At Noah, we talk a lot about buying smarter and buying better, and almost nothing supports this belief more than some of the items we make in the USA. Lasting quality aside, there’s a certain satisfaction that comes with producing products with families that have been quietly doing the same thing for decades in the face of companies shifting mass production overseas as a cheaper option. Enter Stormy Kromer, a small family-owned manufacturer now based in Ironwood, MI that has been producing their iconic winter caps since the early 1900s when George “Stormy” Kromer, a semi-pro baseball player and railroad engineer, kept losing his hat on the train and asked his wife, Ida, to sew an earband on his favorite ball cap to keep his ears warm and the hat snug.
George Kromer, pictured here third from the right.
When, in 2001, Bob and Denise Jacquart heard that production of the Kromer cap would soon cease they sprang into action to save it - eventually purchasing the original Stormy Kromer and keeping its roots home in the upper midwest (moving production from Milwaukee to Ironwood). The Jacquart’s were not new to this line of business having run their own fabric and production company since the 1950s, making everything from fleece hats to boat covers.
Nearly all production for Stormy Kromer is done in the USA, with all of their iconic hats made right there in Michigan. When they do require specialized machines or extra capacity they turn to their trusted partners such as apparel factories in New York and California, knitting mills in New Jersey and screen printers in Wisconsin. They even have a manufacturer in Honduras — a family-run business that’s certified by the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP) program.
Shared quality and manufacturing practices aside, we’re always proud to work with companies still producing in the USA that also have the same outlook on social responsibility and action that we do. The Stormy Kromer team regularly partners with with St. Luke’s N.E.W. Life Center in Flint, Michigan, a non-profit that provides life skills, education, and workplace training. Workers in their industrial sewing center currenlty produce several of their popular apparel items.
For Fall / Winter ‘22 our small collection of caps made in Ironwood, MI are constructed using our 100% cotton English Corduroy from Brisbane Moss. Complete with ear flaps, these heavyweight hand-stitched caps - no matter how hard you are on them - will keep you warm and snug for winters to come.
Archival imagery courtesy Stormy Kromer.
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