The Swedish Clothing Workers' Union (, SBaf or Beklädnads) was a

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

representing workers in the garment industry in Sweden. The union was founded on 18 August 1889 in

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

, as the Swedish Tailors' Union, initially only admitting men. In 1899, it affiliated to the

Swedish Trade Union Confederation The Swedish Trade Union Confederation ( ; literally "The National Organisation in Sweden"), commonly referred to as LO (), is a national trade union centre, an umbrella organisation for fourteen Swedish trade unions that organise mainly "blue-c ...

and also began admitting women. The Stockholm Women Tailors' Association joined in 1900, followed in 1909 by the Women's Trade Union. From 405 founding members, it grew to 3,968 members in 1907.{{cite book , last1=Ebbinghaus , first1=Bernhard , last2=Visser , first2=Jelle , title=Trade Unions in Western Europe Since 1945 , date=2000 , publisher=Palgrave Macmillan , location=Basingstoke , isbn=0333771125 , page=626–630 The Swedish Hat and Fur Workers' Union joined in 1933, and the union's membership reached a peak of 37,612 in 1956. It then began falling, dropping to 25,475 members in 1972, of whom 83% were women. The following year, it merged with the

Swedish Shoe and Leather Workers' Union The Swedish Shoe and Leather Workers' Union (, SSoL) was a trade union representing workers in the leather industry in Sweden. The union was founded on 13 August 1888 in Stockholm, as the Swedish Shoemakers' Union, with 366 members. It affiliate ...

and the Swedish Textile Workers' Union, to form the Swedish Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Union.

References

1889 establishments in Sweden 1973 disestablishments in Sweden Swedish Trade Union Confederation Clothing industry trade unions Trade unions in Sweden Trade unions established in 1889 Trade unions disestablished in 1973 19th-century establishments in Stockholm