In 1920, avid outdoorsperson and local son Eddie Bauer (1899-1986) opened a sporting goods store called Eddie Bauer's Sport Shop in downtown Seattle. Initially specializing in tennis rackets, hand-made golf clubs, and fishing tackle, a brush with hypothermia led Mr. Bauer to develop alternatives to the heavy wool outer garments that most outdoor enthusiasts used at the time. He began experimenting with various designs using goose down, which was insulating and light weight but bulky, a problem he solved by adding quilting. Between 1934-1937, Mr. Bauer took out more than 20 patents for a wide range of outdoor clothing and sporting equipment, including the "Skyliner," a quilted, down-filled jacket that soon became standard gear for recreationalists.

Pictured here is the Letters Patent issued by the U. S. Patent Office granting Eddie Bauer exclusive rights in the design of quilted trousers.

Caption information source: "Bauer, Eddie (1899-1986)," by James R. Warren, HistoryLink.org Essay 1671.