# Pendleton



## boatswaindog (Nov 18, 2010)

I received a catalog and thought them worth a mention. Although some of the clothes are listed as 'imported', a fair amount of their traditional woolen clothing is listed as "imported made of USA fabric". America's oldest woolen mill is still making the traditional robes and woolen shirts in the traditional tartan patterns. And the blankets are all made in the USA. Definitely worth a look.


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

I didn't know that Pendleton had outlets aside from thrift stores.


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## dks202 (Jun 20, 2008)

32rollandrock said:


> I didn't know that Pendleton had outlets aside from thrift stores.


Outlet in San Marcos, Tx.


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## AncientMadder (Apr 21, 2011)

I drove through Pendleton, Oregon, a few weeks ago and stopped at the Pendleton store. Saw some nice blankets but no clothes that I would wear.


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## Snow Hill Pond (Aug 10, 2011)

I'm torn about Pendleton. Living in the Poconos, I've got my fair share of older USA-made Pendleton shirts for the winter. By and large, the shirts that I have are good. Their Board Shirt is iconic, if you're of a certain age. Their Sir Pendletons are very good. I have a USA-made red-and-black wool mackinaw that is handed down from my dad. It is very good.

But production of their shirts went offshore a while back, and I don't really get a feeling that they're focused on their product. For example, I don't think they make a mackinaw anymore. Also, the multiple weights of shirting and the various shirt cuts are very confusing. The Board Shirt is loose and the Sirs are more trim. But it is hard to find anything on the web site that helps you find that information. My overall impression is that Pendleton is a shell of their former selves. If Filson is the standard and Woolrich is a lesser brand. Pendleton today is closer to Woolrich than to Filson.

I recently bought a Filson Original Wool Shirt (hecho en Mexico) and can safely say that the Filson is a much better product than the Pendletons (USA-made or otherwise). The wool is more tightly knit and the the resulting fabric is less itchy.


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## hookem12387 (Dec 29, 2009)

dks202 said:


> Outlet in San Marcos, Tx.


Really?


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## 32rollandrock (May 1, 2008)

*My overall impression is that Pendleton is a shell of their former selves. If Filson is the standard and Woolrich is a lesser brand. Pendleton today is closer to Woolrich than to Filson.
*
I would agree with this. I only encounter Pendleton when thrifting, but, more and more, it's crap--the thrill of finding one is gone until inspection confirms it's old school. Just got back from thrifting and spotted a make-believe Pendleton shirt, cotton and crappy, with the iconic blue-and-yellow tag that said "Warranted to be authentic" then a "Made In Kenya" beneath. I almost bought it simply because I'd never seen anything like it, but if I did that with everything that was weird/unique, there would be no room to walk in my house.


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## Taken Aback (Aug 3, 2009)

What about the sport coats? I've lusted after their black watch one (the true sportcoat cut, not the one with the western pockets, or the other lesser jacket), but have never actually handled one. Are they worse than I think?


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## CMDC (Jan 31, 2009)

I've seen some older sport coats when thrifting and they weren't bad--darted, but pretty nice quality. That said, I've also seen one of their more recent models in store--an unconstructed, heavy wool tartan, 3/2.5 roll job. It just didn't work. The shape and cut was really odd--even though the shoulders had no padding, the cut still made them almost parallel to the ground. The jacket was like a perfect rectangle shape. Looked horrible.


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## Annapolitan (Jun 24, 2011)

I've been looking for some heavier-duty wool stuff lately since Filson has gone somewhat offshore and have been considering products from Bemidji and Johnson woolen mills both of which seem to have exclusivley or mostly USA-made stuff that looks like the real deal:

*https://www.bemidjiwoolenmills.com/

https://johnsonwoolenmills.com/*


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## LawSuits (Nov 1, 2011)

My colleague just purchased a Filson jacket and it is my first exposure to their products. It is a very handsome jacket and I suspect he will have it for the rest of his life - the fabric seems first rate and so does the making. I have some old Pendleton stuff still in service and they were great garments.


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## boatswaindog (Nov 18, 2010)

Last summer I was preparing for winter and tried to find a made in USA wool blanket. I found that Williams Sonoma was offering a good price on the only American out there that I could find. After a month of use in New England I can highly recommend the Pendleton king sized satin lined on four edges wool blanket. I'm going to check out the fabric made in USA wool shirts.


