2015 American Made Outdoor Gear Award opens for entries today
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ARCATA, CALIFORNIA, (August 6, 2014) – Outdoor industry brands are invited to enter the 2015 American Made Outdoor Gear Award (AMOGA), beginning today, day one of the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Show.
Designed for companies with a commitment to American manufacturing and sourcing, the 2015 American Made Outdoor Gear Award can be entered online at http://bit.ly/AMOGA2015.
The American Made Outdoor Gear Award was founded in 2013 by Kokatat, the paddlesports apparel and gear company known for its longstanding commitment to American manufacturing.
“Last year more than 85 of the most innovative domestic manufacturers in the outdoor market shared their stories with us,” said Jeff Turner, Kokatat sales and design manager. “We developed this program to honor those stories and salute the leaders in American made quality, craftsmanship and creativity in the outdoor world.”
Judged by a group of outdoor industry peers, the American Made Outdoor Gear Award application includes more than 30 questions regarding the size, scope and success stories of domestic production.
The Grand Prize winner will receive one-year ownership of ‘Sassy,’ a hand carved, 3-foot-tall, redwood Sasquatch from Humboldt County, CA. Category winners receive miniature versions of the award, and all entrants receive a certificate of participation.
“The Sasquatch may be a thing of legend, but we hope by sharing these positive and inspiring stories we can keep American manufacturing from becoming a myth,” added Turner.
Last year, Benchmade Knives (www.benchmade.com) of Portland, OR, was awarded the Grand Prize 2014 American Made Outdoor Gear Award. Additional category winners included Lincoln Canoe & Kayak (http://www.paddlelincoln.com), Ramp Sports (http://www.rampsports.com), Sterling Rope Company (http://www.sterlingrope.com), and Polartec (http://www.polartec.com).
To receive applications by mail send a request to American Made Outdoor Gear Award, Attn: Sassy, PO Box 1834, Waitsfield, VT 05673. Applications must be received by October 31, 2014.
Winners will be announced on Friday, November 28, 2014, and an official “Sassy” presentation will be made on day two of the 2015 Outdoor Retailer Winter Market in Salt Lake City, UT.
For additional information on the American Made Outdoor Gear Award visitwww.americanmadeoutdoorgearawards.com or email hello@palemorning.com.
About the American Made Outdoor Gear Award:
Founded by Kokatat and shared with the Outdoor Industry, the American Made Outdoor Gear Award is a celebration of American manufacturing. First awarded in 2013, the American Made Outdoor Gear Award recognizes companies with compelling domestic manufacturing stories. Winners are announced annually on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, and the company with the best “made in America” story receives one-year ownership of the ‘Sassy’ travelling trophy — a hand carved, 3-foot-tall, redwood Sasquatch from Humboldt County, Calif. Along with highlighting company stories, the program tracks domestic manufacturing trends and insights in the outdoor industry. Learn more atwww.americanmadeoutdoorgearawards.com and follow us on Twitter at@AMOGAward.
About Kokatat Inc.:
Kokatat has been manufacturing paddling gear in Arcata, California for more than 40 years. At a time when many technical apparel brands were moving manufacturing offshore, Kokatat continued to invest in infrastructure in the United States. Kokatat founder Steve O’Meara was committed to the development of the finest and driest paddling apparel in the world and recognized the need to control and continually evolve the development of our dry wear. In the early days, Kokatat worked closely with W.L. Gore & Associates, makers of GORE-TEX®, to refine the sewing and sealing techniques required for full immersion suits and tops. Today, our hands-on approach to manufacturing continues to set the standard in paddling apparel. Into the water with Kokatat! Please visit www.kokatat.com and follow Kokatat on Facebook and Twitter “@kokatat”.
