Letters from you

Kathryn P.

True Utility

I'm not a farmer or rancher - but I do love to travel, especially internationally.  And, I love to ride horses.  I had been looking for a travel vest for some time - but the travel vests I found were all very expensive - and the fit was more tailored to men than women.  The materials were stiff and the vests were cut 'boxy'.  Then I happened upon Duluth's Utility Vest for Women.

I know it's touted as a 'gardener's vest' - but, it has been the best travel vest ever!  I love that the zipper opens from both the bottom and top - the vest has a more feminine cut, the fabric is lightweight, yet durable - and it even comes in a variety of colors.  It has been with me on several horseback adventures - from Big Bend to Peru, plus to York and London, England, and a recent trip to the west coast of Ireland.  I've included a picture of myself - wearing your wonderful vest - at Machu Picchu, Peru.

Loved the vest so much I bought a second one - just to be sure I'd have one handy for all my future travels.

Thanks Duluth Trading!

Kathryn P.
Houston, TX

Shar

A Real Tennessee Woman

If being a Real Woman means wearing the Duluth Trading Company gear that protects my upper legs from being scratched, keeps me cool from the heat and warm from the cold, saves my pockets from removal of tools -- by sandstone while building a 5' Wall, a walkway around my courtyard, a sandstone/rock patio, and sculpting a 5' wood statute; I'd say I'm that Real Woman and then some.

Let's not forget stacking firewood for the winter, pruning trees and sculpting a 17' lizard out of mortar and stone. I wear the lightweight summer shorts while on inside projects; cleaning, baking and taking care of my 91 year old mother and 78 year old husband, 5 cats and one dog. I think that covers my everyday routine while wearing your products. Thank you for all of them. I tell all who will listening to try out your products -- that they are well made and wear well under any or most conditions.

That's the truth of it all.

Shar
Burns, Tn

Kelli S.

I am a Duluth Woman

These pictures show my passion of keeping the childhood memories of "walks in the woods" alive. Although as an adult the passion has turned into almost an obsession with adding beauty and color to the woods. The hosta beds are maintained by myself, with the weeds usually winning the battle, but the reward of what is accomplished is always worth the best-intentioned efforts. I have created a nature wonderland that works as a natural habitat for the animals and birds and yet provides a peaceful enjoyable atmosphere for people, too.

I am also a farm owner with my husband, Jerry. We farm around 1,000 acres of mainly corn and soybeans in Wanatah, IN. I run the combine in the fall to help bring in the crops. In the spring and summer my main job is taking care of the yard, garden and the woods with mowing, pruning and landscaping. I truly enjoy being an active owner/operator on the farm that sustains our livelihood.

Being from northwest Indiana, the weather can be trying and so the proper clothing is always a must. I am always looking to Duluth for the right clothing that can outlast the dirty jobs while being practical and comfortable to wear.

Thank you for listening to your customers!

Kelli S.
Wanatah, IN

Deborah C.

Tools of the trainer

I am a professional dog trainer that trains all sorts of dogs from Chihuahuas to Danes, and I love them all. But I really enjoy big dogs with big personalities. I like the challenge of training confident, high-drive dogs for real work; like protection and search and rescue. I've also had the rewarding experience of training dogs to assist the disabled. My own dogs tend to be serious workers; but with no less affection and loyalty than you'd expect from a poodle.

I live in the mountains of Arizona, and I train for weeks every summer in heat over one hundred degrees. In the winter I track in the early mornings in temperatures in the teens, and I love to be out with a dog in a foot or more of snow. Whether I'm teaching a dog to take out a bad guy or finessing a finely shaped behavior, I can't be slowed down by my clothing and gear. Gloves, vests, jackets and pants all have to fit right, function well and be durable, too. When I leave the field or return from the woods, I want to look good; for my clients, myself and my man. Duluth has provided me with more products that do all that, and with style, than anyone else.

Thanks,

Deborah C.
Prescott K-9 Academy

Keshet

Duluth to the rescue

I started buying Duluth Trading clothes after a friend told me about how great they wear. We worked together at a goat dairy, where I was in charge of the night shift in the nursery and maternity barn. The month-old billies had just finished chewing off the tool loop on my worn out, 6 month old, ill-fitting men's C-brand of work pants with the broken zipper. So I went home, got online and ordered my first pair (and still going 3 years later) of Duluth Women's Work Pants. Somehow the kids couldn't destroy them!