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

boatswaindog said:


> I received a catalog and thought them worth a mention. Although some of the clothes are listed as 'imported', a fair amount of their traditional woolen clothing is listed as "imported made of USA fabric". America's oldest woolen mill is still making the traditional robes and woolen shirts in the traditional tartan patterns. And the blankets are all made in the USA. Definitely worth a look.


They ain't what they used to be. (But neither am I!)


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## Flanderian (Apr 30, 2008)

boatswaindog said:


> Last summer I was preparing for winter and tried to find a made in USA wool blanket. I found that Williams Sonoma was offering a good price on the only American out there that I could find. After a month of use in New England I can highly recommend the Pendleton king sized satin lined on four edges wool blanket. I'm going to check out the fabric made in USA wool shirts.


I have little doubt they're very nice. Johnson Woolen Mills, Johnson Vt., also still makes serious wool blankets.

https://johnsonwoolenmills.com/index.php?l=search_list&s[search]=blanket&s[title]=Y&s[short_desc]=Y&s[full_desc]=Y&s[sku]=Y&s[match]=all&s[cid]=0


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## Himself (Mar 2, 2011)

I have Pendleton shirts old and new, including one that my mother bought for my father in 1960. Quality of all is similar. I've been wearing this stuff hard for 30 years and it has held up very well.

Filson stuff may be nicer, but it's also _way_ more upmarket -- twice as expensive and then some.


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## Epaminondas (Oct 19, 2009)

Just took delivery of a Filson Wool Mackinaw Cruiser style 110 in green; Liked it so much I orderd one in red/balck - both Made in USA. Still mulling on the Wool Tweed Clays Jacket......


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## Snow Hill Pond (Aug 10, 2011)

Himself said:


> I have Pendleton shirts old and new, including one that my mother bought for my father in 1960. Quality of all is similar. I've been wearing this stuff hard for 30 years and it has held up very well.
> 
> Filson stuff may be nicer, but it's also _way_ more upmarket -- twice as expensive and then some.


If you compare the Filson to a Pendleton, then it's hard not to notice the appreciable difference between the two immediately. After buying my first Filson original wool shirt, I found it hard to go back to the Pendletons. The difference is that stark. It doesn't make the Pendletons bad. It's just that the Filson wool shirt is a great shirt.

Whether it is worth the additional expense, that's up to the buyer...


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## Mazama (May 21, 2009)

Snow Hill Pond said:


> If you compare the Filson to a Pendleton, then it's hard not to notice the appreciable difference between the two immediately. After buying my first Filson original wool shirt, I found it hard to go back to the Pendletons. The difference is that stark. It doesn't make the Pendletons bad. It's just that the Filson wool shirt is a great shirt.
> 
> Whether it is worth the additional expense, that's up to the buyer...


I'm a huge fan of (classic) Filson models and current Pendleton shirts.

I'll bet dollars to donuts that the woolen Filson shirt you like so much was from Pendleton fabric in the same Mexican factory (not sure who owns it) that makes Pendleton shirts.

E.g., I've seen "Filson" fabric coming off the looms in Pendleton, OR.

Of course it's made to Filson specs which differ from Pendleton and sells for 30% more.

I'm a fan of current Pendleton "Fireside" (BDC), Sir Pendleton (BDC) and Trail shirts to wear underneath my Filson Jac-Shirt, #85 and #110s (all Seattle-made).


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## YoungClayB (Nov 16, 2009)

Interesting that this thread popped back up. I just thrifted a Pendleton tweed jacket that is VERY nice. I'm going to get the sleeves shortened a hair and swap out the buttons. Look for it soon in the WAYWT thread! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

I am interested in this concept of "quality" that keeps popping up here with no specifics. How is it measured? Does someone actually get down with a strong lens and count the threads per inch? No one has shown any pictures of new garments with badly attached sleeves or missing buttons. Come on now, chaps, man up. What are you judging by?


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

I guess this is a better place to post this rather than the ebay thread, anyway here goes:

I found these Pendleton Western Cut Sportcoats on ebay, comes in 4 colors with limited size selection, apparently they have been discontinued.

Comes in black, blue, sand, and brown.

Some look like the yokes are leather and some not.What do you guys favor as far as color on these things?


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## Taken Aback (Aug 3, 2009)

I recently contacted them in regards to the differing styles and variations of their tartan jackets and vests, and was sadly disappointed by their reply. They were simply not of help. They actually recommended I refer to eBay after I prefaced my inquiry with the fact I already did so. It would seem I'm far from the first to inquire about this.

