The meeps of Yellow-rumped Warblers surrounded us as the sun rose on my 40th birthday. We arrived on the summit of Baker Mountain about 30 minutes before the sun came over McKenzie Mountain, providing ample time for Kaila and me to contemplate where we’ve been and where we’re going. We’re grateful to have had you all along on our trips around the sun. We’ve also been fortunate to have had an incredible life together: starting Adirondack Field, traveling the world, and hopefully leaving a lasting impact that improves the lives of current and future generations.
Adirondack Field began with a goal to simply cut and sew clothing in the United States to provide meaningful employment for American residents and reduce the clothing industry’s impact on the environment. We started with flannels and hats, and cutting and sewing our first flannel in the United States took over 16 months to accomplish. In 2020, the reemerging American garment industry was still finding its feet. We used revenue from these sales not only to grow the business, but also support local organizations and events important to our Adirondack communities. We’ve supported the Barkeater Trails Alliance, Adirondack Health, Adirondack Film, Arts Center Lake Placid, and many others. We couldn’t enjoy a high quality of life without these local institutions.
Since our fledgling start, we’ve learned more about what is possible. In 2023, we opened our store in Lake Placid with American-made, organic cotton t-shirts, the aforementioned hats and flannels, and a small batch of American-made leather goods. Having a store and its associated fixed costs meant we had to diversify fast. We quickly worked with the New York Textile Lab to launch in 2024 our favorite line of products: sweaters, hats and scarves made with New York-raised-and-knit wool and alpaca. Our 2026 yarn sourced raw fiber from six Carbon Beneficial™-certified farms in Upstate including the Adirondacks’ own Blue Pepper Farm.
We also worked with factories in New York City to build our line of men’s outerwear, including what we believe is the most rugged cold-weather waxed cotton jacket made today, the Copperas Waxed Jacket. We also built an incredibly warm parka along with a cold-weather and water-repellent vest perfect for cold November mornings. To fill out the store, we’ve built out some additional small lines including our men’s St. Regis Oxford collection (made in Texas), women’s t-shirts (made in North Carolina), drinkware (made in Lake Placid and Maine), and unique belts (made in Massachusetts). We’re proud of what we’ve created but remain excited about what we have coming.
Where We're Going
That birthday morning spent on the summit of Baker Mountain wasn’t just about a nice time in the woods – we were also testing a new line of men’s and women’s outwear that will keep you warm with white duck down and feathers. We’ve spent the early fall hiking across the Adirondack mountains before sunrise to catch the best wind and temperature conditions to ensure these jackets perform. From 30-knot winds on Wright Peak to sub-freezing temperatures on Pitchoff, we wanted to make sure these jackets do the job. Not only do these jackets push away the wind and cold, they are light enough to pack in your hiking pack or travel suitcase. Both down and fiber fill have their advantages, so we’ll continue to use our proprietary TahawusTec™ fiber fill for our heavyweight jackets (including a new women’s parka we’ve been working on), but we also want to offer down performance products for those seeking lightweight warmth.
We’re also excited to lean further into our warmth brand with an expanded line of cashmere winter sweaters that will be arriving intermittently across the fall and early winter. Working with a new partner in New York City, we’ll be able to offer our own inventory in-store and also reduce our environmental impact by supplying you all with knit-to-order garments. The softness of the Scottish cashmere mixed with domestic manufacturing fosters a quality of garment that is difficult to replicate without years of knitting expertise.
On the brand side, we look forward to expanding our world and introducing you to unique Adirondack stories and destinations. We are a hyper-local brand and we love sharing all that is the Adirondack Park. Stay tuned for new photoshoots, emails, and stories.
As always, thank you for joining us on this journey. Looking forward to another 40 years, with many more sunrise hikes, hopefully with all of you.
Best,
Dan