I am a plain air artist, dog trainer, equestrian and Biodynamic farmer. I am also the secretary and Incident Commander for West Elk Mountain Rescue, our local search and rescue in western Colorado. My SAR locates and rescues lost back-country users in the West Elk Wilderness. All of these pursuits involve outdoor or messy work. I consider myself a renaissance woman. I do a lot of different things!

During a search and rescue mission, I stay at the SAR truck, running the mission, tracking all the teams. I know I can put a couple of radios in my Fire Hose® Work Pants pockets, and I know that they and my Un-sweater Fleece Henley will keep me warm and protected.

During trainings, we ride our horses as a search team on the trails. We can evacuate a lost or mildly injured person on a horse faster than on a litter. We are even developing a sked/travios that can be pulled by a horse to evacuate someone more seriously injured. Being the smallest, I usually get put in those things to test them out before actual use. And I know my Duluth Trading clothing will not get ripped, torn or otherwise fall apart even if I may fall out!

My durable and good looking Duluth Trading clothes and bag have seen me through all of my different pursuits. I have never been disappointed with them! Thank you Duluth Trading for thinking of us gals!

H. Cedar Keshet
West Elk Mountain Rescue
Secretary and Incident Commander

Maura B.

Long Enough

I am six feet tall, and your Longtail Henley Shirts have been a dream come true. I have multiple sclerosis and am wheelchair confined 24/7. It is difficult to find shirts that are long enough so that my back isn't exposed, where my shirt meets my pants.

As you can see in the attached photo, I'm wearing one of your Longtail T® Shirts.

Thanks for keeping us "Tall Girls" in mind!

—Maura Buckalew

Katelyn S.

Hooked on Duluth

My husband and I recently purchased our first home - on 14.4 acres in Whitmore Lake, MI. Since taking ownership, we have ripped out carpet, chiseled cork floor tiles off the bedroom floors, re-plumbed the house, run over 300 feet of electric, and installed a wood stove as our primary heating source. We have been clearing out all of the dead trees on the property to burn- a task that has been made much easier with our John Deere!

My husband has since taught me how to fell trees, pull the logs out with the tractor, buck them to length, split, and stack everything ready to burn. I love your Fire Hose® Work Pants and Longtail Waffles for doing chores in and outside of the house. Your Flannel-Lined Action Jac has been a lifesaver when trekking through thornbushes to clear timber.

My husband and I both have a small wardrobe of your gear and have convinced our family members to try (and subsequently get hooked on) your clothes. Thank you for making practical, comfortable work clothes that stand up to first-time homeownership!

Sincerely,
Katelyn S.
Whitmore Lake, MI

Barbara B.

A Real Hat on the Road

Ok, I'm not out in the sun or zooming along the empty roads of Northern Montana. I'm at the entrance to Glacier National Park. But the Crusher Hat was the perfect piece of gear for a steep, midday climb to a gorgeous waterfall, and other adventures.

The wide brim provided great windburn protection on the seven-hour drive back to Missoula to visit friends, and I plan to pack the hat when my husband and I travel to Brittany in the fall!

Best wishes,
Barbara B.
Real Writer
San Francisco, CA

Anna B.

Spring is for Syrup

For as long as anyone can remember, February and March have been the prime months for making maple syrup in Indiana. Our family joined this tradition almost fifteen years ago. Today, as our family has grown (we have eight children at home), we still produce our own syrup, some 25 gallons this year from 100 trees on our property.

Duluth overalls are perfect for holding tools of the trade such as a hand drill, hammer, spiles, rope and scissors. Your multi-pocketed Flex Fire Hose® Vest helps a mother of small children collect "woodland treasures" such as rocks, leaves and pine cones, easily tucked away while collecting sap. Thanks for providing quality, realistic, work clothes tough enough for family projects.

Anna B.
Indiana

Kathy S.

Pronking crias? Oh my!