To date, I recognize at three variations of tartan jackets, and two versions of vests/waistcoats, sizing up to at least 52". All of these were issued in Black Watch as well as a red tartan (which?). One of the jackets is a true sportcoat cut, another a variation with western pockets, and the third being their "Cruiser" with offset pattern patch pockets.

I'd love some more definitive information here, especially if there were other tartan variations in these styles.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

Let me ask, what do you think of the ones above which I posted?


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## Taken Aback (Aug 3, 2009)

You said it yourself: they're western-style jackets. To me, they're costumes for _Dallas_.

Pendleton's non-western shirts and sport coats, being made in the USA, and of wool, seem to have trad status, but not Pendleton's entire product line.


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## zzdocxx (Sep 26, 2011)

Yes you are right, I am not attempting to be trad and I live in California. Let's face it, different places are more accepting of different styles.

:icon_viking:

I'll be danged, I didn't even realize this Pendleton thread was in the trad forum, my bad! ! !

:redface:

I won't let it happen again.

:icon_hailthee:


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

We can do a West Coast Surfer Dude Trad but the rest of this forum wouldn't know what we were talking about. :icon_smile_big:


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## Guest (Jan 18, 2020)

Snow Hill Pond said:


> I'm torn about Pendleton. Living in the Poconos, I've got my fair share of older USA-made Pendleton shirts for the winter. By and large, the shirts that I have are good. Their Board Shirt is iconic, if you're of a certain age. Their Sir Pendletons are very good. I have a USA-made red-and-black wool mackinaw that is handed down from my dad. It is very good.
> 
> But production of their shirts went offshore a while back, and I don't really get a feeling that they're focused on their product. For example, I don't think they make a mackinaw anymore. Also, the multiple weights of shirting and the various shirt cuts are very confusing. The Board Shirt is loose and the Sirs are more trim. But it is hard to find anything on the web site that helps you find that information. My overall impression is that Pendleton is a shell of their former selves. If Filson is the standard and Woolrich is a lesser brand. Pendleton today is closer to Woolrich than to Filson.
> 
> I recently bought a Filson Original Wool Shirt (hecho en Mexico) and can safely say that the Filson is a much better product than the Pendletons (USA-made or otherwise). The wool is more tightly knit and the the resulting fabric is less itchy.


Except, of course, that Filson's wool is purchased from Pembleton.


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

Guest-375879 said:


> Except, of course, that Filson's wool is purchased from Pembleton.


Yes, that's true. So the complaint appears to be just another of those, "Things were better when you and I were young, Henry, and the snow was whiter" grumbles.


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## Color 8 (Sep 18, 2015)

One's experience with Pendleton's wool products depends entirely on your choice of garment. Pendleton offers a wide selection of wool fabric ; dressier or more casual, more coarse or fine, machine-washable or dry-clean-only, 100% wool or wool blend with cotton, etc. etc.


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## some_dude (Nov 9, 2008)

I have to say, last year I had the privilege of visiting Pendleton's mill in, you know, Pendleton. It was quite remarkable. That mill primarily (entirely?) makes blankets, and then they have another mill in Washington which makes other products. Anything not wool is generally made in Asia, however.


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

Of course. Oregonians take pride in our wool (and lamb chops!)


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## fishertw (Jan 27, 2006)

I have three button down wool shirts for colder weather as well as a Pendelton robe that is a great product. The company seems to be not what it once was but selected items are still good value.


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## Fading Fast (Aug 22, 2012)

I don't have a long history with Pendleton as, my guess, their stuff was way too expensive for my family growing up, so it's only been in the last ten or so years that I "discovered" the company when we received a blanket from them as a gift. 

Since then, we've bought a couple more of their blankets and I bought an overcoat of theirs a few years back. Every item is incredible: well made, quality fabrics, excellent workmanship, beautiful design - just a really nice product all around. If it was better in years past - holy cow, as, from the few items we have, what they do today is pretty impressive.


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## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

I think the 'not what it once was' is a 'things were better when you and I were young, Henry, and the snow was whiter' argument.


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## some_dude (Nov 9, 2008)

Pendleton is still owned by the Bishop family, which is pretty remarkable. Mort Bishop led the tour of the mill that I was on.


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