Editing Kangol (section)

==Early history==
Founded in 1938 by a [[History of the Jews in Poland|Polish Jew]], Jacques Spreiregen, Kangol produced hats for workers, golfers, and especially soldiers. Spreiregen, born Jacob Henryk Spreiregen in [[Warsaw]] in 1893, emigrated with his family to [[Paris]] in 1906. He then moved to [[London]] in 1914, where he worked as an importer and seller of various products that included wool, woollen goods, and berets. He served in the [[British Army]] in [[World War I]], joining the [[Labour Corps (British Army)|Labour Corps]] to drive ambulances, and obtained [[British nationality law|British nationality]] in 1920. In 1938 he was joined by his nephew Joseph Meisner to open and run the first Kangol factory at [[Cleator|Cleator, Cumbria, England]]. A second factory was opened at nearby [[Frizington]], and later, under the direction of Spreiregen's younger nephew Sylvain Meisner, a third factory, manufacturing motorcycle helmets and seat belts in [[Carlisle]]. Kangol was the major supplier of berets for the armed forces during [[World War II]]; the company also provided the berets for the [[Great Britain at the 1948 Summer Olympics|British Olympic Team in 1948]].