Hello,

My husband and I live in northeast Wisconsin, on the shores of Lake Michigan where it can get pretty cold and windy. We discovered alpacas in 1996 - thankfully we discovered Duluth Trading not long afterwards. Whether I'm out doing the chores in my Fire Hose® work pants, or participating in an alpaca show in my black Everyday Vest or dealing with winter weather in my Winterizer Hat and Spare Pair Fleece Gloves, I can rest assured that my "chores" will be lightened due to the comfort and versatility of these wonderful products.

Sometimes I even get to relax indoors in my Souped-Up sweats to watch the crias (babies) pronking (frolicking) in the pastures. Life just doesn't get better than that.

Kathy S.
CRAZY HORSE ALPACAS
Kewaunee, WI

Tracey B.

A fantastic fit

Here is my wife Tracey wearing her Duluth Fire Hose^® Pants. She is very shy, so I am writing this to you. Tracey has her own gardening Business in Queenstown, New Zealand and has always struggled to find work pants that fit. Earlier this year I got on the net and found you guys - not only would you ship to New Zealand at a reasonable price but your clothes looked fantastic!

We received our order faster than we thought possible and everything fit great. I bought Trace a pair of Overachiever Overalls and now that is all she seems to wear around home. They look just fantastic, and she says they are very comfortable. Thank you Duluth for making Trace happy.

Best wishes and Thank you Duluth,
Bernard B.
Queenstown, New Zealand

Lisa F.

A Friendly Recommendation

Greetings,
This isn't about me - it's about my friend Lisa. If she's not a Duluth Real Woman, then I don't know who is. By day, and sometimes by night, she's a veterinary technician, and how she got to be one is a story worth telling.

About three years ago, Lisa lost her automotive-related design job to company "downsizing." Down but not out, she pulled herself up by her Timberland bootstraps, put on a Longtail Henley shirt, some Fire Hose^® Cargo Pants and went back to school. (All this in her mid-40s — no small task indeed!)

For more than two years, Lisa worked two and three jobs and went to school full time. An avid gardener, she mowed lawns, raked leaves, weeded — whatever it took to reach her goal. In May 2010, she achieved a lifelong dream and earned her degree and began working as a full-time veterinary technician at Little Friends of Ferndale clinic just north of Detroit.

You'll never meet a more passionate person, no matter what task she's doing. And through it all, Lisa's definitely becoming a regular Real Woman!

Sincerely,
Jennifer J.
Troy, MI

Beth C.

More than a walk in the park

I'm writing to present my fiancé Beth as a "Real Duluth Woman." Almost four years ago (wow how time flies) Beth told me she was going to start walking dogs for a living, and I must admit I met this statement with some apprehension. Boy, how she proved me wrong.

In just four years Beth has grown her business, Recess 4 Dogs, from walking a few dogs a day to walking up to 35 dogs a day, 7 days a week. She handles the administration of Recess and is out there every day, with the help of her 7 full time employees, doing the job she loves - walking the dogs. Like the Postman's Creed, neither rain, nor snow, or blazing sunshine keeps her from her appointed rounds.

Of all the things I love about my fiancé, my pride in watching her grow her business is as strong as anything else. On top of this, and I know I'm biased, she's quite the lovely woman indeed.

I know she is a big fan of your clothes, and your waterproof Keen^® Boots and Winterizer Parka keep her warm and dry throughout the cold New York winter months. She doesn't know I'm sending you this email, but every time we get your catalog in the mail and I flip through it, I
just can't help but think that she truly is a "Duluth Woman."

Best Regards,
Drew C.

Victoria R.

It all started with a handful of goats

Here is a picture of me in my Duluth Overalls and Longtail Turtleneck after mucking out the goat house. I got my first goat about one year ago, and I quickly found out that goats are like peanuts — you can't have just one. We now have 6; 2 does, 2 wethers and 2 kids. We're hoping a few more kids will be born in June.

I am a real woman who, with my wonderful husband, has renovated an old house, run a charter boat in Florida, been a picture framer for many years in Jersey City, NJ (my very own woman-owned business), and now lives on Bainbridge Island, WA, where we raise Pygora goats, chickens and 2 pug dogs. I am 67 years old and a grandmother of 6.

I would love the $100 Duluth Trading gift certificate, because right now I spend all my money on goat feed and bedding!

Thanks,
Victoria R.
Bainbridge Island, WA

Liz S.

Duluth Women's clothing is perfect for activities off the farm, too!

