Results: Your Canadian Roots Turn 50

Canada's favourite home-grown clothing brand is turning 50 this month, and celebrating in a very Canadian way. Established in 1973, Roots is a premium outdoor lifestyle brand that unites the best of cabin and city. From its early beginnings in a small cabin in Canada's Algonquin Park to its first store in Toronto, Ontario, Roots has grown to more than 120 stores across North America, more than 150 stores internationally. Do you have any Roots clothing?

Roots will mark this occasion with several limited edition collection launches and collaborations as well as a new content series called, Roots Stories. These stories are from generations of Roots customers, and the part Roots pieces have played in their lives as told by Roots customers - from everyday folks to notable personalities. Do you like when clothing brands go beyond their merchandise and talk about the stories behind the people who buy their clothes?

One story, of course, is from the two men who started the brand 50 years ago. Michael Budman and Don Green, two Toronto boys met at summer camp in Algonquin Park, three hours north of Toronto. They bonded over and fell in love with the ideals and beauty of Canada. Starting from a little cabin, they created Roots, inspired by the experience of travelling from their city homes into the heart of Canada's wilderness. They started with footwear, because, as they believed, "your feet really are your roots, as they're connected to the ground like a tree is". Do you think Roots is a good name for what first started as a footwear company?

Roots has always offered quality lifestyle clothes, and their iconic "73" brand line (named for their origins in 1973) is still one of their best sellers. As far as quality, I for one can attest to that. I still have a Roots sweatshirt I bought in 1990, and it has been worn and washed so many times, but still is going strong. Roots stands out from other brands by its customer loyalty, priding itself as a place of inclusivity, diversity, and open-mindedness, and never forgetting where they came from - their heritage and Canadian beginnings. Do you know another clothing brand that has both stayed true to its "roots" and evolved to stay current -- and succeeding?