As we celebrate our independence and freedom as a nation this weekend, we thought we’d share the stories of a selection of American-made brands we admire.  

1. The Things We Keep

Founded in 2011, The Things We Keep is an architectural jewelry line headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. Based on the idea that of all the things we accumulate in our lifetime, the things that stay with us are the things we keep most dear to us. All work is designed and fabricated by hand in NYC.  

Previously a marketing executive for nine years, Kay Wang brings a unique outsider's perspective to art in her work as a designer and an intense focus and scrutiny on craftsmanship as a jeweler; a focus on sculptural design and impeccable workmanship have become signatures to her line. 

2. Ebbetts Field Flannels

"In 1988, my search for an original, wool uniform led me to a warehouse containing baseball flannel dating from the 40's. I bought in one bolt at a time and we literally built our company on it."
- Jerry Cohen, Owner and Founder

Ebbets Field Flannels continues to be run by its original founders, and remains committed to bringing the quality, beauty and craftsmanship of mid-Century American athletic garments to a 21st Century public.

3. Ace & Everett

Our grandfather, Raymon "Ace" Everett Disch, showed us what it means to build your own American dream. He was a man of effortless confidence and lived to be a man of great style. "Ace" wore a crisply folded pocket square and tie pins when inspecting his machines at the crack of dawn. His commitment to quality and attention to detail was impeccable. We draw inspiration from him in everything we do.

Our partnership with a family-run hosiery mill, based in the USA, is a great source of pride. Each pair of Ace & Everett socks receives individual care from the factory's 275 employees, and are carefully handled in a mill that has been open since 1920.

4. Tellason

Tony Patella and Pete Searson have been like-minded friends since 1990. Their love for durable goods, their respect for where they came from and who made them is found in their brand. "We are 100% committed to the city of San Francisco and will make our jeans here and only here, forever. This place is the home of blue jean culture as we know it and moving production somewhere else to save a couple of bucks just won't happen. If you know us, you know this to be true..."

5. FOTO

The economy was still recovering from the 2008 crisis and I knew at that time it would be difficult to rely solely on donations to continue our work. I was inspired to create a socially conscious product so that we could have a sustainable business model that would ensure Fotolanthropy could continue the work of documenting inspiring true stories. A camera strap seemed to be the perfect fit since it would support a movement of photographers and filmmakers. The dream of Fotostrap was developed on a 16 hour road trip to Colorado and then came to life in 2012. 

When we started talking about creating a camera strap to help support Fotolanthropy, we knew we wanted our product to reflect the same aesthetic, with high-quality materials and a timeless look. We also strongly felt it was important for us to be creating a product that is made in the United States.

We take pride that our materials’ purchasing, manufacturing and production begin and end in the USA. We are proud to provide jobs in our country, to foster fair and safe commerce, and proudly stand behind the higher standard of our American made products.

6. Topo Designs

The idea around simplicity and the sense of connectedness with the things we own is a huge part of Topo Designs. A big part of that inherent connectedness also relies on how and where we make our products, we really value the fact that we can work here in Colorado. We are lucky enough to work with our friends and neighbors to make our products and every time we use them we carry a little piece of that community around with us.

Enjoy this round-up? Check out our Better than a Tie and Spoil Your Mom round-ups for more products and brands we love!

Related: Fashion, Fotostrap, Made in USA, Small Business