I bought the Flannel Lined Fire Hose Action Jac to protect me during Iowan winter playground duties. As a preschool teacher, I spend hours every day outdoors with my students.

The Action Jac has to be the toughest, warmest coat I have ever owned. The wrist cuffs and fitted shape block out cold winds. The bi-swing back allows me to move and play with my students. The multiple pockets can hold everything I need: chapstick, gloves, pens, confiscated toys, a first aid kit, and enough tissues to stop a river of runny noses. The washable canvas repels dirty handprints and flying slushballs.

Overall, every feature of this coat makes it excellent protection for cold Iowa weather. Thank you for keeping this teacher warm and comfortable this winter!

Sincerely,
Liz S.
Iowa

Mollie E.

I'm an 81½ year-old geriatric wannabe Real Women Model!

I am also an artist, author, horse lover, animal lover, wife, mother and grandmother. I started to ride at age 3 but had to stop riding in 2009 after a bad fall. Fortunately, I can still care for my 21 year-old Quarter Horse, TC - he's the good-looking one! - so I still get my 'horse fix' every day.

In 1999, I wrote a memoir about the joys and sometimes mishaps of home horsecare, which is in its 2nd printing. I have also written 3 children's books and have a line of illustrated note cards.

Except for this last winter (which was awful) I have a really good time, especially at the barn. My Duluth clothes get me through all the seasons. My blue Un-sweater Henley is my favorite this year. When paired with one of my cozy Longtail Turtlenecks and a vest, it takes me safely through all manner of weather situations. (I swear it's even water repellent!)

I hope this is helpful information. Sincerely,

Mollie E.
www.vestpocketfarm.com

Cindy L.

Suburbian Farmer

Dear Duluth Trading,
When I discovered your catalog of imminently practical products for people like our family, I was hooked! Hardly a Christmas goes by without at least one Duluth gift, and the recipient is invariably over the moon, because it's always some awesome product that's just perfect at filling some unmet need.

Your headlamp for example is awesome for going down to the chicken house at night. We live on what we like to call a small farm in suburbia, where we raise a flock of 13 endangered chickens, sharing the eggs with folks at the senior housing project. My husband also has one of your wide brim waterproof hats for the same chore (and we thought they were sleeping up there on those perches).

I use your canvas and leather utility/tool bag to carry my art supplies when trekking across the terrain in my plein art painting expeditions. And the whole family used your kneepads while we tore out a deck and replaced it with a series of patios, walls and terraces built from 40,000 pounds of natural stone. Partway through the project, my daughters and I even decided that their Dad could use some Longtail Tees!

With much thanks for your wonderful products, catalogs and inspiring stories,

Cindy L.
Heron Hill Studios
Zionsville, IN

Kathleen

Real Women go South for the winter—WAY South

I purchased the new Winterizer jacket specifically for a 5-week trip to Antarctica and Patagonia. I knew that on the way there and back I'd face high wind and stood a good chance of seeing a lot of rain. The Winterizer gets full marks for warmth, comfort (love the cuffs!) and great pockets!

Here is a photo of me sailing 'round the horn – as in around the last point in Patagonia. You will note that I am hanging on to the railing. That is for a good reason – very high wind. I must have been even warmer than I thought because I seem to have forgotten to snap the flap over the zipper.

My final point was 66'14 minutes south – past the Palmer Ice Station. It was a fantastic trip and the Winterizer was perfect!

Marge G.

Executive Director of Raptor Education Group, Inc.

I am currently teaching in Turkey and helping to set up a wildlife center here. I am from WI and have my own Wildlife Center Raptor Education Group, Inc. in Antigo. I wear the Ripstop Cargo Pants all of the time and have often thought to send some photos for the company.

Working with wildlife weeds out the good from the bad in terms of sturdy pants and clothing. That is especially true here in Turkey where the work is hard and often in difficult terrain. The photo here is from today in Bursa, Turkey.

Thank you for your help,
—Marge G.

Executive Director of
Raptor Education Group, Inc., Antigo, WI
www.raptoreducationgroup.org

Suzie O.

Farmer

Hello, my name is Suzie O. I am a mother, wife, farmer, musician, artist. My husband and I are nearing retirement and have decided to convert our little home into a small family farm. We built the barn ourselves, cleared the woods ourselves.

