Our original, Archival Rucksack in ranger tan is now available via the AC web shop. Made in Springfield, Oregon, USA, from 22-ounce waxed cotton twill, brass hardware, military-spec cotton webbing, and Horween Chromexcel leather. Practical and free of complications, we’re confident that our Rucksack will equal or exceed any other rucksack available in function, durability, comfort, and long-term value.
If you are looking for a Rucksack colorway or fabric type that is not in stock, please refer to our growing list of Archival retailers.
In the next week, we will be releasing a few new colors of our popular Archival Duffel. Here’s a preview of the new duffel in olive. The Archival Duffel is constructed from the highest quality materials: sturdy #8 cotton duck (18 oz), Horween leather, YKK zippers, and thread are of US origin. Webbing and most of our solid brass hardware is sourced from the UK. Edges are bound in waxed cotton tape and all stress points are bar-tacked or riveted. Meets TSA carry-on limits.
We’re updating the AC web shop with Fall items from Rising Sun, Leather Head Sports, Saint James and Columbiaknit. Check out our Columbiaknit cotton caps in new colorways. And by popular demand, we’re bringing in a new logo-neutral Cooperstown Ball Cap in our favorite color, navy blue. Stay tuned for updates on more items coming to the AC shop including Individualized shirts and a from-the-archives, machine knit wool scarf.
This week, Archival Clothing is releasing a newly revised tote based on collective feedback from our customers and retailers. We’ve been asked to offer a short handled version of our tote for people who prefer to carry the bag in hand. The tote is now available in two strap lengths: 12″ long with 1.5″ webbing and 6″ long with 1″ webbing.
New colorways (black, navy, ranger tan and gray)
We’ve added visual interest to the bag by making the inside pockets out of a contrasting color of dry canvas duck fabric. We are using this tote run to introduce our new waxed cotton twill in Navy.
New strap attachment method and revised internal pocketing
We’ve refined the strap attachment points on the inside edge of the bag to strengthen these points and ensure that the inside of the bag looks as well appointed as the outside.
Navy/Orange
Tan/Navy
Black/Gray
Gray/Red
All internal seams finished with bias tape made from our own waxed fabrics
All stress points reinforced with sturdy bar-tacking
As with the original totes, our new model is made from 22 ounce waxed twill, 18 ounce dry duck canvas, and military grade cotton webbing. The tote is designed to be water-resistant and ready for a long life of service. Three inside pockets store personal items such as keys, phones, notebooks and pens—keeping them easily accessible and separate from the interior contents. A double-layer reinforced bottom ensures a long life and even wear.
Tote dimensions are 14” x 14” x 4” – perfect for your every day toting needs.
A.C. has just taken delivery of a new stock of plain and flap musettes. We’re offering a few new colorways including a red waxed cotton plain musette and new black and navy waxed twill flap musettes.
A few updates from the AC web shop. We’re now offering our military spec cotton webbing belt in navy. We’re also bringing back the red bartacking of our original khaki belt. Cotton webbing for both belts comes from the same UK narrow fabrics mill where we source the webbing for our bags. We’re also introducing a few cuffs for casual wear: a stainless steel and rubber chain maille bracelet by a Portland craftsman and an abstract leather cuff by Billykirk.
Our shipment of shawl collar sweaters has arrived. Per earlier reports, these pure new wool sweaters are produced for us by Centralia Knitting Mills on circular knitting machines from the 1930s. For this round, we’re offering four colorways in two weights of wool. Our navy and gray multi-weave sweaters are 4-ply knits; the gray and red sweaters are a slightly lighter 3 ply knit. The buttons for the sweaters come from Centralia’s own vintage deadstock collection. In February, we’ll be restocking in two new multiweaves: a ligh gray and a navy. We’ve also ordered a small run of XXS and XS for female customers (and slim gents) which should be coming soon.
Here are some other project updates from Archival:
Columbiaknit all cotton long sleeved shirts. We’re offering two versions: a crewneck in 7.5 oz fabric (gray or black) and a cross neck in a heavier weight, 9 oz jersey (natural oatmeal).
AC stockist Winn Perry is offering these custom made Portland wool felt pennants and a small number of Portland Beaver caps by the (recently revived!) Cooperstown Ball Cap Co.
