We’re adding to our Made in USA collection with a blazer made in the New York City Garment District. It’s a simple, functional piece that will become a wardrobe staple for years.
With our Made in USA collection, we’re exploring local supply chains and domestic manufacturing. We appreciate the efficiencies produced by the global economy, but want to minimize our footprint with a concentration of domestic manufacturing.
We hope you’re as inspired by the results as we are.
— The Wool&Prince Team
Step 1
SOURCE RAW MATERIALS
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
East of the Cascade Range, where the wool is grown, the climate tends to be extreme—in the summertime, temperatures reach the upper 90s. In the winter, it gets down into the teens. Luckily, sheep have evolved as domesticated animals for over 10,000 years and grow a fleece that is breathable, water-resistant, and retains warmth even when it's wet.
Step 2
DYE, SPIN, WEAVE & FINISH
Washougal, WA
Once the raw wool is all scoured and clean, it gets trucked to Pendleton Woolen Mills® in Washougal, Washington. Now it’s time to make the fabric. 500 lb. cylinders of wool are lowered (by crane!) into a vat of colored dye and hot water. It takes 3-4 hours for the fiber to become saturated with a new hue.
Next, the wool gets carded, separated into strands of roving, and spun into yarn. The bobbins of yarn are then carted to a steam box filled with 200-degree water vapor that causes fibers to lock together and hold their twist.
The yarn is then designated for the warp or the weft. The warp yarns go longways and the weft yarns go back and forth horizontally on the dobby looms. The looms produce about an inch of fabric every few seconds. The last step is finishing and inspection. The fabric is washed, dried, and steamed to give it a soft, smooth feel.
Mill photos by Naoki Kokubo
Step 3
PATTERNMAKING & SEWING
New York, NY
Franco, the pattern maker takes our blazer design and creates the pattern pieces, makes the prototypes, and does the fittings. Once the fitting is approved, we proceed to bulk production.
While Franco is working on the pattern, the bulk fabric is shipped to one of New York City's best garment district factories. YMA has been in business for more than 25 years and has 75 employees. As a small US factory—relative to factories overseas—YMA focus on speed and quality.
Step 4
SHIPPING
Portland, OR
Instead of shipping the blazers to our fulfillment center in St. Louis, we’ll be shipping directly to you from our Portland office.