I have taught physics and chemistry at the high school and middle school level, and art and music at the grammer school level.

The photo is of me picking out my little Jersey Cow. Her name is Daisy. My husband and I have one dairy cow and 12 Rhode Island Red chickens. I sell their eggs and produce from my organic garden and baked goods made in my country kitchen with all farm fresh ingredients. I have 2 honey bee hives and get wonderful honey.

We just love our simple, healthy lifestyle and wouldn't trade it for anything!
Suzie O.

Brooke D.

Horseback Riding Instructor, Tree nut Farmer

Duluth-
My family and I recently moved to Orland, California to add walnut farming to our list of activities. My husband is a horseshoer, and I teach therapeutic horseback-riding lessons when I am not to busy with our kids who are 2.5 years and 10 months. We spend most of our time taking care of things on the ranch: feeding and watering the animals, checking on the trees, gardening, and generally playing in the dirt.

Lately, on top of having two children under three, three rope horses, three dogs, and moving, our family has been helping friends and neighbors harvest their crop; when ours is ready everyone will be here too.

It is with the help of our Duluth products that we can get it all done. They give us the best combination of comfort and durability. I can trust that my clothes will live up to the tests that each day brings, whether it is 105 degrees and we're harvesting the walnuts, or if its raining and I have to move all the hay into the barn. It's nice to have reliable products like those we have found at Duluth.

My father-in-law was the first to open our eyes to the company when he gave my husband some socks and boxers. They met his standards, which is rare, and they were quick to meet ours. You could say we've been hooked since. Now I am excited to try the new Un-Sweater Fleece Henley, as I love the comfort of fleece, but hate that hay and fur are always clinging to me.

After the harvest, I look forward to getting a chance to rope more with my husband, teach lessons, and barrel race. I know that I will be ready as my clothes were strong enough to make it through.
Thanks Duluth,

Michele

Animal Rescue

Dear Duluth Trading,
Although I am a married women and age 42, my mother put me up to this!

I am an American from Long Island. I moved to Bavaria, Germany about 20 years ago. Six years ago I left my job as a Visual Merchandiser for a major clothing brand to devote my time to animal rescue. Since then I, along with a few devoted friends, have been able to rescue, foster and find new homes for well over 500 dogs. I also rescue sheep and rabbits – at the moment, I have 50 animals. When my mother comes to visit she always asks what she can bring from the States. My answer is/was "Please find me some good sturdy overalls, they don't sell them here!" Well, I just got my first pair of Overachiever Overalls and I am very happy!! It gets very cold here since we live at the foot of the Bavarian Alps, so I am psyched about the flannel lining.

So although I live thousands of miles away...I am a Duluth woman!

Greetings from Germany,
Michele

Natalie

Mechanical Maintenance

Dear Duluth Women,
My name is Natalie and I do mechanical maintenance on commuter trains for the biggest transit system in the San Francisco Bay Area. Before this job I overhauled & repaired helicopter engines - tore them all the way down & put them back together with new or repaired parts. Before that I worked on the F-16 Fighter Jet in the US Air Force. Prior to & in between those jobs I have installed insulation, painted houses & once was a live-on-site caretaker for a 100 acre horse ranch in Orinda, living in caretakers' shack which was built from railrood ties & plywood (not built to code & not built by me). Having said all that, I am just a regular gal who isn't afraid to work hard, get dirty or get blisters. Love your magazine. Saw the Frye® Harness boots there & bought me a pair! I really wish I had your catalog years ago for the Fire Hose® Work Pants. I am going to order some & give them a go at the job.

Thanks for reading my story,
Natalie

Cathy H.

Owner, Platypus Studios

In 2007 my husband died, and it was time for me to make some changes in my life in order to move forward. I'd been a casual woodworker and photographer for years, and even though it sounded crazy, I opened Platypus Studios. Here, I design and build all sorts of things. (Really, all sorts of things.) I love wood and photography, and mosaics and stained glass. I've made a lap steel guitar, many amplifier cabinets, an electric guitar, inlays inspired by crop circles, mosaic fish, tables, wall hangings from wood and metal and glass. I also go hiking every day with my dog and my camera. My favorite subjects are nature and dogs.

