Portland Garment Factory

What Portland Garment Factory does

Portland Garment Factory (PGF), founded in 2008 by Britt Howard in Portland, Oregon, is a full-service soft-goods design and fabrication studio operating from a single facility at 311 SE 97th Ave. The company offers four interconnected core services — Custom Cut+Sew Manufacturing, Art Fabrication, Product Development and Prototyping, and Retail and Experiential Fabrication — and handles production volumes ranging from 20 units for small bespoke runs up to 20,000 units for larger brand projects. Its technical base is industrial soft-goods manufacturing (single-needle, serger, and coverstitch machines) augmented by a proprietary zero-waste process in which fabric scraps are either reused by artists and students, turned into workshop materials, or pulverized into 'PGF Pulverized Puff' stuffing used in products such as pet beds and cushions.

PGF's business model is project-based, quote-driven, and customization-heavy: it works directly with brands, creative agencies, museums, and artists on one-off installations, branded merchandise runs, uniforms, mascots, and experiential retail displays. Customers span athletic apparel (Nike, Adidas, Converse), advertising agencies (Wieden+Kennedy), technology firms (Intel, Xbox, MotherDuck), museums (Portland Art Museum, Denver Art Museum, OMSI), CPG brands (Tillamook, Old Spice, DiGiorno, Persil, Brach's), and a long tail of SMBs and nonprofits. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, but the studio operates with no minimum order quantity on the small end and supports runs up to 20,000 units. The go-to-market is primarily enterprise field sales through direct brand inquiries, agency referrals, and a portfolio-driven inbound funnel; supplemental distribution runs through a small e-commerce gift shop for zero-waste products and community/fabric sales events.

The company is privately held and bootstrapped, with no disclosed venture funding, and is differentiated by a stack of certifications (B Corp, WBENC woman-owned, Climate Neutral, City of Portland Sustainability at Work Gold) that qualify it for corporate ESG and supplier-diversity sourcing. In 2025 PGF expanded its service footprint by acquiring Oregon Natural Fiber Mill (OnFM), adding upholstery and bespoke soft-furnishing capabilities, and operates a sister-company ecosystem that includes the Studio Howard design firm and the Howard womenswear sub-brand.

Name

Portland Garment Factory

Legal name

Portland Garment Factory

Website

https://portlandgarmentfactory.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Portland Garment Factory is a Portland-based soft-goods design and fabrication studio founded in 2008 that produces custom cut-and-sew, art installations, prototypes, and retail/experiential builds for brands, agencies, museums, and artists, with zero-waste manufacturing and runs from 20 to 20,000 units.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Soft Goods Fabrication & Manufacturing

NAICS

Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (3152), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (except Contractors) (315250)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Knit Outerwear Mills (2253)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAOAEAL

Luxury & Couture / Small-Batch Cut & Sew

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Textiles, Apparel & Leather Manufacturing/Apparel Manufacturing (Cut & Sew)

SECONDARYIMAOAEAB

Outerwear & Performance Apparel Cut & Sew

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Textiles, Apparel & Leather Manufacturing/Apparel Manufacturing (Cut & Sew)

SECONDARYIMAOAEAA

Activewear & Athleisure Cut & Sew

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Textiles, Apparel & Leather Manufacturing/Apparel Manufacturing (Cut & Sew)

SECONDARYIMAOAEAE

Tops & Shirts Cut & Sew (T-Shirts/Shirts/Blouses)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Textiles, Apparel & Leather Manufacturing/Apparel Manufacturing (Cut & Sew)

Keywords

• Custom cut-and-sew manufacturing
• Soft goods fabrication
• Art installation fabrication
• Retail experiential design
• Zero waste manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom Fabrication Projects: Project-based custom design and fabrication services for brands, agencies, and artists. Services include art fabrication, retail installations, product development, prototyping, and custom cut-and-sew manufacturing. Capable of handling 20 to 20,000 soft-goods units per project.
2. Small Batch Production: Soft-goods unit production ranging from 20 to 20,000 units per order.
3. Gift Shop Products: Zero-waste products made from factory scraps sold through gift shop including pet beds, pillows, and accessories.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Portland Garment Factory is a full-service creative design and soft-goods fabrication studio offering pattern drafting, upcycling, die-cutting, and upholstery. It produces custom cut-and-sew manufacturing runs from 20 to 20,000 units, art fabrication for museums and galleries, product development and prototyping, and retail/experiential installations for brands, agencies, and artists. Operations are built around a zero-waste manufacturing model with fabric scrap recycling.

Product overview

Portland Garment Factory is a full-service creative design and fabrication studio offering a unified portfolio of soft-goods manufacturing services. The core offerings include Custom Cut+Sew Manufacturing, Art Fabrication, Product Development + Prototyping, and Retail + Experiential Fabrication. These services are interconnected through PGF's end-to-end capabilities—projects typically begin with design consultation and prototyping, progress through material sourcing and development, and culminate in full-scale production or one-off fabrication. The studio handles production volumes from 20 to 20,000 units and emphasizes sustainable, zero-waste manufacturing practices. Specialized offerings include upcycled product design, custom interiors, uniforms, and experiential installations for diverse clients including Nike, Adidas, and various cultural institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Howard: PGF's in-house womenswear line designed by Britt Howard, pursuing beauty from unconventional angles with a more realistic standard of beauty.

