Our Mission -
"To inspire and connect people to the outdoors; steeped in tradition, quality and respect for nature.”
Our focus is to design and make quality outdoor clothing inspired by Minnesota's Boundary Waters and other wild places. We strive to build community by relying on local labor, paying livable wages and giving generously. We design, cut and sew our clothing in MN.
Video by: Black Feather Creative
Our Values
Family and Community -
We hold family values to a high standard and our employees are part of the family, and we go the extra mile for our community.
Since 1987, Wintergreen has quietly nurtured the trend to "bring it home" – to return the design and crafting of apparel from overseas factories to main street America. Our shop is front and center in downtown Ely, famous as Minnesota's 'end of the road' northern border town.
We stand proudly with the groundswell of small manufacturing businesses nationwide that are successfully revitalizing small-town America. We seek to build community by relying on local talent, paying living wages, and giving generously to the community. “Bring it home” also extends to our source materials: most of our fleece fabric is US-made.
Environment -
We live the outdoor life and want to preserve it and to inspire others to live theirs.
Wintergreen's roots lay in crafting clothing to meet the demands of our adventure pursuits, which have taken us to both ends of the earth --the Arctic & Antarctic-- and many remote places in between. But the center of our universe is the Boundary Waters, the vast pristine lake-land forest that straddles the Minnesota-Ontario border. This, the world’s premier canoe country and America’s “dogsledding capital,” is where we live, work and play. It is the inspiration for our designs and our year-round test lab.
Thinking Big, Thinking Differently -
Change is necessary and we expect it. EVERYONE can make a difference and we are ALWAYS improving and learning from our customers.
We value customer feedback and an engaging workplace to collaboratively craft the best possible garments and continue improving our products.
Doing the Right Thing, Together -
We believe in doing the right thing and working together, Virtue governs our choices and behavior.
Our passion for our product reflects our passion for our adventurous and beautiful Northwoods region and the renowned border town of Ely that we call home.
Regardless of where your outdoor interests lie, you’ll find that Wintergreen Northern Wear will deliver exactly what we promise: quality, distinction, performance, and "Made in USA" pride. Walk the talk with Wintergreen by wearing garments that are built to last and reflect a commitment to core values and community.
Our Namesake
Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), is a hardy little boreal shrub that thrives year round, but especially in the winter – just like our garments!
Family Business
