An American Giant

American Giant (AG) opened their doors a few years ago to an idea many thought absurd: They could invest in technology and engineering to produce the best American made clothing at an affordable price, and reignite manufacturing towns creating new jobs along the way, long before “Make America Great Again” was ever a coined term.AG knew from the get-go that the apparel industry faces massive competition from overseas. Established Asian manufacturers can produce cheaper and faster in their state of the art facilities and sweat shops. But nothing stands in the face of American determination, and audacious American’s have an international reputation for saying “screw it” and doing it anyway. So, they set out to create the best product on the market, work harder and smarter and assembled a soppy chain of people and materials to accomplish that end.

They looked to classics for innovation, their first product was the classic zip-up and pull over hoodies built to the same weight and quality of your Grandpa’s back in the heyday of U.S. manufacturing. But there was a problem, there was no factory in the country that was willing to make a product that overbuilt. It was too hard. The hoodies materials and construction was so heavy that factories flat out refused to attempt to manufacture it, saying it could not be done. Most sweatshirts are made from synthetic blends, but AG set their sights on 100-percent cotton construction. The weight of 100-percent cotton, at the absurd 13oz. fabric weight, meant that it was unruly to work with and exceptionally heavy. They use American harvested long fiber cotton, so that it holds up during the yarning and kitting process with minimal breakage. Then it’s fleeced. They use a three-end fleece, the fabric is knit with a loop, a face and a tie yard—most fleeces are two end, without the tie yarn, which reduces durability. The three-end knitting process was nearly extinct when AG and Carolina Cotton Works brought the aging machine out of a dusty corner and started the reconstruction process.This type of clothing manufacturing has not been seen in the U.S. since the end of the ‘60s. All of AG’s products are made right here on U.S. soil, and are made by a skilled workforce—people that do this for a living because they are good at it, and they get paid well to do it. When you buy American, you vote with your dollars for a stronger, more competitive manufacturing economy.

If you are interested in supporting American Giant and their mission, stop by their website and look at their product offerings. While their premium product is not cheap, it is competitively priced and the quality is absolutely outstanding. From heavy spun American Cotton, to full metal YKK zippers, to a tailored fit that is just right, they have it for you.