Products and services

• Custom Cut+Sew Manufacturing Core soft-goods cut-and-sew manufacturing service handling production runs from 20 units up to 20,000 units, serving brands and agencies requiring custom apparel, merchandise, and soft-goods production.
• Art Fabrication Large-scale art installation and sculpture fabrication services for museums, galleries, artists, and public spaces, including soft sculptures, textile art, and mixed-media installations such as the Pipilotti Rist exhibition at Portland Art Museum.
• Product Development + Prototyping Design and prototyping services that develop products from concept through production-ready samples, supporting brand development, material exploration, and product innovation for soft-goods projects.
• Retail + Experiential Fabrication Retail environment installations, experiential marketing displays, window treatments, and point-of-sale fixtures for luxury and flagship retail spaces including Nike flagship stores, Aesop West End Portland, and Adidas by Stella McCartney studios.
• Zero-Waste Gift Shop Products (Pet Beds, Pillows, Accessories) Limited-edition pet beds, pillows, scrunchies, and accessories made from 100% zero-waste factory scraps, including water-resistant cushion stuffing using PGF Pulverized Puff, sold through PGF's online gift shop.
• Howard Womenswear Collection PGF's in-house womenswear line designed by founder Britt Howard, pursuing beauty from unconventional angles with a more realistic standard of beauty.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% smaller carbon footprint for upcycled collections compared to new material production
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers41 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Studio HowardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPGF's in-house design firm and sister company that works collaboratively on textile design and interior projects. Studio Howard designs products and collaborates on custom fabrication projects including The Joinery furniture collaboration, INDUSTRY cushions, and Mylle upcycled pools.
• Oregon Natural Fiber Mill (OnFM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPGF's sister company acquired and revitalized as a legacy fiber mill and natural bedding manufacturer reimagined to include custom workroom specializing in upholstery and bespoke soft furnishings. Collaboration on The Conversation Pit modular sofa and Pipilotti Rist exhibition.
• Axiom Custom ProductsmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFabrication partner for complex projects including Nike React soft sculpture campaign, UGG boot booth hard build, and Converse Pride retail environment. Provides hard-build fabrication support for PGF's soft goods expertise.
• Wieden+KennedymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing creative agency partnership on multiple campaigns including Old Spice paper blazers, Trolli costumes, Ugly Holiday Masks with Oregon Health Authority, and W+K 40th anniversary bomber jackets.
• Hovercraft PortlandmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCreative agency partner for Nike x Sean Wotherspoon seeding kit and Nike + EA Sports Madden NFL Air Max 90 customization projects.
• Weber ShandwickmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPR and communications agency partner for DiGiorno Pepperoni Bag campaign and Avocados From Mexico Guac Pack activation.
• H5majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCreative agency partner for Persil laundry suit project and Brach's Candy Corn room furnishings at Great Wolf Lodge.
• Kamp GrizzlymajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCreative agency for Anthony Edwards/Kamp Grizzly AE 1 shoe launch leather duffel and Adidas Patrick Mahomes plushies projects.
• Michael Curry DesignmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorld-renowned puppet studio collaborating on Insomniac Beyond Wonderland festival costumes for Rabbit and Mad Hatter performers.
• ZGF ArchitectsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitectural firm collaborating on Marymoor Village Station public art sculpture with artist Nova Jiang - fabricating airship-like sculptures with textile skins over aluminum frames.
• Skylab ArchitecturemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm partner for Snow Peak HQ4 retail environment including Japanese linen curtains and ceiling installations.
• The Bernard GroupmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAgency partner for Adidas + Dick's Sporting Goods sculptural display using 100% recycled materials representing ocean landscape.
• ExactonautmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartner for Wicked x Android PR kits providing hard-fabrication components, internal lighting integration, and 3D-printed elements.
• Space150majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAgency partner for Kona Brewing Co. surfboard cover transformation from malt bags into functional products.
• Osmose DesignmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior design partner for PAM CUT Tomorrow Theater transformation, collaborating on sound baffling wall art using upcycled materials.
• Klik ConceptsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPortrait photography company for OMSI Gala photo lounge backdrop and set design.
• Eileen FishermajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRenew sale partnership hosting 'Not Quite Perfect' clothing sales at PGF facility with proceeds supporting local nonprofits.
• Oregon Health AuthorityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated with W+K on Ugly Holiday Masks campaign to help stop COVID-19 spread, with $25 per mask donated to Oregon Food Bank.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Eileen Fisher: Sustainable womenswear brand with the Renew take-back and resale program. Operates as both a brand PGF supports (Renew sale partnership) and a reference point for circular fashion manufacturing at scale.
• Patagonia: Vertically integrated sustainable apparel brand with in-house manufacturing. Comparable on ESG positioning, supply-chain transparency, and upcycled product initiatives (e.g., Worn Wear) that overlap with PGF's zero-waste mission.

Others

• Maker's Row: Online marketplace connecting brands with American manufacturers and fabricators. Indirectly competitive in the sense that brands seeking PGF-style custom fabrication could route through Maker's Row instead.

Direct peers

• Barkley Suede: Custom soft goods and suede apparel manufacturer with similar small-batch cut-and-sew capabilities. Serves brand clients on bespoke leather and fabric apparel projects comparable to PGF's custom fabrication work.
• Dutchess: Full-service cut-and-sew apparel manufacturer serving private-label and custom programs for brands. Closely comparable business model focused on flexible production runs and design-to-delivery services.
• Beverly Knits: Knitting mill producing knit fabrics and finished knit apparel for apparel brands. Comparable as a US-based fabric and garment manufacturer serving brand clients with custom production.

Emerging players

• Michael Curry Design: Portland-based puppet, costume, and large-scale soft sculpture studio. Overlapping with PGF on theatrical costume fabrication (e.g., Insomniac Beyond Wonderland) and soft sculpture work for entertainment clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/portlandgarmentfactory
• Pinterestpinterest.fr/Portlandfactory
• Xx.com/p_g_f__

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Portland Garment Factory