Made In… Brooklyn?

Local designers want to manufacture in Philadelphia—but it’s not always possible. by Justin Klugh An idea is born anywhere: scribbles on the back of a napkin, a daydream during a webinar, panicked fumbling for a bedside notebook in the middle of the night. While cleaning out her mother’s belongings after her passing, Maddie Flanigan found

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3 mins read

American handcrafted jeans with Norman Porter Co.

A Stitch in Time by William Beisley With garment manufacturing in Philadelphia at an all-time low, a brand like Norman Porter Co. appears like a denim-clad apparition from the past.  The company’s jeans and other products have all been designed and produced with an almost bygone craftsman approach. Michael and David Stampler, brothers and co-owners

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1 min read

Building a support system for Philly-based design and manufacturing

On the Make by Alex Jones Janell Wysock designs and makes knitted and woven garments. For most of the year, she’s a one-woman shop, using a combination of machine knitting and by-hand techniques to create one-of-a-kind pieces. However, demand from local and regional boutiques outstrips her ability to produce finished garments, and cash flow issues

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4 mins read
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Food: Soy Bien

A Chinatown company churns out tofu
Manufacturing is a centuries-old tradition in Philadelphia, but over the last 50 years, countless factories have left the city. In 1990, Yatsun Wen, a Chinese immigrant, started manufacturing tofu by hand in Chinatown. Now, 20 years later, his company Nature’s Soy has distribution up and down the East Coast, and

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1 min read