The History of Blankets in Canada

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Blankets were essential for the fur trade, as they could be used to wrap themselves and their animals in warmth while travelling and hunting. As a result, HBC made blankets in a wide variety of colours to suit different Indigenous consumers and trading posts.

A Guide to the Coziest Blankets in Canada

As time went on, HBC employees began to see patterns in the complaints they received from Indigenous consumers about faulty or substandard blankets and cloth. These complaints were sent back to London and HBC started making changes and improving quality.

For example, some communities tended to prefer particular colours in their point blankets. The Inuit favored white blankets for camouflage purposes, while the Tsimshian and Tlingit preferred a deeper blue design. The Nuu-chah-nulth favored green, and in the Coast Salish communities, red was a popular choice.

Today, Indigenous artists are using HBC Point Blankets in their work to open up conversations about colonialism and disease. Although there is no evidence that HBC intentionally infected Indigenous Peoples with smallpox through their blankets, the fact is that their presence and fur trade networks contributed to waves of disease outbreaks across the country.