It seems like I'm almost always wearing something from Duluth Trading Co. Right now it's your Runabout Knit Pants, and Overtime Longtail® Crew Tee. Have recently ordered your Longtail Henleys and find they make great layering pieces with a light turtleneck underneath.

At 51, I'm living my dream. Every day, I get to spend time creating something. Almost every day, I learn a new skill.

Thanks again for your great products,
Cathy H.

Paula

Dear Duluth,
My name is Paula, and I am a Duluth Trading real woman in Alaska. After eight years of working in customer service, billing, and accounts receivable at our local electric cooperative, I am now in charge of the warehouse and wire yard, where I order and maintain the line crew inventory. At the age of 62, I am thoroughly enjoying my job and look forward to every new day at work! I stocked up on wonderful Duluth Trading clothing – I especially love my overalls and the Cargo Jacket. Gotta love all the great pockets for parts, small tools and a cell phone. I am hoping you will come out with an insulated version of the Cargo Jacket for winter!

Thanks for the catalog, clothing and great service!
Paula

Janet

Dear Duluth,
As a very satisfied customer, I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the many items I've purchased from your company. I've always been an outdoor person, seems there is always something that needs done. I am a woman who doesn't perspire. I sweat, more than any other person I know, male or female! I was excited to try your UV Buff headband. It helps keep the sweat from my eyes and it's wide enough to keep my hair back. I toss it in the washer, doesn't take long to air dry and it's ready for the next job. I also love the Longtail Tank. When I bend and twist, it stays in place. It's soft and I love how the snap on the tank prevents my bra strap from sliding around on my shoulder. Best of all, I don't have that irritating scratchiness on my neck from a label because the label on this tank is printed. I am always outside doing something, it's just my nature. I've ordered the Gauntlet Gardening Gloves – sure wish I'd ordered them sooner so I could be using them while splitting this wood! Thanks Duluth for your many great items!
Janet

Teresa

Farmer and Mother

Hello Duluth Trading Company,
Being a mom, I know value, and I'm pleased to say that your products have never let me down. With the way the economy has been looking lately, our family just can't afford to buy the same product twice because the first one wore out too quickly. No one ever got rich farming, but at least I know our Duluth purchases are money well spent.

Typical women's clothing just isn't built for a hardworking farm momma like me, so I was thrilled to discover that Duluth wasn't just my husband's catalog anymore. Now I can do the barn chores in comfort and still look like a woman – and my husband doesn't have to wonder where all his flannel shirts have gone.

Vermont's winters notoriously are long and cold and often bring falls and injuries, so this year I've been putting my Stabilicers to the test on our treacherously icy paths and roads. The other brands I tried in the past always let me down and fell apart quickly, but these are holding strong even on the roughest and steepest terrain. I love that they hold on tight to my boots, yet come off quickly and easily when I need to go into the feed store. With precious cargo like this (see photo) counting on me, it's easy to see why I love my Stabilicers!

Thanks again for remembering that real women work hard,
Theresa

Cindy

Border Collie Trainer

Hello to the gang at Duluth Trading:
I became a fan of your women's clothing three years ago when my husband gave me some great shirts and a jacket from your catalog. As a contractor, he has purchased Duluth Trading items for years.

We enjoy herding with our Border Collies and training year-round. For about three seasons, I can wear my Berber-lined Fire Hose® Work Jacket and Fleece-lined Work Jeans while working my dogs. The clothing is warm and protective and can really take a beating from mud and other stuff I encounter while herding sheep or mucking out a shed. After herding, I do not hesitate to put the wet dogs into the car on the Deluxe Seat Saver, and we sit on the Bucket Seat Savers in front. In spring particularly, the mud runs deep in the pastures, but I never worry about how dirty everything gets because it all washes up so well.

If the weather warms or I'm indoors, I switch to my Fire Hose Work Pants, which are great for gardening, hiking, and painting. I wear them almost every day! I really appreciate the comfort, fit, and ruggedness of the women's clothing. I have never been able to wear men's clothing, and men's pants, especially, do not fit me well. Plus, most women's clothing is not really made for an active lifestyle. So where does a working woman buy work clothes that fit and look good? Now I have the answer to that question, of course: Duluth Trading.

I can truthfully say I am well-dressed by Duluth Trading from socks to the top, because even the braided horse-hair string on my hat is from the catalog.

