Diamond Brand Gear, a domestic outdoor gear manufacturer since 1881, was recently named the 2018 WNC Best Brand for a Business Started Before 2010 by the Small Business Center at Blue Ridge Community College.
Awarded by the Small Business Center Network, the WNC Best Brand honors are open to both for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations, according to a news release. The honors are split into two categories — 2018 WNC Best Brand for a Business Started Before 2010 and 2018 WNC Best Brand for a Business Started After 2010 — each earning a $150 scholarship for the 2019 Business Accelerator Program.
Diamond Brand Gear is based in Fletcher, relocating its factory to Western North Carolina in 1942 and its corporate offices in 1966.
For 137 years, Diamond Brand Gear has produced award-winning packs and tents for the U.S military, Boy Scouts of America and outdoor enthusiasts. Long known for manufacturing gear for big outfits such as L.L. Bean and Eddie Bauer, in 2017 the legacy manufacturer began producing bags and tents for the general consumer again.
“We’ve long drawn inspiration from the outdoor lovers who fill our trails, the commuters who populate our roads and the go-getters who permeate our cities and towns,” John Delaloye, CEO of Diamond Brand Gear, stated in the news release. “Though inspired by the mountains of our own backyard, our gear is made for anyone living a mountain lifestyle, wherever they may find themselves.”
As Diamond Brand Gear continues to explore new product and delve into new endeavors.
“We continue to receive the occasional note from longtime customers proclaiming that they and their family are still enjoying the tents they purchased in the 1980s or 1990s,” COO Lauren Rash stated in the release. “We take great pleasure in knowing that our gear is bringing them a touch of comfort as they explore the outside world.”
Originally published by Blue Ridge Now: https://www.blueridgenow.com/news/20181218/diamond-brand-gear-wins-best-brand-of-business-honor