Next Saturday, we’ll be in San Francisco for Showmanship, a holiday pop up staged by the gents at the Durable Goods Concern. If you’re in the Bay Area, please come by and say hello. We’ll be offering a few show specials and exhibiting our new Field Bag.
A few updates on archival projects. Tom and I went up to Portland on Friday to discuss plans for an upcoming waxed cotton jacket. We’re working with a clothing manufacturer who also makes traditional letterman jackets, vintage MLB apparel and dresses for a recent Project Runway winner.
Waxwear fabric for the prototype (not final jacket color).
Future A.C. show banner?
Since Tom is moving to New York for grad school, we’re trying to wrap up as many production issues before he departs. High on our list was our need to source zippers for our jacket and future bags. We visited the Riri rep in her home in Portland to choose our zipper size, finish and features. Later this month, Tom will make final decision about tape color at the Riri office in NYC (located, of all places, in the Empire State building).
A.C. flap musettes and totes available at Winn Perry
Friend Jordan was taken with a finish detail on Tom’s undershirt.
(It’s actually a laundry bag)
Please note that we continue to build St James inventory in our store. Pictured above – the unisex Navale, a slim-fitting official French Navy shirt.
Don’t forget that we have a fresh batch of Flap Musettes, now in Gray and solid Black, as well as solid black Totes.
Tom has also been working on a long-term CTS project by cutting all of the straps for our next run of Rucksacks at the A.C. headquarter’s temporary plywood workbench (sometimes assisted by our Weimaraner-in-residence).
Archival Clothing has been busy with projects this summer. Here are a few updates.
On Saturday, we picked up our second production run of rucksacks from our terrific sewing contractor, Terry Shuck. While neighbors were setting off daylight fireworks, we were indoors packing bags and filling out customs forms for our many international orders.
Tom prepping bags for wrapping and boxing
Hall o’ rucksacks
In addition to rucksacks, we will have a new shipment of flap musettes in our standard colors–plus black and gray–available in two weeks. We will also be bringing out an all black version of our tote bag.
We have a new Archival bag style–an updated field bag–in the works. Terry is currently prototyping Tom’s design and we should have our first production run available sometime in August. More on this project in a future post.
While not preparing for his move to New York, Tom has been working out of the Archival bonus room. He’s managing our expanding supply line of waxed cotton fabric, leather, webbing, thread and hardware. We’ve reordered new hides from Horween, and have started the process of having cotton webbing custom woven for us at a Pennsylvania narrow fabrics mill. In addition to designing our bags, Tom is contributing many of the finishing details on our bags–hand cutting all of the leather straps for the rucksacks and individually numbering the leather strap retainers (rucksacks) and leather tabs (flap musettes).
We’re committed to sourcing as many of our material supplies–and third party products–from US manufacturers. There are a few challenges to this approach. Many vendors have very high minimums, difficult for small manufacturers who aren’t making 10,000 bags at a time. Other vendors list products for sale when they’re in fact back ordered through the winter.
Of course, our own bags are made here in Springfield, Oregon. It’s terrific to be able to talk with Terry whenever there’s a question about production. If we were making our bags overseas, we’re sure that we’d have 100 bags with a tragic, unsaleable flaw.
New Horween samples
A few other projects are in the works. We’ll be placing our order for Archival Clothing shawl collared cardigans from Centralia Knitting Mills – expect to see them for sale in October. We’re also making progress on our bandanna project, though finding appropriate fabric that’s made in the USA is proving to be a challenge. Our friends at Lumina Clothing are giving us a hand, and we hope to make some leaps on the project this month. We’ve gotten some press recently, as well, from Selectism to, believe it or not, Lucky Magazine! We were also delighted to see Archival buddy Peter Buchanan-Smith’s profile in the Times (and thankful that he mentioned us).
Finally, our web shop, at long last, will open for business this week. We’ll be carrying our own bags, of course, as well as some of our favorite items from other producers, such as Saint James tops and scarves, Chester Wallace bags, and cuffs from BillyKirk.
Our original, Archival Rucksack in ranger tan is now available via the AC web shop. Made in Springfield, Oregon, USA, from 22-ounce waxed cotton twill, brass hardware, military-spec cotton webbing, and Horween Chromexcel leather. Practical and free of complications, we’re confident that our Rucksack will equal or exceed any other rucksack available in function, durability, comfort, and long-term value.
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