Amco began as a clothing manufacturer in Sydney in 1948, making butchers aprons and painters drop sheets .The company started making jeans in Australia in 1957 and became a popular brand throught the 1970s. Amco Riders and Amco Peaches were theier leading ranges. Amco went into liquidation in 1980 but was then revived as the Amco International Clothing Company. Amco jeans became a popular choice in the 1970s .The company's slogan was "Amco. The name of everyone's hips". Amco jeans were known for their snug fit and fast fading.
It didn’t hurt their popularity that the jeans manufacturer sponsored the Rugby League Championship from 1974 to 1979, with teams playing for the Amco Cup and the player of the week awarded a pair of Amco jeans. In the final year of rugby league sponsorship, the company was sold to the US-owned Blue Bell, makers of Wrangler jeans, for a massive $12.95 million.
The story of Amco is also one of the rise of off-shore production, coming during a period when Australian clothing manufacturers began to set up overseas factories to take advantage of cheaper labour and costs. Amco established their factory in the Philippines in 1974, and others went to countries including Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan – though into the ‘80s local production still outweighed imported jeans. In 2005, Amco Jeans were reintroduced with an updated logo and marketing campaign, The 'new' Amco were imported of lesser quality and sold in Kmart stores. The Amco brand is currently owned by Jagger Australia Pty Ltd.
In 2005, Amco jeans were reintroduced with an updated logo and a marketing campaign The new Amco jeans are made in China, of lesser quality and sold in Kmart stores. The Amco brand is currently owned by Jagger Australia Pty. Ltd.
