Pendleton Woolen Mills, a lifestyle brand with roots as a Pacific Northwest woolen manufacturer since 1863, said it has re-acquired its outerwear license from Item House Inc. but has retained the team that helped elevate the outerwear line.
Pendleton said it is investing in outerwear as a strategic growth initiative, following what it described as the “culmination of a long and successful partnership for two Pacific Northwest companies.” Pendleton will focus on leveraging the technical fabric and outerwear expertise of Item House to expand on Pendleton’s heritage of innovation in fabric and apparel for the outdoors.
Item House has been a licensee of Pendleton’s since 1999. The core Item House team will remain in Tacoma, Wash., as a Pendleton Woolen Mills satellite office.
“We are very excited to continue the outerwear innovation and growth we have witnessed throughout our partnership with Item House,” John Bishop, president and CEO of Pendleton, said. “This is an investment in an important product category. We’re looking forward to leveraging the expertise that our new team members have in technical fabrics and sourcing across other Pendleton lines. Our teams have been working together for years and our cultures mesh nicely.”
The re-acquisition is an expansion of the classic apparel and outerwear styling that Pendleton has been creating since the early 1900s. The company said the transition will be seamless and is effective with the fall 2020 product line, which has been a joint development and will feature a full range of outerwear for men and women.
Pendleton Woolen Mills specializes in wool blankets, apparel and accessories. Founded in 1863 and located in Portland, Ore., the company weaves its products in two of America’s remaining woolen mills, located in Pendleton, Ore., and Washougal, Wash. Pendleton products are available at Pendleton stores across the U.S., select retailers worldwide and on pendleton-usa.com.