“Why are history
and Woolrich
synonymous?”
Because Woolrich is over 180 years old. Impressive, isn’t it?
John Rich, an immigrant from England, built his first woolen mill in Plum Run, Pennsylvania in 1830. He visited lumber camps driving his mule cart, and sold his woolen fabric, cocks, coverlets, and yarn.
By 1845, he built a new mill a couple of miles up the road next to Chatham Run, which provided a steadier source of water. That building exists today as part of the group of buildings, homes, and community establishments that have become Woolrich, Pennsylvania.
Rich could not have imagined that his little woolen mill would witness so much.
“The company would
experience the Civil War,
the Great Depression,
two world wars, and the end
of the Cold War.”
Legend has it that Woolrich was the first company to use a zipper in men’s trousers. The timeless Railroad Vest, introduced when the railroad was being built through Pennsylvania, is still a popular item. Another garment with roots back to the mid-1800′s is the Buffalo Check Shirt that has kept many generations of
outdoorsmen warm.
Technological developments, new production methods, and changing American lifestyles led to new products for all types of outdoor activities–all-wool bathing suits and wool golf knickers joined rugged coats for hunters and trappers. As America took to the roads in the early 1930′s, Woolrich added automobile robes and steamer rugs for the more mobile society. Woolrich was contracted by the government to outfit Admiral Byrd’s expedition to Antarctica in 1939, 1940, and 1941.
Eventually, the introduction of new high-tech materials allowed Woolrich to enhance the performance of its outdoor wear, meeting the needs of a new generation of enthusiasts. Traditional fabrics like wool and cotton teamed up with man-made fibers to create clothing that our customers could rely on for everything from a backpacking trip to a leisurely stroll.
Today the little village of Woolrich is still headquarters for the company, but the business has grown to a worldwide lifestyle company with a full range of outdoor-inspired products, from jackets and shirts to outdoor furniture. The company that provided blankets to the Union soldiers in the Civil War today keeps folks warm under its wonderful throws as they cuddle up by the fireplace. You can buy a wool jacket your great-great grandfather may have worn in the woods or a parka that’s all about the latest in advanced technology.
What has not changed in all those years is Woolrich’s commitment to quality, value, and products that fit the outdoor lifestyle. And most of all, our commitment to you, our customers.
