Red Flannel Factory lets you sleep in style

April 5, 5:51 AMSoutheast MI Home & Living ExaminerJackie DiGiovanni

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The Red Flannel Factory is located in Rockford. Here is their story:

It all began in 1936 in the midst of the "worst winter in years." The whole country suffered in the grip of heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures. A New York feature writer bemoaned the "fact" that, "Here we are in the midst of an old-fashioned winter and there are no red flannels in the USA to go with it."

The local newspaper, The Cedar Springs Clipper, owned and edited by "The Clipper Gals" Nina Babcock and Grace Hamilton, answered the writer with the RED HOT editorial stating: " Just because Sak's Fifth Avenue does not carry red flannels, it doesn't follow that no one in the country does. CEDAR SPRINGS' merchants have red flannels". The story was picked up by the Associated Press and orders began pouring in from all over the USA!

1949 saw the true start of the red flannel manufacturing with Mae Oppeneer stitching undies in her home and in 1952, the business became known as the Francis Lee Red Flannel Factory. Soon, the business grew into an industry, underwear was now being stitched on machines at the Cedar Springs Red Flannel Factory.

Sadly, the factory suffered some setbacks over the years and in 1994 closed with the headlines predicting "No red flannels in '95". However, local business women kept red flannel production going in Cedar Springs because they believed that red flannels were just too important to fade away. Through the efforts of seventeen seamstresses, family, and friends, there were red flannels not only in '95 but every year since.

In 2007, the company was purchased by one of the seamstresses in an effort to keep the red flannel spirit alive. The company will be called the Red Flannel Factory once more. With wholesale and internet tools, Red Flannel Factory, LLC hopes to cover the world in red flannels!
 

Logo from www.redflannels.com
 

They make long-johns, granny gowns, night shirts, cami tops, full camis, and PJ tops. They make boxers, shorts, long pants, shirts, dresses, and vests. They make quilts, stocking and granny caps for toddlers, booties and slippers, doll clothes, and bibs.

They make all of these quality items in red flannel. And they are happy to embroider a name on your new flannels.

Their adult sizes run from Small to XXL, and they do custom sizing.

You can order online. You can phone them at 616-874-5627. You can email them at pam@redflannels.com.
 

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     When buying for your family or your friends,
spend your Michigan dollars in Michigan.

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