Feathered Friends
Feathered Friends is a Seattle maker of down sleeping bags, down clothing and bedding, founded in 1972 by Peter and Carol Hickner. It manufactures in Seattle and runs its own outdoor store in the city.
| Founded | 1972 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Peter and Carol Hickner |
| Headquarters | Seattle, Washington |
| Manufacturing | Seattle (SoDo) |
| Down standard | Responsible Down Standard |
| Website | featheredfriends.com |
What is Feathered Friends?
Feathered Friends is a family-run American outdoor company specialising in down. It is known among climbers and backpackers for its sleeping bags and down jackets, which are made in its own facilities in Seattle.
History
Peter and Carol Hickner started the business in 1972, making outdoor gear in their basement on a second-hand industrial sewing machine. The company is now run by the second generation of the family.
Products and positioning
- Down sleeping bags
- Down jackets and other apparel
- Down comforters, pillows and sheets
Production takes place in two factory locations in Seattle's SoDo district. All down is certified to the Responsible Down Standard, and the company also repairs older bags, some decades old.
Distribution
Feathered Friends sells through its online shop and its Seattle store on Yale Avenue North, which also stocks mountaineering and backpacking equipment from other brands. It also offers gear rentals.
Why it matters
The company is a rare example of an outdoor brand that has kept specialist manufacturing in a major US city for more than five decades, built on repairability and certified materials.
Frequently asked questions
Where are Feathered Friends sleeping bags made?
Feathered Friends makes its products in two factory locations in Seattle's SoDo district.
Who founded Feathered Friends?
Feathered Friends was founded in 1972 by Peter and Carol Hickner, and is now run by the second generation of the family.