It's good to read the stories from all your fans out the're…the real women.

Sincerely,
Cindy

Adrian

Horse Owner

I discovered Duluth while hunting for clothes to wear horseback riding in Arizona. I've been riding horses for 25 years, and hours in the elements quickly show the good products from the fakes. My gear had to be solid from the beginning.

Men's clothes do NOT fit the bill, which left me wondering where I was going to find the items I needed. I ended up with a Fire Hose® Work Jacket and it did not let me down. I've become quite a fan of Duluth. Your products have become my lifesavers. (Your sun shirts are a must! Most recently I bought the Fleece Ponytail Earband.) It's not easy to find hardworking items designed and made for women.

I spend two hours a week working with my horse trainer and another ten working to become a horse trainer myself. After years of mucking out stalls to afford lessons and riding/training other people's horses, it is thrilling to finally be on this path. When not at the barn I chase two little boys - that'll make you into a "real woman" if nothing else does! A "real woman," wow, that sounds like a lot to live up to. A real woman is one who breathes in and out, eats and sleeps and gets up everyday to fight the battles that rise up before her. Some she wins, some she doesn't. She chases her dreams and never stops working to make them come true. That's me. I've fought my share of battles and I'm still working to make my dreams come true.

Adrian

Dianne

Hello Duluth Trading Company,
I am a Duluth Real Woman: a 69-year-old grandmother who lives in your women's bib overalls and t-shirts. I shovel manure daily (yep!), care for our two old hay burners, and do many chores around our property.

Sincerely,
Dianne in Vermont

Karen

Carpenter

Dear Duluth Trading Company,
Karen grew up in Tulsa, OK. In the fifth grade, she stumbled into an adult oil painting class by accident and immediately discovered her First Love. She has been an artist ever since.

Karen went on to get a college degree in History, but that did not lead to any profession she was particularly interested in. Unable to survive as a starving artist, she signed up with a temp service and found herself working in a cabinet shop. It was a perfect fit! She had a natural gift for the work. After ten years in that position, Karen became a project manager for a high-end custom furniture company. The work was challenging and interesting, but she always held out hope that someday she would have her own shop.

In 2006, she opened Howl Woodworks in an abandoned, late 1800s red brick schoolhouse with two rooms. The school kitchen became her oil painting studio and finishing booth. Karen crafts everything from bread boards to complete kitchens. Each project is custom designed to the customer's specifications. At times, she retreats to the kitchen to paint Southwestern scenes. Saturday mornings in the summer and fall find Karen at her local Farmers' Market booth selling small wood pieces, brownies, and her mother's knitted hats and scarves.

Through the years Karen has used many Duluth products — totes, brief cases, Grab jackets, sweats and especially aprons. Here she is with three generations of aprons that have seen her through many projects with both wood and oils. Looks like it is about time to order a new one!

Sincerely,
Ginger (Karen's mom)

Shaindel

Hobby Fruit Tree Farmer

Dear Duluth Trading Company,
I'm an English professor and writer during the week, and on Sundays I do
lawn maintenance for a couple who has many, many fruit trees and a few
rental properties. I love wearing your clothing for my "Sunday job." It has
helped me through harvesting and caring for grapes, peaches, apples,
nectarines, pears, and many, many other plants as well as cleaning gutters
and all kinds of other work.

I'm including two pictures of me: one working my Sunday job harvesting
grapes, and another of me fishing in the Deschutes River.

Thank you so much and take care!
Shaindel

Rebecca

Carpenter

Hi Duluth Trading,
My talented sweetheart Rebecca is your woman. She bought a duplex at age 27 and renovated half of it, teaching herself as she went. She framed, tiled, laid floors, etc. She had such fun that she quit her job as a professional goldsmith and became a carpenter. She's the only woman carpenter in the company, and quickly gained the boys' respect even though she had no formal training. When Rebecca took four months off her carpentry job to totally rehabilitate our home, I became her apprentice. She has taught me and her co-workers to separate our construction debris into many containers so it can be recycled. She sent over 300 lbs. of metal to the recycling depot and two 15-yard dumpsters of wood to the biomass power plant!

