Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Tootal - The Company History and its products (ties, scarves etc)

Cherry picker

New in Town
Messages
21
Location
uk
toot label 2.jpg toot label 3.jpg View attachment 8910
 

Two Types

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,456
Location
London, UK
Those are great. They really remind me of the prints on the 'Boys' range of scarves and ties.

A very European take on the Hawaiian shirt.
 

Fastuni

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,277
Location
Germany
This is an interesting one... "Elastico - Wrinklefree"
Made by German company LACO (founded 1838 as a silk manufacturer),
but the label denotes that is made from a Tootal product.

The DRP (Deutsches Reichs-Patent) and DRGM Number are a clear indication of pre-1945 date.

SAM_6400.jpg
 
Last edited:

Two Types

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,456
Location
London, UK
I assume they took out a licence from Tootal to use one of their patented processes.

Post 1945, the British removed vast amounts of machinery from German rayon manufacturing plants and took them back to the UK. They also appropriated (under the banner of reparations and/or 'war booty') patented German processes for the manufacture of rayon, effectively giving British firms the right to use these processes without paying for them.

If you ever find another German tie from this period with a Tootal label, I would be very interested in getting my hands on one.
 

Fastuni

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,277
Location
Germany
Interestingly enough LACO was founded in Hamburg by a British entrepeneur: Charles Lavy. (I guess it's LAvy COmpany.)
So there were strong ties to Britain. :D


I will think of you if I should ever come across more German Tootals. This is the first I have ever seen.
 
Last edited:

Two Types

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,456
Location
London, UK
Brilliant. Tootal ties from the 'Croydon' range are on my wish list. If you want to part with it, let me know.

It always makes me wonder why Tootal chose 'Croydon' as the name for the brand. It's not exactly a glamorous location (I should know, I live there). I can only imagine it was linked to the town having an airport in the 1920s/1930s and, as such, it was linked to the glamour of air travel.
 

Two Types

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,456
Location
London, UK
I can just see the advertising:

"Wear a 'Streatham' tie and impress the local working girls."

Or:

"The 'Streatham' tie: perfect as a tourniquet when you've been stabbed."
 

Two Types

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,456
Location
London, UK
I recently saw a Tootal 'Black Quality' tie that was made from the same fabric, with the same label and lining as all ties in that range. However, it was about one inch narrower that any 'Black Quality' tie I've ever seen. This makes me think that the range was redsigned and continued to be sold into the 1960s alongside some of their early polyester ties.
 

Two Types

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,456
Location
London, UK
Here's my first ever plain Tootal scarf:
Yellow-Tootal-scarf_zps6761232c.jpg


I obviously don't need any more scarves, and have resisted buying any for over a year, but I thought I should own at least one plain scarf.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
107,303
Messages
3,033,529
Members
52,748
Latest member
R_P_Meldner
Top