THE NORTH FACE LAUNCHES SECOND INSTALLMENT OF THE BACKYARD PROJECT

Outdoor lifestyle brand The North Face has launched the second installment of its locally produced, Made in the U.S.A. clothing line, The Backyard Project, which originally launched in 2014. The Backyard Project line will include men’s t-shirts, as well as both men’s and women’s full zip and pullover hoodies, priced from $40-$90. The line will now be available in more than eight colors.

For The Backyard Project, The North Face has brought together a collective of farmers, artisans and small businesses to achieve increased production, new styles and colors and a lower price point for consumers. In addition, The North Face moved the majority of production from the Bay Area to Los Angeles for this edition in order to scale the project. The North Face now works with small Los Angeles-based businesses including JC Industries and Care-Tex Industries, who represent a combined 118 years of experience in the apparel industry and deep expertise in domestic manufacturing.

“The Backyard Project is about connecting with local artisans right here in the U.S.A.,” said Sumi Scott, director of sportswear, The North Face. “It’s about knowing which farms grew your cotton, who spun the yarn, or how your product was dyed. We learned a lot during Backyard’s 2014 introduction and challenged ourselves to produce a bigger run of locally sourced clothing this season.”

“The Backyard Project emphasizes the importance of Made in the U.S.A.,” said Paul Kang, director of Care-Tex Industries, who dyed The Backyard Project garments this year. “The more that large brands can raise awareness of the potential for domestic production, the more likely the consumer will be to seek out domestically produced garments. It’s great to see The North Face supporting this movement.”