The couple both had full-time jobs so every spare minute of their leisure time was spent making as many jackets as possible. With the help of outworkers a cottage industry was born. In those early days production stood at 15 jackets per week. In 1977 the couple decided to invest what money they had into G & H Products Ltd (which later became Craghoppers) to gain more outdoor business experience. Two years later they made the decision to branch out on their own with Snugpak. Although still making jackets they realized that if the new company were going to be successful they would need to manufacture products with year round appeal rather than the seasonal body warmer. Sleeping bags were the logical choice.

By 1984 the company had grown and the number of machinists had increased to seven, by 1986 sales had grown so strong the company had to move to larger premises. The company moved down the road to a Grade II listed old woolen mill in Silsden where they remain.

Brett knew that the way forward for the company was through innovation. Man made sleeping bags were traditionally bulky. He wanted to produce a cheaper, man made equivalent to the expensive down filled sleeping bag.

In 1987 Snugpak launched their Softie 6 and 12 bags into the outdoor trade. The two bags were the smallest synthetic bags on the market and sales rocketed. Today the Softie range consists of many different models all based on this initial idea but they have been constantly upgraded as new insulation and fabric technologies have emerged.

When first launched in 1989 the Softie 3 Merlin sleeping bag caused a sensation. A combination of insulation and a highly breathable space age reflective barrier giving 0°c performance in just 750g and packing to the size of a cantaloupe melon was a revelation. It has since been used on every permanently inhabited continent.

The Original Sleeka jacket now being used worldwide by tens of thousands of forces personnel is also from this era and is still the most popular and arguably the most versatile jacket in the Snugpak range offering an ideal balance between warmth, weight and pack size.

Snugpak is the internationally recognized brand name and registered
trademark of Snugpak Ltd, UK, winners of the 2002 Queen’s Award for
Enterprise in International Trade. Snugpak products are exclusively
imported and distributed in North, Central and South America by;
Proforce Equipment, Inc. 2201 NW 102nd Place Unit 1 Miami, FL 33172
Tel: 305 436 7984 / 800 259 5962 Fax: 305 436 7985 / 800 664 5095
E-mail: sales@snugpakusa.com