CLARKFIELD — While politicians talk about bringing American jobs back, this small-town manufacturer has successfully fought to keep them against the odds.
Clarkfield Outdoors continues to produce apparel for outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing, but has also redefined itself to survive in an industry that long ago fled to countries with low labor costs. The American Apparel and Footwear Association reported in 2014 that 97 percent of all clothes sold in the United States are imported.
Clarkfield Outdoors has seen steady growth for six years running now, by expanding from its outdoor clothing focus into the corporate logo and specialty markets. It produces a wide range of high-quality corporate logo items, such as jackets sporting company emblems and colors. It also produces cushions and curtains to furnish a growing ice fish house industry.
