What other companies make quilts?

Backpacking light offers quilts
Fanatic Fringe
Ray Jardine offers a Kit to make your own'

Gossamer Gear offers a bag with insulation on the top only

in humble self-promotion: roughly a month or so from now i will be able to make custom down quilts for order. i just have to move to new quarters where i will be able to have a workshop.

Colleen,

I know you're a bit out but put me down for a summer double quilt for me and my wife. Send me a PM or email at chris@shiftedthinking.com when you're ready to discuss specifics.

I might be interested in a custom bag – send me an e-mail at splproductions@yahoo.com when you are up and running.

Thanks –
Ryan

Here here.

heelrod@yahoo.com

Hey Colleen –
Would you be able to make a Nunatak-type Sub-Alpinist (with or without hood and/or zipper) rated to zero degrees (i.e. 3.5-4 inch loft?)
S.

Sven, I have never attempted to make a full bag. the sub-alpinist, however, looks to be a very straightforward design. I am loathe to sew a precise ripoff of anybody's hard-won design, and will go back through my books to see if I have plans for something similar (and whose pattern is in the public domain). Once I am off the ground and have a few more quilts under my belt, ask me again and I may have the confidence to present you with a design for a simple bag. increasing the loft is merely a matter of calculating the numbers to produce the correct differential cut.

Hi Colleen,

I wish you the best of luck with your quilt venture. I'm sure you'll find lots of interest from people here, and from thru-hikers and lightweighters all over the world.

May I humbly point out to you the dearth of synthetic quilts on the market? There is exactly one manufacturer, this website, and they make what is arguably a high-end and very specialized product. (And a very good one, by all accounts.)

In my opinion, that leaves a substantial space open to an entrepreneur: the generalist's synthetic quilt.

New synthetic insulations, especially Climashield, are the lightweighter's dream. Not all of us can trust a down quilt; especially not if we're already "cutting it close" on temperature ratings. I'd love to test out a synthetic quilt for you, as would many of the people on this forum I'm sure!

The synthetic quilt is substantially simpler to make, and it's also a lot less expensive and therefore accessible to many more people. It could potentially be a "bread-and-butter" product that you could make quickly and sell many of.

I also feel there's a big opening in the market for an overbag-style quilt for winter use. If you built a synthetic quilt that was cut large enough to go over a summer or 3-season bag, it would allow the user to extend the range of their gear without losing the draft control they enjoy with a sleeping bag. Further, the use of a synthetic overbag pushes the condensation point *outside* of the inner bag, which allows the use of a down inner bag (as moisture remains in its' gaseous state until it gets to the synthetic insulation.)

Just some food for thought! My best wishes with your venture.

Brian

Brian,

excellent points all. it had honestly never occurred to me to make a syn quilt, because i live in a dry climate and so syn's benefits never had any utility for me.

Fanatic Fringe also makes synthetic quilts. they are still in business, yes? but i have no objection to trying my hand at a syn quilt. once i'm "in business" i can give it a try.

ultimately, the biggest problem for me as an entrepreneur will be purchasing large volumes of fabric & insulation – enough to get it at a price that will enable me to make any sort of profit on the venture. then i have to decide if it's worth the impact on my family. but starting out with a few small custom orders is i think the best way to go. thanks for the ideas.

Colleen,
Would you be willing to do the work if I could supply the materials. I would like an Epic and baffled Polarguard 0 degree quilt. I mean baffled unlike the Fanatic Fringe which I understand that the insulation is only sewn on the edges.

Hi Colleen

> ultimately, the biggest problem for me as an entrepreneur will be purchasing large volumes of fabric & insulation – enough to get it at a price that will enable me to make any sort of profit on the venture
May I disagree? There are several companies which can supply a huge range of fabrics in small quantities. The cost of the materials was not a big factor. Where I ran into problems was my cost of labour. I found I was earning about $3/hour. Granted, my designs tended to be complex.

Cheers
Roger

you may absolutely disagree. i welcome being wrong about fabric costs, and welcome all recommendations for fabric sourcing.

and yes, I can do work with components that someone has already pre-purchased. the only complication will be the time involved in learning the construction process that is desired.

i can be emailed at tarbubble@yahoo.com, if you desire to make the discussion private.

I would also be interested in a 20 degree Synthetic quilt that would fit over my 20 degree WM bag, or fit me while I was just wearing a parka and synthetic pants!

>I would also be interested in a 20 degree Synthetic quilt that would fit over my 20 degree WM bag, or fit me while I was just wearing a parka and synthetic pants!

That's exactly what I'm after too! That's the "extended 3-season" functionality that I'd love to have — I'm at the point where I'm considering sewing a Ray Way kit. And I've never sewed!

Sewing isn't that hard. Though, if you're not inclined to learn there's no reason not to support Colleen!

Adam

wow, with this much enthusiasm it looks like i'll have to learn how to work with synthetics too. i really can't thank y'all enough for the encouragement & interest. i'm hoping to be moved within the next month and to have my workspace set up not long after that. the thought of some good challenges is exciting!