The North Face

Brand Overview

The North Face, founded by hiking enthusiasts, began as a humble retail store in San Francisco. Within two decades, the company would emerge as a global authority in high-performance, camping, hiking, skiing gear, with an emphasis on active apparel for extreme weather conditions. The company has also played a large role in educating the public about ecological concerns and raising money for environmental causes.

Brand History

The North Face began in 1966 as a retail store for high-performance climbing and backpacking equipment, founded by hiking enthusiasts. The store was located in the North Beach district of San Francisco, but its name referred to the north face of a mountain, which in the Northern Hemisphere, is the coldest, iciest and most difficult to climb. Before long, the budding company was known as The North Face.

In 1968, The North Face began designing and manufacturing its own brand of high-performance mountaineering apparel and equipment, with much of the production taking place in the back of the store. A year later, the Sierra Parka, which would later become an Outerwear classic, was introduced. The following year, the company introduced the Ruthsac pack, a first step in the evolution of internal frame packs. Later in 1970, The North Face opened its own factory in Berkeley, CA, next door to the rehearsal space of Creedence Clearwater Revival.

In 1975, the company introduced the Oval Intention tent, the first lightweight geodesic tent, and also the first tent to incorporate flexible aluminum poles. That year, the company also inaugurated the Ice-9 Award, a prize for the entity contributing most to the ecological destruction of the Earth. 1975's award recipient: the Atomic Energy Commission (later the Nuclear Regulatory Commission).

In the early 1980s, extreme skiwear was added to the product offering, the first ski apparel line designed for the extreme and technical user. In 1987 The North Face introduced the Tadpole tent, which would go on to win multiple industrial design awards. By the end of the '80s, The North Face would become recognized as offering the most comprehensive collection of high-performance outerwear, skiwear, sleeping bags, packs and tents. In 1989, the company also co-founded the Outdoor Industry Conservation Alliance for the benefit of specific environmental causes.

In Spring 1996, The North Face made its debut in the sportswear market with the launch of Tekware, a collection of high-performance sportswear designed to provide rock climbers, backpackers, hikers, trail runners and outdoor enthusiasts with the ultimate in fit and function. Later that year, the Company acquired A-5 Adventures, Inc., adding portaledges and other big wall gear to its collection of outdoor equipment. The North Face launched its own line of trekking and trail running shoes in Spring 1999.

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External Links

The North Face Home Page

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