SEATTLE — Seattle-based Filson will soon move the bulk of its manufacturing in the Emerald City to California.
Filson was founded in the Seattle area in 1897, initially selling outdoor supplies for prospectors. After the end of the gold rush, they began to focus on gear for other activities like hunting and fishing.
The company has steadily been downsizing since 2019, when it cut its workforce from 634 people to 286. In 2021, another 56 Seattle-area workers were laid off. This latest move could do away with another 26 jobs, primarily at Filson’s Kent facility. In total, it could result in the outsourcing of an estimated two-thirds of their Seattle-area production to a facility near Los Angeles.
The cuts could begin at the start of December, but will be dependent on their parent company’s negotiations with their manufacturing union.
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