Whitstable grooming brand celebrates 150 years
Morgans Pomade takes a look back on 150th anniversary
Renowned Whitstable-based grooming brand Morgans Pomade is celebrating its 150th Anniversary.
With its factory in Tyler Way, Morgans Pomade (@morganspomadeofficial) has been looking back on the impressive milestone that has seen it grow from small London business to global brand.
A company with a rich heritage, and among the many awards over the years, Morgan’s Pomade was pleased to receive the UK Health and Beauty Award for the Most Historic Hair Pomade Production Brand. So, let’s look back at the history of this legendary brand.
1873
Morgan’s first product to be formulated and produced was the ‘Marie Antoinette Eucalyptus Egg Julep Shampoo’, followed shortly thereafter by Morgan’s Pomade.
Even in the 1870s, an era without social media and digital advertising, news travelled fast with Morgan’s innovative formulations. In no time, fashion and style-conscious men were discovering the wonders of Morgan’s Pomade. By the turn of the century, it was sold in the finest gentleman’s hairdressers in London’s West End, making it a must-have addition to one's routine. Word even began to spread across the channel and Morgan’s was rapidly overtaking the continent, sitting on the shelves at the most exclusive Parisian hairdressers.
1914
As the First World War started, Morgan’s faced many challenges in terms of production and sourcing raw materials to England, but in true British spirit, they kept calm and carried on. On the boats of the British Army, Morgan’s pomades made their way to the sub-continent, and soon India became one of their largest export markets. Many jars of Morgan’s Pomade also found their way across the Atlantic, breaking into America and fitting in perfectly with the classic age of Hollywood – helping film stars upkeep their immaculately slick pompadours
1935
By this time, the headquarters of Morgan’s looked a lot different to its humble beginnings, but the methods and formulations were mostly unchanged. Again, WWII caused many challenges and setbacks for the brand, but despite all this, Morgan’s remained steadfast, holding as strong and unwavering as its illustrious products. As Morgan’s reputation and good name expanded globally, the products could be found in almost any corner of the globe, with each bottle tracing back to its origin in the United Kingdom.
2023
Today, Morgan’s Pomade is distributed to more than 50 export markets worldwide. Having celebrated the sale of its one-billionth jar of pomade, the continued success speaks for itself. Don’t be fooled by the name, Morgan’s offers much more than just pomade and shampoo. Today, Morgan’s offers eight variations of pomades for all styles and hair types. They also offer an extensive beard grooming line, styling line, shaving line, skincare line, tonics and colognes and conditioners, many of which are Vegan, catering for both the modern stylist and their clientele.
Embracing the ethos of sustainability, Morgan’s has always been an environmentally conscious company. No matter how far the brand has expanded and how much it has grown, it has kept its manufacturing based in the UK. Meaning that UK-based barbers can be at peace knowing Morgan’s products have a much lesser carbon footprint than many competitors with outsourced manufacturing. Not to mention, that it is ethically produced, giving back to the local economy. While a lot is to be said about the brand based on its heritage and history, it has been Morgan’s forward thinking that has brought it into the 21st century with great success.
