United States
Filson's 125th Anniversary Celebration
Since 1897, Filson has been outfitting the bold men and women of the Pacific Northwest. This October 5th, we’ll be celebrating our milestone 125th year at our Sodo Flagship location. Featuring a live performance by special guests Modest Mouse, exclusive Filson giveaways, and more. Only 250 tickets are available to the public. Enter your information below for your chance to join us for an unforgettable Filson experience.
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LIMITED EDITION ANNIVERSARY PRODUCTS
125th Anniversary Archival Mackinaw Cruiser
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125 YEARS OF UNFAILING GOODS
For 125 years Filson’s uncompromising commitment to quality has defined our authenticity. We have built trust within the community to become more than a clothing brand. We are stewards of the American outdoor tradition. We’re proud of the story we’ve written. Here’s to the next chapter.
1850
Clinton Cloraneer Filson was born in Ohio, his family soon becoming early pioneers to Nebraska. His early adulthood was spent as a railway conductor for the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad. C.C. Filson married Winifred C. Egbert in 1887.
1891
C.C. Filson ventured west to the Seattle region. He initially operated a dry goods store on the east side of Lake Washington before moving north to equip miners in the short-lived gold rush near Monte Cristo, Washington.
1897
The SS Portland docked in Seattle loaded with gold from the Yukon, triggering a frenetic rush of fortune-seekers through Seattle on their way to the gold fields. C.C. Filson opened our first store on Seattle’s First Avenue to equip those bound for the Klondike, naming our company Seattle Woolen Manufacturing Company, Pioneer Alaska Clothing and Blanket Manufacturers.
1905
Seattle had grown exponentially during the Alaskan Gold Rush, creating unprecedented demand for timber. As the Gold Rush fervor waned, the logging industry in the Pacific Northwest boomed. Filson outfitted the hardworking foresters and loggers with durable waxed cotton clothing later to be known as Tin Cloth.
1912
Filson introduced the Original Hunting Coat, a waxed cotton jacket valued by sportsmen for the next 90 years. By 1920 the Filson product line included goose-down sleeping bags, backpacks, and other sporting gear.
1914
On March 3rd, Filson was awarded U.S. patent #1088891 for the revolutionary Cruising Shirt. This Wool Cruiser featured a vast pocket array engineered for foresters cruising timber ahead of logging crews. It was offered both as a pullover and a button-front coat, the latter remaining our most popular coat more than a century later.
The Cruiser’s tremendous functionality led to versions being made in Red/Black plaid for hunters, waxed cotton for loggers, and midweight wool Forestry Cloth that when combined with pants of the same material was known as the “Alaskan Tuxedo.”
1925
Filson waxed-cotton clothing had become standard attire for U.S. Forest Service personnel working in Pacific Northwest forests, according to a first-hand account in The Ranger in Charge, an essay on file in the National Museum of Forest Service History.
1937
Ducks Unlimited was founded by a small group of conservationists who realized that the disappearance of untold acres of wetland habitat would lead to severely decreased populations of waterfowl. DU has since become the world leader in waterfowl conservation, their tireless efforts preserving and restoring the habitat vital to countless wildlife species.
1950
A young bear was rescued from a wildfire in New Mexico’s Capitan Mountains. The injured cub was named Smokey Bear and became the living embodiment of the U.S. Forest Service’s wildfire prevention campaign. Smokey lived another 25 years, his message impacting generations of Americans.
1975
Filson introduced the original Jac-Shirt, a sturdy wool overshirt that provides the warmth of a light jacket. Its multi-function versatility has made the Jac-Shirt a trusted outdoor staple for nearly five decades, and a foundation of an expanding category of outdoor clothing.
1991
Filson launched our Rugged Twill luggage and bags series with the introduction of Field Bags built with lightly waxed, industrial-strength fabric from Britain’s iconic British Millerain. The handles and straps were built with vegetable-tanned Bridle Leather from the 155-year leather experts at Wickett & Craig.
1996
The Filson Alaskan Guide Shirt was introduced, made from a dense cotton flannel renowned for its warmth and durability. Over the past 25 years, it’s earned the trust of bush pilots, tradesmen, ranchers, and outdoorsmen worldwide. This stalwart serves as the anchor of our extensive assortment of flannels.
1998
Construction of the new Seattle Mariners stadium, now T-Mobile Park, pre-empted a Filson relocation to a new location on Fourth Avenue South in Seattle, with our headquarters, factories, and flagship retail store all sharing the same building. The previous Filson store stood where third base is now located.
2006
Filson opened its first store outside of Seattle, signaling the beginning of a retail expansion that would greatly increase the opportunities for hands-on experience with Filson products.
2013
Filson relocated our headquarters to the Star Building on First Avenue South in Seattle’s SODO (South of the Dome) neighborhood. This distinctive, sometimes gritty neighborhood is named after the King Dome–the first home of the Seattle Seahawks, built in 1976 and demolished in 2000.
2015
Filson relocated its Seattle Flagship store from our Fourth Avenue location into our HQ building on First Avenue, expanding the floor space to 6,000 square feet. Along with the full Filson product line, the store bristles with historic industrial artifacts, unique Pacific Northwest art, and a dedicated Filson Workshop where skilled craftsmen create unique and one-off products.
2017
Filson opened its first Canadian retail stores, in Vancouver, B.C. and Toronto, Ont. These were Filson’s second and third international stores, after the London store that opened in 2013.
2021
The Seattle Kraken hockey team began its inaugural season, with Filson a staunch supporter and sponsor. Seattle has a long hockey history, with the Metropolitans winning the 1917 Stanley Cup, but never had an NHL team prior to the Kraken. Exclusive Filson x Kraken gear can be found only in the Kraken team store.