Rebecca also uses her wits and hands to make all sorts of amazing things. One holiday season, she welded used train car springs, car brake rotors and pipe hangers into stylish lamps (see picture). She converted our family station wagon to run on vegetable oil! And she's replaced car engines, replaced clutches, and rebuilt motorcycles for fun. Plus, she has run the Vermont City Marathon twice!

Rebecca believes that she can actively create a better and more equitable world for women, and she's been a camp counselor at "Rosie's Girls" summer camp for a couple years, teaching auto tech, carpentry and more.

Lastly, Rebecca loves your catalog. She likes the fact that you don't have twiggy models and that you sell practical stuff. She is thrilled with the leather work boots she bought from you: "Finally, a pair of women's work boots that work!"

Thanks for having this feature as part of your outreach to customers. It's great.

Best,
Chapin (Rebecca's husband)

Priscilla

Hi Duluth Trading,
I'm sending you a photo of me, months after the knock-out ice storm on January 27, 2009, in Northwest Arkansas. Hauling off tree branches by hand was a little easier because I had my Duluth gloves, and that's my Duluth cap I'm wearing. So even for us older women who aren't professional gardeners or vets, your products are a big help! (The ice storm wasn't national news, I guess – we were without electricity and had no heat, phone, road, etc. for 10 days – because no one could get out to the rural areas to photograph it. But the crews that came in to clean up the electric lines said the damage was worse than Katrina, where they had also been called in. It's just that we were a smaller population in a much larger and hilly, wooded area.)

I plan to stock up on some warm clothes from Duluth for this coming winter, and hope I won't need them.

Sincerely,
Priscilla

Jean

Musher

Hi Duluth Trading,
I am a fan of your catalog and have purchased several items for myself and my family. I have been reading about the Real Women and really enjoy the stories. I also enjoy the fact that you make clothes for women with muscles and strong bodies. I am the mother of three adult children and a PhD-prepared pediatric nurse practitioner by trade, but I am also a musher. I noticed you did not have any mushers in your stories, so I thought I would send you mine.

I have wanted to mush since I read "Call of the Wild" as a child. Three years ago, at age 49, I decided to teach myself to mush. I was fortunate to meet a musher who was retiring. He provided me with three trained, older dogs. I had one 10-month-old Siberian Husky puppy at the time. The older dogs taught me and the puppy how to mush. Today I have 12 pure-bred Siberian Huskies. Most of my dogs are rescues but we did just have a litter in May. My kennel is called Anam Cara (Gaelic for "Soul Mate"), and it's located in Northwest Vermont – where there is plenty of snow for mushing. I love every minute of the adventures the dogs and I have out on the trail. Last winter we did our first race, and this summer we plan to enter some dog shows.

I use my Duluth Coveralls to do kennel chores the nights I am on call at the office. I go home to feed the dogs, but I have to go right back to work. The Coveralls keep me clean, since I don't have time to change before going out to the kennel.

Thanks for listening to our story, and thanks for making products for Real Women.

Jean

Edye

Trip to Egypt

Hi Duluth Trading,
Just got a new catalog from you and decided to respond when I saw my faithful Action Shirts inside. I have just returned from Jordan and Egypt (hot!) and took 4 of these shirts. They were dipped and dripped dry many times during the 3 weeks and served me so WELL! So, though there is no hard labor on my part anymore, you should know that retirees love you, too. From ruins hopping to camelback rides, this wardrobe from Duluth Trading was fantastic! Thanks so much.

Edye

Melissa

Dear Duluth,
Years ago, I bought my work clothes at local retail stores. Of course, if you've ever looked at the "work" clothes they sell for women, you quickly see that they are too tight and short to actually be used for work. I was stuck trying to find men's work clothes that fit well enough to get by. They were never comfortable, and they looked horrible. When I first heard of Duluth's women's work clothing line, I was ecstatic. I have been wearing a variety of your pants ever since they came out. My favorite are the fleece- lined work jeans. My work uniform dictates pants be jeans and shorts be khaki. In the winter, I am outside for a majority of the day, and the fleece-lined jeans are spectacular. I can layer them with thermal pants and stay nice and warm while still being able to move.

Thanks to Duluth Trading, I can get through every day at work all throughout a New England year. No more misfit pants, short shorts, or jeans that wear through in a month. Thank you so much for making work gear for women who really do tough work.

Melissa