Howard Ford and Company, Ltd., was founded by the late Mr. Howard Ford in 1922 as hosiery factor, to buy from home and overseas suppliers and distribute direct to retailers from warehouses in Liverpool and London. By 1924, "Bear Brand" was established as a leading brand. Located in Woolton, the Bear Brand factory employed generations across Merseyside and had a long history in the area. The business's trade name was American in origin, as Mr Howard Ford started in the hosiery business by importing stockings, some from the Bear Brand Hosiery Company of Chicago.