When someone tells you they make the greatest hoodie ever, what do you do? You visit their factory outside of San Francisco and see just what all the fuss is about.
Welcome to another edition of TechCrunch Makers where we meet Bayard Winthrop founder of American Giant, an SF-based clothing brand that manufacturers all of its clothing in the US.
Their factory south of the city was surprisingly small and when we were there the workers were assembling some new women’s jackets by hand, snipping off tiny threads and lint-rolling each item before it was packed up for shipment. It’s a fascinating look inside a clothing factory here in the States and it’s interesting to see just how much work goes into one garment.
That Winthrop was willing to lead us through his factory was a testament to his faith in his supplier. He told us that the cost savings associated with sending work overseas was falling rapidly and his efforts to produce cool clothing quickly could only be realized by setting up shop in California and the Carolinas.
And is it the best hoodie in the world? I tried it out and although it’s quite heavy, it’s quite nicely made, durable, and the hood – more of a heavy cowl than a traditional flip up – had a satisfying heft. It could be definitely in the running for best camise.