STEWARDSHIP

For over 125 years Filson roots have been firmly planted in the wild outdoors, and our aim is to keep those roots in healthy soil. Preserving wildlife, habitat and access for future generations of outdoorsmen and women is one of our highest priorities. We actively partner with and support numerous conservation organizations, including the National Forest Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, the Conservation Alliance, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance and more.

It’s also important how we do things. The products we manufacture are built to last, and our expert team performs repairs on Filson products to further extend their life. The skilled craftsmen in Filson’s Restoration Department (FRD) are continually crafting one-off luggage and bags utilizing dead-stock and salvaged materials. Each of these bags is a unique creation–a variant of the original, bolstered and reinforced for another lifetime of use. The efforts of these resourceful team members helps keeps our bags in service and out of landfills.

In Filson’s daily operations, minimizing waste is a top priority. Our breakrooms contain stoneware coffee cups and dishwashing stations rather than disposable cups. All packaging waste is stringently sorted into recyclable, compostable or trash. We’ve invested heavily in precision machinery to maximize efficiencies in our factories. Filson has a dedicated team working with consultants for a fresh perspective on every aspect of our operations to identify areas where we can further reduce our footprint.

Filson firmly believes that ideals without action are meaningless, and our actions today will determine the state of our natural world for every tomorrow.

Filson began as a manufacturer of goods using natural, sustainable materials such as wool and cotton, and that legacy continues. We insulate our warmest coats and parkas with goose down that is RDA-compliant (Responsible Down Act) and is processed in bluesign®-approved facilities.

Filson strives to maximize the use of recycled content in our synthetic fabrics and fills. We choose Polartec® fleece and PrimaLoft® insulations with recycled content. Other synthetic fabrics are sourced from mills using environmentally-sound practices. Filson is constantly seeking and evaluating innovative textiles solutions that perform in the backcountry while causing minimal environmental impact.

Filson Bridle Leather is vegetable-tanned in a special solution made with tree bark. It’s a long, slow process that yields a superior product without the use of caustic chemicals employed in other tanning methods.

FILSON HAS BEEN A WOOL EXPERT FOR OVER 122 YEARS. In fact, our original name in 1897 was Seattle Woolen Manufacturing Company, Pioneer Alaska Clothing and Blanket Manufacturers. We got our start making woolen goods to outfit the adventurous prospectors heading north seeking fortunes in the Alaskan Gold Rush. Clothing and food, tents and stoves, picks and shovels—all of the supplies required to survive a year in the frigid Klondike region—were hauled up and over the treacherous Chilkoot Pass trail. Read more...

There are good reasons Filson uses Bridle Leather for our products. For nearly 125 years we’ve manufactured clothing and gear built to survive the world’s harshest environments, and believe that the wallet you carry should meet those same tough standards. Its rugged durability also makes Bridle Leather the perfect candidate for belts and bags that last a lifetime. Vegetable-tanned leather is naturally processed with no dangerous chemicals, minimizing the potential for disastrous environmental impact. Because our Bridle Leather is time-consuming to produce, it’s not inexpensive, but we believe the results are well worth the investment. Read more...

What worked then still works today. While science and chemistry have produced some amazing options for raingear in recent years, sometimes the best option for wet-weather protection has existed for over a century. There are certainly situations when technical waterproof fabrics are a must, but there are also times when traditional waxed cotton is the preferred option. Read more...

Filson’s 123-year legacy is outfitting miners, loggers, ranchers, and sportsmen with durable apparel and goods that provide unfailing protection. For more than two decades, we’ve applied more than a century of manufacturing experience to build luggage and bags to transport their gear there and back, without fail. Our Rugged Twill fabric is a large part of why our bags are so dependable – this article examines what it is and where it comes from. Read more...

For nearly three decades, Filson luggage built with Rugged Twill and Bridle Leather has set the standard for toughness and dependability. Our newly-introduced collection of ripstop nylon luggage and bags captures that same rugged reliability, in a lighter and more flexible form. Ripstop nylon, with its crosshatch pattern of reinforcing threads, was instrumental to the allies during WWII, and later revolutionized backpacking gear. Read more...

Filson down comes from geese that have been raised for the food supply, primarily in Europe. This means that the geese were raised for the table, and their down feathers are collected after harvesting. Filson only uses goose down supplied by Allied Feather & Down, the industry leader in quality, responsibly-sourced down. Allied, in cooperation with forward-thinking outdoor companies, the Textile Exchange, and Germany’s Control Union, helped establish the Responsible Down Standard (RDS)—a voluntary global standard aiming to ensure that all down feathers come from animals that have been subjected to no unnecessary harm. Read more...

Filson Denim is the latest chapter in a legacy that spans over a century of outfitting customers for the most demanding conditions. Only the finest and most rugged materials are sourced for our unfailing goods. By manufacturing limited runs in the American West from fine selvage denim, we ensure each pair of jeans meets the exacting standards befitting the Filson name. When toughness is a must, you might as well have the best. Read more...