The company’s success as the first umbrella manufacturer in the United States spawned numerous imitators and by the early 20th century Baltimore was shipping out more than 1.5 million umbrellas annually. Local competitor Polan, Katz & Co. was especially well-known for producing the first nylon umbrellas. To learn more about how Baltimore became the umbrella capital of the world, please visit the BMI’s Garment Loft exhibition.