Founder of Haggar Company Dies at 94

DALLAS —  Joseph Marion Haggar Sr., founder of the Haggar Apparel Co., the nation’s largest privately owned apparel manufacturer, who coined the word slacks, has died at a hospital at age 94, it was learned today.

Haggar, who would have been 95 on Sunday, died Tuesday after a long illness. He founded his company in 1926, 19 years after coming to the United States from Lebanon. His company was responsible for such innovations as “wash ‘n’ wear” slacks in 1958, permanent press slacks in 1965 and “double knit” slacks in 1968.