little has changed over the years, with the main exception being the removal of the Blue Bell. Like most modern tags, Wrangler has moved away from having the designs stitched in and instead modern tags have the information printed onto them. It should be noted that there is some crossover in the time periods for these tags e.g. some tags may have been used in both the 60s and 70s. Also, not every Wrangler tag has been included here, and whilst a lot of time and effort has gone into locating as many vintage tags as possible, Wrangler has created so many minor variations of these designs that you should not be surprised if you can’t find one that exactly matches yours below.

If your tags are hard to read, head to our vintage tag identification page, and we’ll identify those vintage labels!

1950s vintage Wrangler tags

• The original Wrangler logo used a script-like font and had a blue bell above it
• In the 50s, the font was altered slightly, and whilst the letters are still the same shape, the text had a lasso style applied to it to appeal to cowboy culture

1960s vintage Wrangler tags

• The blue bell remained above the Wrangler logo until the mid 60s
• The classic sign that your Wrangler is vintage is the blue bell above the logo because it stopped being used in the 60s. This means that a Wrangler item with the blue bell will be at least 50 years old

1970s vintage Wrangler tags

• The typeface remained the same until the 70s where the font was made thinner and yellow
• The black tags were used much more frequently in the 1970s
• Women’s lines started becoming tagged separately to expand the appeal of the brand

1980s vintage Wrangler tags

• The type was once more updated the 80s and used a blockier font that was a big departure from the previous font on some lines of clothing
• On many tags, the original font was used, however, a move away from the use of a lasso on the font can be seen

1990s vintage Wrangler tags

• The newer logo started to be more frequently used on these tags
• Sizing information was also included in the more consumer-friendly lettering

How to tell if Wranglers are vintage from the wash tags

Many of the older Wrangler jeans from the 60s and 70s didn’t even have an independent wash tag attached, and instead put this information on the back of the general tag. In the 1980s Wrangler began to attach independent wash tags that provided clear instructions on how to care for the garment.

In the last 15 years Wrangler has also began including the production date on the wash tags. At the top of the was tag are four numbers, the first two indicating the month of production and the last two indicating the year of production.

What is Wrangler Blue Bell?

Wrangler Blue Bell’s refers to Wrangler products that include the Blue Bell logo. Blue Bell was the parent company of the Wrangler brand and the Blue Bell included on some Wrangler logos and products indicates that the item is a rare vintage piece that is at least 50 years old.