How a $16 hat made Carhartt a billion-dollar brand

Carhartt has been the unofficial uniform of America's blue-collar workforce since it was founded in 1889. The Detroit born-and-raised brand cut its teeth outfitting railroad workers with bib overalls as it expanded its offerings, laborers from farmers to carpenters and construction workers started wearing the rugged clothing. But Carhartt isn't just some legacy brand. Once the hip-hop community adopted the workwear style in the 1990's, Carhartt became a pop-culture icon.