Cottages

Here’s a list that I re-wrote from this thread on Whiteblaze and the comments below. Sorry that I don’t have time to make them all links, but it should help.

http://www.adventurecampingequipment.com
http://www.antigravitygear.com (mapdanas and alcohol stoves)
http://www.backpackinglight.com
http://www.bearvault.com/
http://www.beyondfleece.com
http://www.bigskyinternational.com
http://www.brasslite.com/index.html
http://www.cilogear.com
http://www.clikstand.com
http://www.etowahoutfittersultralightbackpackinggear.com/ [siltarps and stoves and sundries]
http://www.fanaticfringe.com (Thompson Peak packs and top quilts)
http://www.featheredfriends.com (Down bags and clothing)
http://www.gossamergear.com/
http://www.hennessyhammocks.com (well, sort of)
http://www.hikenlite.com
http://www.hikinlitegear.com/id12.html
hiknakd http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZhiknakd
http://www.ionstove.com/
http://www.jacksrbetter.com (hammock underquilts and such)
http://www.junglehammock.com/index.php
http://www.kickassquilts.com/ (synthetic fill hammock underquilts)
http://www.kifaru.net/TIPI_SLEDhm.htm (silnylon teepees that can accommodate wood burning stoves)
http://www.limmerboot.com
http://www.luxurylite.com/
http://www.lwgear.com/
http://www.mchalepacks.com
http://www.mogogear.com
http://www.moonbowgear.com/
http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com (4-8oz packs, 10 oz 40F quilt, etc)
http://www.mukluks.com/ (Steger mukluks)
http://www.nunatakusa.com (high quality (and price) lightweight down sleeping gear)
http://www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com (MacCat hammock Tarps)
http://www.owareusa.com (Ultralight tarps, 40″x60″ plastizote sleep pads, bug bivy…)
http://www.pacerpole.com
http://www.rayjardine.com (DIY kits)
http://www.rbhdesigns.com/ (vapor barrier clothing)
http://rodneyslab.tripod.com/index.html
http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/
http://www.speerhammocks.com (hammocks, PeaPods, DIY kits, etc)
http://www.tarptent.com/
http://www.thepacka.com/
http://www.thru-hiker.com (DIY kits and materials)
http://www.titaniumgoat.com
http://www.traildesigns.com
http://trailquest.net/dlgc.html (aka Dancing Light Gear)
http://www.trailstove.com/index2.html (wood burning stove)
http://www.trekstov.com/ (Bushbuddy woodgas stove)
http://www.ula-equipment.com/index.htm
http://www.ultralightoutfitters.com [esbit stove, and more to come]
http://www.ursack.com/
http://www.vargooutdoors.com [titanium stoves, stakes, and cookware]
http://www.wanderlustgear.com/ [defunct?]
http://www.warmlite.com/start.htm
http://www.wildthingsgear.com/

Surely we missed a few. Just holler and I’ll add them on to the list above.
-Mark

Edit: added suggestions thru 6-23

How about http://www.clikstand.com (alcohol stove – really works well with Trangia, probably others)

And of course Titanium Goat http://www.titaniumgoat.com . . . UL bivies, CF poles, and some cool-looking UL conical tents.

I don’t know if it’s a company or a guy, but hiknakd sells alcohol stove kits through ebay, bpl, and elsewhere.

Hopefully this link works.

http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZhiknakd

Brian

Here are a few more to add:

http://www.outdoorequipmentsupplier.com/why_maccat.htm (catenary cut hammock tarps)
http://www.kickassquilts.com/ (synthetic fill hammock underquilts)
http://www.kifaru.net/TIPI_SLEDhm.htm (silnylon teepees that can accommodate wood burning stoves)
http://www.mukluks.com/ (Steger mukluks)
http://www.rbhdesigns.com/ (vapor barrier clothing)
http://www.trailstove.com/index2.html (wood burning stove)
http://www.trekstov.com/ (Bushbuddy woodgas stove)

How exactly is ‘cottage’ being defined? It appears that on the list there are a few companies that have production based overseas, or large scale production houses based in the US doing their production for them. In my mind, ‘cottage industy’ has little to do with economics or scale of the business. It has more to do with the style of which goods are brought to market (production, customer service, etc). I think ‘cottage’ is an overhyped and over marketed term used in the outdoor industry. It seems any company who can’t hang with the ‘big boys’ dubs themselves ‘cottage’ these days. Thoughts?

Thanks for weighing in, Brian. My sense of ‘cottage’ involves features like…
-original owner’s direct involvement in product development and in the target community
-often a ‘spare-time’ business
-little to no marketing
-little to no brick-and-mortar product placement
-small direct staff
It’s not an official checklist, but that’s what comes to mind for me.

For most products and services, “cottage” is the norm–most businesses are in fact “small businesses”. About 3/4 of firms have no payroll. The next 20% or so have about 10 or less employees. [reference]

So is “cottage” overhyped and over-marketed term? Yes, I’d probably agree with you there. It’s just a fact of life, but it’s nice to know what other manufacturers’ products you’re probably not seeing on the shelf when you walk in your local outfitters.
-Mark

On second reading, I see your point more clearly. That is, “cottage” describes a method, perhaps, and not just a state of smallness. We probably confuse the two terms too often, but I don’t know of any catchier phrases for “generic small business.” And yes, there are probably some on the list that don’t meet the “cottage method” criteria.
-Mark

I work in the bike industry, where the term “cottage industry” is non-existent. There are still a ton of frame builders and guys that churn out CNC parts that operate out of garages, trailers, and converted warehouses, but everyone calls them “boutique” or “handmade” brands. I think it’s a good point that US-designed, China-sourced goods aren’t exactly what the term “cottage industry” is trying to convey. Not working in the outdoor industry, I can’t go so far as to say that it’s marketing hype, but I do think it’s interesting that the term gets used so much.

http://rodneyslab.tripod.com/index.html

http://www.freewebs.com/litepacks/

I first saw the second Rodney packs on Mark Verbers informative site.

Ahaa upon further investigation they are one and the same.

I think that if you scratch hard enough, you will find that many (but not all cottage industries) would more accurately be described as “entrepreneurial” w/ an individual or small partnership starting up and managing the enterprise but w/ actual production possibly being “outsourced”. Cilogear is a fine example, for one. I have absolutely nothing against this approach.

by Mark’s definition of cottage, my company definitely qualifies…

i am the founder, and i’ve got little to no marketing. ;)

the website is at http://www.cilogear.com

i’d prefer boutique to cottage though. ;)

The classic cottage model was when production was outsourced on a piece work basis. At one time the auto industry in Japan was a cottage industry. The US textile industry was a cottage industry at one time until labor laws addressed the abuses.

What does the term ‘garage band” mean?

There is Adventurecampingequipment.com

Thank you,

I actually have a joint venture with Oral Ulkumen, the owner of LinoSport over in Turkey. He was one of the first overseas brand licensees of Gore technologies. He has a ton of knowledge, but thinks that the outdoor business in Turkey is a wash as a business.

Anyway, we own the sewing machines, rent the space and hire the people together. In fact, I’ll be going over there in a few weeks for the next production run. I’ll write something up about it if anybody’s interested.

Please do, Graham.
I heart Turkey.
Damn, I need an excuse to order one of your packs but must clear out the pack quiver, first.