Ginew Rider Jacket

Husband and wife Erik and Amanda are intentional about studying their Native American heritage. Little did they know that as they delved deeper into their family story, they would be inspired to start an apparel company that helped tell that story by recreating meaningful garments worn by their ancestors.

Originally from Wisconsin and now based in Portland, their story is a contemporary narrative of Native American blacksmiths, farmers, machinists, sawyers, welders, and teachers. Every item they make draws direct inspiration from their relatives and dedication to family. Coats like this are work tools, worn in machine shops, forests, and fields.

Erik and Amanda were both introduced to leatherwork at a young age when they were taught to make their traditional Native American regalia. They jointly crafted their first series of heirloom belts from their wedding buffalo, which was hunted, prepared, tanned, and hand-dyed jointly with their family. Each belt is inspired by Erik’s great-great-grandfather who was known by railroad workers and farmers for his classic leather belts meticulously crafted to hold up over the course of any career. To this day they use methods, tools, and patterns handed down from generation to generation since the 1880’s.

The Rider Jacket is inspired by the one worn by Amanda’s grandfather who was a welder for Harley Davidson during the 50’s and 60’s. His is a story of sacrifice, commuting five hours from the Mohican reservation to Milwaukee to work every Sunday through Friday. Not willing to uproot his family, he stayed the course because it was so difficult for a Native American to get work during that time.

An homage to toughness, this jacket is made of 10.10 oz Waxed Army Duck canvas. We’re talking military grade stuff here. Available in blue or black, it’s totally water repellent and features a banded collar that harkens back to Harley motorcycle club jackets from the 1920’s. This piece stands for Erik and Amanda’s core values: resiliency, strength and fortitude.

Production is extremely limited on this one, only 76 made of each color. Sewn in Tennessee, they are carefully manufactured in the oldest cut-and-sew facility in America, LC King. Every piece of the jacket is sourced in the USA as well. Custom buttons from Kentucky, and canvas from New Jersey.
Each seam is felled, which is made by placing one edge inside a folded edge of fabric and then stitching the fold down. It has a topstitched finish that conceals raw edges of seam allowance reducing the likelihood of fraying. Translation: It’s tough as nails.

A note about care: Do not even think of machine washing or dry cleaning this jacket. If you feel it needs cleaned just spray it down with a hose and line dry. We’re being serious. This jacket was meant for enjoying life and working hard. The label on the inside shares their tribes’ philosophy of “Minobimaadiziiwn” which means “Walk the good path and live well.”

“Putting on a coat like this connects us to our past, reminds us of who we are, and carries our families’ ways into the future.” Live your life well this season with the waxed canvas Rider Jacket from Ginew.

$395 ginewusa.com