Made in USA is something you don’t see too often anymore especially in apparel. A tough economy has made most people choose a cheaper overseas production rate over national pride while letting craft and skillful blue collar work in America slowly fade away. When Animal first started all of our parts (although a small range of sprockets, pegs, and stems) were made domestically. We continued to make these products domestically until all of our manufacturers slowly started going out of business. We tried finding new manufacturers in the U.S. but they were all closing too. We had started making other products in Taiwan like tires because there were no factories or production outlets anywhere in the states capable of making them. Eventually we had no choice but to take everything overseas.
At the onset of deciding to make a proper clothing line we couldn’t find anywhere locally to make what we wanted so we went overseas. After being involved in the apparel industry and doing some digging we found a few different manufacturers we are really happy to work at home. The first of which was Demartini Canvas who produced our Kenmare back pack. Now we are expanding our Made in USA range with the Branded hat made by our friends at Quintin and Branded jacket made right here in New York City. Both the hat and jacket are made of wax cotton, which was milled in New Jersey where we drove to pick it up right from the factory. Waxed cotton is incredibly durable, windproof and water proof. It wears like leather and only gets better with age. On top of that this jacket is constructed to military-grade specifications. Accompanying these are two t-shirts: the Northern shirt, Made in USA and printed by America Icon in Newburgh, NY and the Branded pocket shirt which was constructed and assembled at a factory in Brooklyn a few blocks from my house.
This collection is small run and only available directly through our
web-store. Although we’d love to produce all of our products domestically right not it’s just not possible. But look out for more small drops of locally made clothing in the future.
