Woolrich began in 1830 beside Plum Run in Pennsylvania. John Rich built a woolen mill to serve the people who lived and worked nearby. From the start, every product answered a practical need: warmth, protection, and lasting comfort.
Built Around Wool
John Rich brought generations of woolmaking knowledge to central Pennsylvania. At Plum Run, that knowledge became fabrics, socks, and blankets made for local workers and families facing demanding winters. The setting shaped the work. Materials had to perform, construction had to last, and every detail needed a reason to exist. That practical way of thinking remains part of Woolrich today.
A Company and a Place
A village grew around the mill, shaped by the rhythms of work, family, and daily life. Homes, a school, a church, a post office, a park, a baseball field, and a swimming pool became part of the community. First known as Factoryville and later Richville, the village became Woolrich in 1888. The company and the place have shared a name ever since—an enduring connection between what we make and where our story began.
Moments That Shaped Us
1830
1830
John Rich builds first woolen mill in Plum Run, Pennsylvania.
1850
Woolrich introduces the Wool Buffalo Check Shirt.
1861-1865
Woolrich provides the Union Army with Blankets & Uniforms during the American Civil War. Woolrich will remain a supplier to the US Armed Forces for over 150 years.
1880-1885
Woolrich begins to make clothing for recreation and leisure.
1901
Fire strikes the Woolrich mill.
1925
The Birth Of The Pennsylvania Tuxedo.
1939-1940
Woolrich outfits Admiral Richard E. Byrd's Antarctic Service Expedition to establish two permanent US bases in the Antarctic.
1972
The Arctic Parka is introduced in 1972 and later used as cold-weather gear by workers constructing the Alaska oil pipeline from 1975 to 1977.
LATE 1970s
By the late 1970s, Woolrich was offering lightweight protective outerwear for backpacking and mountaineering, reflecting a growing interest in adaptable outdoor layering.
1989
Starting with Italy, Woolrich expands to Europe to become a global brand.
2005
Woolrich celebrates its 175th anniversary. Flagship stores open in Milan, Tokyo and NYC.
2023
Woolrich appoints Todd Snyder as Creative Director of Woolrich Black Label, debuting his first iconic collection in FW24.
The archive
Our archive keeps the Woolrich story in motion. More than a record of what came before, it is a working resource—holding the fabrics, proportions, construction details, and ideas that continue to inform what we make today.
Each garment carries evidence of its purpose and of the people who wore it. By studying those objects closely, we can understand what has endured and decide what is worth carrying forward.
Stories Held in the Archive
Four objects and ideas reveal how Woolrich moved from local necessity into American life.
