A Cloak maker worked in the garment industry, often in an enterprise whose workers were represented by a union.
In the 1920s, there were more than 50,000 people employed as cloakmakers.
Much of this industry was centered in New York City.60,000 to 70,000 cloakmakers in New York City in 1910 While most of the cloakmakers were Jewish women,contrast two strikes: 20,000 "mostly female" vs. a different strike in the same 1909/1910/1911 period: 1,200 men in one strike and 2,000 men in another. the next largest group, although much smaller in number, were Italian women.
Cloakmakers were a part of those known as clothing-workers, including those who made cloaks, suits and skirts.
Other areas where this industry was strong included Chicago and Cincinnati.
Unions Suffragist Theresa Malkiel organized a union of cloakmakers in 1892. Other areas of the needle tradenot to be confused with this (usage): were not unionized until years later,only "half of all women working in the garment industry between 1909 and 1919 belonged to unions." of whom in 1912 over 80% were Jewish.
This occupation involved making or repairing garments that contained animal fur. The high end of this profession focused on fur coats. A 1915 New York Times article about 75,000 garment workers said "Cloakmakers take the lead."
The garment industry's strikes were neither rare nor long-lasting.
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