Our Vermont Roots: What Local Manufacturing Means to Us
When you walk into our factory in Burlington’s South End Arts District, you’ll feel the weight of history. The 12,000 square foot building used to be a chocolate factory. Now it hums with knitting machines, sewing tables, designers sketching ideas, and people learning the craft we believe in. Fourbital Factory opened in the summer of 2022 with three guiding priorities: people, great product, and making a positive impact on the planet.
We launched in Burlington because we believe manufacturing belongs here — where the story of apparel begins and ends with the people who make it. Our roots in Vermont allow us to stay true to values many brands talk about but few can deliver: domestic production, responsibly sourced materials, and workforce development.
A Factory With Purpose, Not Just Production
When we first began, it was just a small prototyping shop. But in designing our future, we committed to doing it right. Every decision was filtered by those values we launched with - people, product, planet. That led us down a path where local manufacturing wasn’t optional - it became essential.
In our factory, we train new additions to Vermont’s growing workforce in both the science and craft of apparel and beanie manufacturing. That means someone who’s never worked on a knitting machine can come in and grow into a skilled role. Our facility isn’t just about making beanies - it’s about building community.
Why "Made in Vermont" Matters
Vermont winters are harsh - that’s a feature, not a bug, of local testing. If your beanie can survive here under subzero wind, snow, and long nights, it’s already built for the rest of the world. The climate holds us to a standard no photoshoot can match, which is what making our beanies in Vermont so special.
Local manufacturing also shortens feedback loops. If a seam isn’t stitching right, or a pattern doesn’t translate to knit, we can make adjustments immediately. No waiting on overseas partners, no long shipping delays. That agility means quality across every batch and unmatched attention to detail.
Stories Woven Into Every Hat
Because we make items in-house, we can bring brand stories right into the knit. Whether it’s a jacquard pattern beanie echoing mountain silhouettes, or a pom-pom in a signature two-color scheme, we treat design as more than decoration; it’s storytelling in yarn.
That’s why our styles aren’t limited. Cuffed, slouch, jacquard, or pom, we allow customization so your community sees itself in the hat they wear.
Community: From Team to Customer
Our story is also our people’s story. From designers to machine operators, we all live this climate, these winters, and these values. That mutual experience connects us. We don’t just make beanies for you, we make them with you.
We believe that local manufacturing helps do more than just produce a product. It ties every stitch to place, to worker, to community. It says we care about where we’re from and what we send out from here.
Looking Forward, Staying Grounded
We plan to grow. But growth won’t dilute what makes us who we are. We’ll always bet on Vermont talent, invest in training, and make choices aligned with our mission.
Because manufacturing should mean more than margins. It should mean responsibility, community, and pride. And here in Vermont, that means something we get to live every single day.
Made in Vermont. Made to last. Made with community.